Upsloping on the Olympics resulted in light to moderate lowland snowfall accumulation.
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.
Upsloping on the Olympics resulted in light to moderate lowland snowfall accumulation.
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 3, 3:02 PM PST, 5 hours 58 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Seattle WA
302 PM PST Fri Mar 3 2023
.SYNOPSIS...An unseasonably cool weather pattern will persist
this weekend and into next week as upper-level troughing remains
the dominant feature. PoPs are in the forecast throughout this
period for Western Washington but in varying amounts. Cold
overnight temps and low snow levels will also keep the potential
for minor lowland snow chances.
&&
.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...For tonight, an upper-level
trough is slated to slide southward along the BC coast towards the
offshore waters of the PNW. A shortwave and its associated
surface low will follow, and even deepen a bit as it interacts
with an area of divergence aloft enhanced by a jet streak
positioned well to our south into Northern California. We'll
continue to see wrap around rain showers associated with the
aforementioned surface low tonight into Saturday with possible wet
snow flakes mixing into precipitation for some lowland areas. Most
notably, offshore surface gradients are on tap to increase
tonight with surface winds turning easterly as a response. This
will result in enhanced upslope flow snowfall over the eastern
sections of the Olympic mountains, Hood Canal, and Western Kitsap
County as this is a prime area for the sheltering of cool
temperatures. A winter weather advisory is posted for lowland
locations in these areas where generally 2 to 4 inches of snow is
expected with locally higher amounts possible. For the Olympic
Mountains, the previous winter storm watch has been upgraded to a
winter storm warning where 1 to 2 feet of snow is expected tonight
through Saturday afternoon. East of Puget Sound, a winter weather
advisory is still in play for the Southern Cascades as it'll go
into effect this evening into Saturday. 12 to 18 inches are
possible for areas above 1,500 feet in elevation.
Shower activity will remain into the forecast on Saturday as the
low center meanders over the offshore waters. Any lingering
lowland winter weather should subside as the morning progress
with temps warming. But, temperatures will remain several degrees
below average for this time of the year. Showers look to decrease
in coverage on Sunday as the surface low weakens and becomes
vertically stacked. Models are depicting a similar story into
Monday with minimal shower activity as most locations could even
stay mostly dry. High temps will top into the low to mid 40s on
Saturday before gradually rising into the mid to upper 40s for
both Sunday and Monday. Overnight lows are to generally range
between the low to mid 30s.
.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...PoPs are to remain into the
long term forecast but conditions aren't appearing to be much of a
washout. Ensembles are in agreement on continued upper-level
troughing through at least the middle of the week. But, confidence
decreases towards the week's end on the evolution of the upper-
level pattern. Ridging appears to be in the offing but the exact
placement of its axis is in question. Nevertheless, temperatures
are expected to remain several degrees below average for early
March.
McMillian
&&
.AVIATION...Southwesterly flow aloft will become more southerly on
Saturday as an upper trough moves across the offshore waters.
Scattered showers continues across the area area this afternoon.
Showers will continue tonight into Saturday morning, becoming a bit
heavier at times tonight. A chance for rain/snow in showers exists
early Saturday morning, with the best potential for snowfall
accumulations across Western Kitsap County (including KSHN and
KPWT), otherwise little to no accumulation is expected on paved
surfaces. A mix of VFR/MVFR cigs this afternoon continuing into this
evening. MVFR cigs tonight through Saturday morning with potential
IFR at times, especially along the coast and during heavier showers.
Southerly winds will transition more East/Southeasterly into
Saturday morning across the area.
KSEA...A mix of VFR/MVFR will continue through this afternoon, with
MVFR primarily during heavier showers. Shower coverage will increase
this evening and tonight with an upper low offshore. Precipitation
may mix with snow at times tonight into Saturday morning (generally
09z-17z), however accumulation is not expected on paved surfaces at
this time. Cigs generally MVFR tonight into Saturday morning with
IFR briefly possible in heavier showers. Cigs improving to VFR in
the afternoon. Surface winds generally southerly today easing a bit
east/southeasterly into Saturday. JD
&&
.MARINE...A weather system will move towards the offshore waters
tonight into Saturday. South/Southeasterly surface winds will
increase this evening through Saturday morning. Small Craft Advisory
winds for all waters during this period. Southeast/East winds winds
will slowly subside Saturday evening into Saturday night as the low
offshore weakens, however, they will remain elevated into Sunday for
the coastal waters. Winds will be a bit lighter offshore Monday-
Tuesday with the weather system offshore. Combined seas 13 to 17
feet today will subside to 9 to 11 feet on Saturday and Sunday, and
further subside below 10 feet early next week into Monday. JD
&&
.HYDROLOGY...No river flooding is expected through the next 7
days.
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 10 AM PST
Saturday for Hood Canal Area.
Winter Storm Watch from 4 PM PST this afternoon through Saturday
afternoon for Olympics.
Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to 4 PM PST
Saturday for West Slopes South Central Cascades and Passes.
PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 4 AM PST Saturday for Grays Harbor
Bar.
Small Craft Advisory until 4 PM PST Saturday 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-West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of
Juan De Fuca.
Small Craft Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 4 PM PST
Saturday for Central U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-
East Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.
Small Craft Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 4 PM PST Saturday
for Admiralty Inlet-Northern Inland Waters Including The
San Juan Islands.
Small Craft Advisory until 7 PM PST this evening for Puget Sound
and Hood Canal.
&&1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
CoCoRaHS reports 9.5 inches of accumulated snowfall starting late March 4rd and continuing into the morning hours March 5th 3.7 WNW of Hoodsport.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, March 2023
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: 1091433.