A series of storm systems off the Pacific made for a return to active weather pattern across portions of Washington, particularly the Cascades and especially around the volcanoes. This resulted in a period of prolonged and periodically heavy snowfall.
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 series of storm systems off the Pacific made for a return to active weather pattern across portions of Washington, particularly the Cascades and especially around the volcanoes. This resulted in a period of prolonged and periodically heavy snowfall.
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 Mar 12, 8:37 PM PST, 3 hours 23 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Seattle WA
837 PM PST Sat Mar 12 2022
.UPDATE...No major changes to the current forecast this evening.
Depicted nicely in water vapor imagery this evening is an area of
closed low pressure very near the WA/OR Coast. Nearly stacked with
this upper level feature is its surface reflection, of which has
an associated warm frontal boundary across northern portions of
the local area and a cold front pushing inland across the WA and
OR coastal area. Widespread precipitation continues along the
ahead of the cold frontal boundary, per MRMS radar imagery.
For tonight, rain is expected to become more showery through the
overnight period. SPC mesoanalysis along with hi-res model
forecast soundings suggest that impressive SRH both at the 0-1km
and 0-3km ranges are present and will remain present through
tonight amidst great deep layer shear and steepening mid level
lapse rates along the southern WA Coast and into the SW interior.
Currently, the lacking parameter is CAPE/instability, which is
necessary for convection so thus far have only seen showers across
this area. With steepening lapse rates, will still need to
monitor a threat for isolated thunderstorms through midnight,
which if materialize will reside in a favorable environment for
rotating updrafts, lightning, and small hail. The threat should
diminish Sunday morning as the closed low dampens and pushes east.
Elsewhere, no significant convective threat is likely.
Will noticeably see the area of low pressure push south of the
area through Sunday morning via both satellite and radar imagery,
with perhaps just a few lingering showers by the afternoon. this
will be short-lived as the next system as another system moves in.
Previous discussion follows with an updated marine and aviation
section.
Kovacik
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 250 PM PST Sat Mar 12 2022/
.SYNOPSIS...A frontal system will push through the area tonight
bringing lowland rain, mountain snow, breezy conditions, and
possibly a few thunderstorms. A wetter system is then likely
Monday and Tuesday, which could result in a few area rivers rising
above flood stage. After a brief break mid-week, additional
systems are likely the latter half of the week.
&&
.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...Western WA was in the
warm sector today as a warm front stalled over southern B.C. This
brought mild conditions with temperatures in the 50s (across the
interior). Wet weather will return tonight as the cold front moves
inland. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms along the coast
as the cold core moves overhead although confidence is low. Snow
levels will remain around 3,000 feet with heaviest snowfall
amounts in the Cascades around Mount Rainier and White Pass - a
Winter Weather Advisory is in effect.
Showers mostly remain to our south on Sunday for a brief break in
the action. We'll then see more rainy weather Sunday night through
Tuesday under moist, SW flow. This period of wet weather will
result in several inches of rain in the mountains with sharp rises
on the rivers. A few rivers may reach minor flood stage (or will
be close) and a Hydrologic Outlook has been issued. Down in the
lowlands, we'll see up to 1 inch of rain with 2-3" along the
coast. Expect windy conditions too with south wind gusts 20-30
mph. Showers will be mostly focused along the west slopes of the
Cascades Tuesday night which may bring heavy snow (above 3,000
ft). 33
.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...Wednesday brings a
brief break in the weather with an upper level ridge over the
PacNW. A weak/splitting front then brings a little rain Wednesday
night or Thursday. A trough will then dig offshore on Thursday
then move inland Friday and the weekend for additional showers.
Temperatures are close to average through the period. 33
&&
.AVIATION...Rain will taper to showers overnight for the majority
of the TAF sites, with areas are rain likely to be most prevalent
over OLM and HQM. Ceilings are expected to be a mix of MVFR and
VFR into Sunday morning, with MVFR being the more dominant
category. There could be pockets of IFR, especially where heavier
rain pushes through. Precipitation will be become more isolated
through the morning and afternoon Sunday, with ceilings recovering
largely back to VFR. This will be short-lived, as another plume of
moisture arrives late Sunday afternoon and evening. Ceilings
likely to initially remain VFR but will likely lower Sunday
night, which is getting just outside of this TAF issuance. Winds
not as breezy as initially expected, generally 5-10kts and will
likely remain in that range before eventually increase to 10-15kts
Sunday evening, remaining out of the S the entire TAF cycle.
KSEA...A mix of MVFR and VFR ceilings into the overnight, expected
to become largely MVFR. Showers will hang around before becoming
confined to the south of the terminal Sunday morning. Ceilings to
recover to VFR with the next round of rain arriving Sunday
evening. Winds S thru the period 6-10kts, increasing slightly
late Sunday.
Kovacik
&&
.MARINE...A frontal system will move onshore tonight. An
associated deep but weakening surface low will move to the coast
near Astoria Sunday morning. Gales are likely for the south part
of the Coastal Waters tonight with small craft advisory strength
winds most other waters. Winds will ease on Sunday.
A second vigorous frontal system will move through the area Sunday
night and Monday with a trailing trough moving through the area
on Tuesday. Southerly winds could rise to near gale strength again
for the Coastal Waters early Monday.
High pressure will briefly move over the area on Wednesday for
lighter winds. A third, weaker front will move through the area on
Thursday. 16
&&
.HYDROLOGY...Two weather systems will result in rain, heavy at
times, through Wednesday morning with rises on rivers during this
period. The heaviest rain will fall after midnight tonight with
the first system, and again late Monday night into Tuesday
morning. Rainfall totals of 4 to 7 inches for the Olympics and 3
to 6 inches over the Cascades during this period. This could cause
for rivers of Mason, Snohomish, King, Pierce and Lewis Counties
to approach flood stage Sunday into Wednesday.
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM PDT Sunday for Cascades of
Pierce and Lewis Counties.
PZ...Gale Warning until 6 AM PDT Sunday 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.
Small Craft Advisory until 11 PM PDT Sunday for Grays Harbor Bar.
Small Craft Advisory until 4 AM PDT Sunday for Admiralty Inlet-
Central U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-East Entrance
U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-Northern Inland Waters
Including The San Juan Islands-Puget Sound and Hood Canal-
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.
&&
www.weather.gov/seattle2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Data gathered at the Mount Baker Ski Resort in the North Cascades depicted a period of prolonged snowfall, with about 40 new inches of snow reported over the period from March 13-21. The heaviest snow fell between March 14 and March 15 where about 20 inches of snow fell.
Data gathered at Paradise at Mount Rainier suggested a period of prolonged snowfall between March 13 and March 21. Around 25 inches of new snow fell during this time period with the heaviest period of snow March 14 and through the 15th. Snow then tapered through the early morning hours on the 22nd.
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, March 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: 1017063, 1017064.