The region saw widespread snow with a strong moist system moving through the Pacific Northwest. It brought near a foot of snow to portions of the Cascades and northern mountains of Washington on December 17 -18.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 OTX wrote it up.
The region saw widespread snow with a strong moist system moving through the Pacific Northwest. It brought near a foot of snow to portions of the Cascades and northern mountains of Washington on December 17 -18. It was followed by gusty winds near 60 MPH Thursday afternoon.
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 Spokane, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 16, 9:22 PM PST, 2 hours 43 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 heavy snow, 5 high wind, 1 winter weather, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Observer reported 16 inches of snow 3 miles Northwest of Plain. Other reports from Central Chelan County ranged from 12 to 17 inches for areas around Leavenworth and Telma. Snow began around midnight and continued until 2100 PST.
Observer reported 14.5 inches of snow. Other reports in the area reported 3 to 7 inches from Wenatchee, Cashmere, and Manson areas.
Observer reported 19 inches of snow 5 miles Northwest of Winthrop. A range of 4 to 18 inches of snow were reported through the Methow Valley.
Observer reported 5 inches of snow 4 miles Northwest of Okanogan. Other reports from the Okanogan Valley ranged from 3 to 5 inches.
Observer reported 8 inches of snow 3 miles Northwest of Malo. Other reports in the area ranged from 3 to 5 inches for Republic, Tonasket, and Wauconda.
Observer reported 7 inches of snow 4 miles Southeast of Orient. Other locations in the Stevens and Pend Oreille counties received 3 to 9 inches.
At approximately 0625 PST, SPD responded to a commercial vehicle versus tree collision at Highway 2 near Sunset Frontage Road. Initial callers reported that a tree had fallen onto the highway and struck an eastbound truck, causing the truck to leave the roadway. Spokane Police and Washington State Patrol responded and found that the two occupants of the truck were deceased at the scene. Collision investigators with the SPD Major Crimes Unit (MCU) also responded to assist with the investigation. Highway 2 (eastbound) was briefly shutdown during the investigation. At this time, investigators believe that heavy winds this morning caused the tree to dislodge from the ground and fall across the roadway. Spokane Airport ASOS recorded a gusts of 30 MPH at the time of incident.
Observer reported trees down along Highway 395 and 292 near Loon Lake. Station TT535 recorded a gust of 56 MPH at 0941 PST 8 miles north of Wellpinit.
Station ADFW1 recorded a gust of 61 MPH at 1010 PST 3 miles Southwest of Peola.
Station DW6232 recorded a gust of 58 MPH at 0930 PST 7 miles east of Hay.
Pullman Airport recorded a gust of 60 MPH. The area had 588 customers without power.
Spokane Airport ASOS reported a gust of 68 MPH. Reports of trees down at Grant Elementary, along US-195, and Rutter Parkway. Parts of a downtown parking garage facade were blown off. 875 customers were reported without power.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind, Spokane Area | 2024-12-18 | 30 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Strong Wind, Spokane Area | 2024-12-18 | 56 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, December 2024
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1229472, 1229708, 1229717, 1230421, 1229693, 1229540, 1229703, 1229504, 1229495, 1229484, 1229705, 1229704.