Washington, 2022

Heavy Snow in Washington, November 29 to 30, 2022

November 29 to 30, 2022 · NWS SEW · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Another round of heavy snow affected the Cascade and Olympic mountains of western Washington at the end of November. Similar to the previous event earlier in the month, the central and southern Cascades received the most snowfall during this event.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS SEW wrote it up.

Another round of heavy snow affected the Cascade and Olympic mountains of western Washington at the end of November. Similar to the previous event earlier in the month, the central and southern Cascades received the most snowfall during this event.

What forecasters said that day

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 Nov 29, 5:25 AM PST, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 29, 5:25 AM PST, 3 hours 35 minutes before
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Event by event

2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties

When
November 29, 9:00 AM PST to November 30, 10:00 AM PST
Where
Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties forecast zone
Reported by
Park/Forest Service

A period of decent snowfall fell at Mt Rainier National Park shortly after midnight on the 27th. Snow remained steady through the 28th but did not meet advisory or warning criteria, with about 15 inches of new snow depth through this period. Much heavier snow then fell on the 29th/30th. Snow began during the mid morning hours on the 29th, accumulating well over 11 inches in 12 hours and over 20 inches in 24 hours. Heavy snow then tapered during the late morning hours on the 30th before starting up again later in day but remaining generally less impactful. New snow depth after this storm at Paradise was measured around 2 feet, making for about 70 inches of total snow.

Heavy Snow, Cascades of Snohomish and King Counties

When
November 29, 10:00 AM PST to November 30, 11:00 PM PST
Where
Cascades of Snohomish and King Counties forecast zone
Reported by
Park/Forest Service

Heavy snow began at Snoqualmie Pass during the late morning hours on the 29th, quickly accumulating 12 inches within 12 hours and over 20 inches in 24 hours. By the end of the month during this event, a final snow depth at the Pass reached 35 inches. Decent snowfall still continued into December, with the bulk of the accumulation during the 29/30th period of November.

For Stevens Pass, decent snowfall fell on the 27th and 28th but did not reach advisory or warning criteria. Then, on Nov 30th, a period of heavy snow brought accumulations of 12 inches within a 12 hours period to the Pass. Snow initially began around noon on the 29th, with snow becoming heavier the night of the 29th into the 30th. Snow then tapered into the early morning hours of December 1.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Washington in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, November 2022

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1067394, 1067383.