A colder air mass with a low pressure system moved through the region bringing another round of snow to the Cascades.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS SEW wrote it up.
A colder air mass with a low pressure system moved through the region bringing another round of snow to the Cascades.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Seattle, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 26, 8:39 PM PST, 7 hours 21 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Seattle WA
839 PM PST Mon Dec 26 2022
.SYNOPSIS...A vigorous frontal system will move through the area
tonight and Tuesday, bringing rain and windy conditions. Additional
weaker systems look to cross the area later in the week, with the
potential for quieter weather into the weekend, as high pressure
builds into the region by Sunday.
&&
.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...The next frontal system
has begun to move into the area this evening and rain has
arrived. It looks to get windy coast and north interior tonight
as a deep surface low approaches and easterly gradients increase.
There should be a really good push of west to south winds later
Tuesday into Tuesday evening as the low tracks inland through the
north part of the area. Forecast generally on track and no major
updates planned this evening. Previous discussion follows. 16
The next in our train of frontal low pressure systems is plowing
toward the coast this evening with rain filling in across the
area. Lows tonight stay mild with the warm front just to our
south in the low to mid 40s.
The track of the surface low into southern Vancouver Island will
promote an appreciable pressure gradient over the region, yielding
another gusty forecast through the early morning into the day
Tuesday. Ensemble guidance suggests the strongest gradient will
trend closes to the triple point, moving across southern Washington.
Strong south-southeasterly flow ahead of the cold/occluded front
will also be notable with the NBM 50th percentile probability max
wind gusts Tuesday ranging from 30 to 45 mph over much of the
region. The strongest wind gusts probabilities lie along the coast
with values closer to 50 to 60 knots. Issued Wind Advisories for the
coast, North Interior, and Southwest Interior (including all of
Lewis and portions of Pierce Counties). There is some potential for
wind gusts to reach High Wind Warning criteria, but confidence is
not yet great enough to issue a warning, though a gust or two cannot
be entirely ruled out of the more elevated locations of these areas.
Several of the deterministic runs continue to carry the deep surface
low around 970 mb just a touch further south into the northern
Washington coast, so there is some concern winds may be underdone,
but stuck to a blended approach to avoid any biases towards any one
particular track.
After heavy antecedent rainfall, this additional round of rainfall
will stress some area rivers and streams. Forecast rainfall amounts
from the NBM range from 1 to 1.5 inches in the lowlands to up to 3
inches in the Cascades and adjacent foothills and 3.5 inches in the
Olympics. Issued a Flood Watch from now through Tuesday for the
entire area to encompass the threat for urban/small stream
flooding and that of some of the already overwhelmed rivers in
the area. More info is included in the hydrology section below.
A High Surf Advisory was also issued due to the strong winds and
high seas, which could lead dangerously large breaking waves from
24 to 30 feet along the North Coast from 7 am through 7 pm
Tuesday. These breaking waves could sweep people off jetties and
docks into what are dangerous seas. Life-threatening swimming
conditions and significant beach erosion are also expected along
the coast.
High astronomical tides combined with the strong winds will result
in minor coastal flooding. Another round of Coastal Flood
Advisories were issued for the Northern Inland Waters for Tuesday and
the northern coast for this afternoon, the latter of which will
likely need to be issued again tomorrow.
High temperatures Tuesday will range from the low to mid 50s amidst
the southerly flow.
A brief lull Wednesday afternoon as the one frontal passes and
another looms offshore in our future for Thursday and Thursday
night.
Davis
.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...Previous discussion...Long
range guidance continues to stay active through the remainder of
the week, though the intensity trends downward with long range
ensembles bringing two systems through the area in the Thursday to
Friday timeframe, though disagreement remains on the track of the
weak surface lows along these fronts. Since these lows and
associated pressure gradients look much weaker, the wind threat
looks significantly lower for the second half of the week.
Guidance does agree that we dry out through the weekend,
especially by Sunday as an upper-level ridge builds into the
Pacific Northwest. Highs look to hold persistent in the mid to
upper 40s through the weekend.
Davis
&&
.AVIATION...Rain will continue across the area this evening with
the cold front arriving overnight and into Tuesday morning. Wind
direction will begin as southeasterly this evening, transitioning
to southerly Tuesday morning, then westerly by tomorrow afternoon
in the wake of the cold front. Vigorous winds are expected as the
front passes, with gusts in Puget Sound on the order of 35 to 40
knots, with higher gusts along the coast and north interior. Many
terminals will likely face the threat of low level wind shear
throughout the day on Tuesday.
KSEA...Rain is currently being observed over the terminal.
Reductions in visibility and ceilings are likely, down to MVFR
conditions at times. Cannot rule out periods of IFR if a heavier
band of rain moves over the terminal. The next time period of
concern would be Tuesday morning, generally about 09Z-12Z onward in
regard to the winds. Southeasterly winds with gusts on the order of
25 to 35 kts are likely through late tomorrow night. The threat of
LLWS cannot be ruled out either, as winds at 2000 feet AGL could be
on the order of 45 to 55 knots. This will likely be reflected in
subsequent TAF issuances.
Kristell/McMillian
&&
.MARINE...A stronger system will move across the region on Tuesday
into Wednesday, bringing yet another round of gales to the majority
of the area waters. Gusts to storm force to may also be possible
across the coastal waters, so this will be monitored carefully as a
storm form warning could be issued. All previously issued Gale
Watches have been upgraded to Warnings.
Seas currently hovering at 15-17 ft across the coastal waters.
Expect these to build to around 20-25 ft on Tuesday. As such, a High
Surf Warning has been issued, on which more information can be found
in the public discussion above. Seas will stay elevated to around 20
feet though Wednesday before easing on Thursday. Dangerous
conditions are expected on coastal beaches, and extreme caution
should be taken near jetties and docks. Large waves can sweep people
off of these locations and into the water.
Kristell
&&
.HYDROLOGY...Another wet frontal system will move through the area
tonight and Tuesday. Additional rainfall from this system, on top
of earlier precip and melted snow/ice will allow flooding
concerns to continue at least into Wednesday. With that said, a
Flood Watch remains in place over all of W WA until 10 AM PST
Wednesday morning.
Flood warnings are already in place for the exceedingly flood
prone Skokomish. The Skokomish looks to remain above flood stage
at least through Tuesday night. Elsewhere, a few rivers could see
minor flooding Tuesday or Wednesday from the wet system currently
moving into the area.
The overall pattern looks to retain precip, albeit lesser amounts
Wednesday through Friday...with data remaining consistent that
drier conditions are expected over the weekend. That said,rivers
will remain high and if any other rivers do get to flood stage the
flooding could linger into Wednesday or Thursday as runoff
continues.
The saturated ground resultant from the recent wet weather combined
with low elevation snowmelt has created an elevated threat of
landslides across Western Washington. This threat will continue
through Tuesday before easing Wednesday with a break in the steady
rain. 18/16
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...Flood Watch through Wednesday morning for Admiralty Inlet Area-
Bellevue and Vicinity-Bremerton and Vicinity-Central Coast-
East Puget Sound Lowlands-Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca-
Everett and Vicinity-Hood Canal Area-Lower Chehalis Valley
Area-North Coast-Olympics-San Juan County-Seattle and
Vicinity-Southwest Interior-Tacoma Area-West Slopes North
Cascades and Passes-West Slopes North Central Cascades and
Passes-West Slopes South Central Cascades and Passes-
Western Skagit County-Western Strait of Juan De Fuca-
Western Whatcom County.
Wind Advisory from 1 AM Tuesday to 1 AM PST Wednesday for
Admiralty Inlet Area-Everett and Vicinity-San Juan County-
Western Skagit County-Western Whatcom County.
Coastal Flood Advisory from 8 AM to 1 PM PST Tuesday for
Admiralty Inlet Area-Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca-San
Juan County-Western Skagit County-Western Whatcom County.
Wind Advisory from 7 AM Tuesday to 1 AM PST Wednesday for
Bremerton and Vicinity-Lower Chehalis Valley Area-Seattle
and Vicinity-Southwest Interior-Tacoma Area.
Wind Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 1 AM PST Wednesday for
Central Coast-North Coast.
High Surf Warning from 7 AM to 7 PM PST Tuesday for Central
Coast-North Coast.
PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 4 AM PST Tuesday for Grays Harbor Bar.
Small Craft Advisory until 7 PM PST this evening for West
Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.
Gale Warning until 7 AM PST Tuesday for Central U.S. Waters
Strait Of Juan De Fuca-West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of
Juan De Fuca.
Gale Warning from 5 PM Tuesday to 7 AM PST Wednesday for Central
U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.
Gale Warning from 1 AM Tuesday to 7 AM PST Wednesday for East
Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.
Gale Warning from 1 AM Tuesday to 4 AM PST Wednesday for
Admiralty Inlet-Northern Inland Waters Including The San
Juan Islands-Puget Sound and Hood Canal.
Gale Warning until 6 PM PST Tuesday for Coastal Waters From Cape
Flattery To James Island 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From
Cape Flattery To James Island Out 10 Nm-Coastal Waters From
James Island To Point Grenville 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters
From James Island To Point Grenville Out 10 Nm-Coastal
Waters From Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater 10 To 60 Nm-
Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater Out
10 Nm.
&&3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Snow started early on December 27th and increased in intensity throughout the morning and into the afternoon, with 12 inches of snow falling within a 12 hour period late 27th into the 28th - reaching Winter Weather Advisory criteria.
Snow started on late the 26th and started to accumulate early on the 27th into the 28th. About 15 to 17 inches of new snow fell throughout a 12 hour period - where a winter weather advisory was issued.
Heavy snow stretched from the early morning hours on the 26th and continued through the afternoon hours of the 28th. About 15 inches of new snow fell during this time as a Winter Weather Advisory was issued.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, December 2022
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1075704, 1075715, 1075712.