Winter Storm in Washington

Events

282

Deaths

5

Injuries

7

Damage

$5.0 million

• Winter Storm in Washington, May 21, 20052 deaths · 1 eventTwo men died near the 8000 ft level while climbing up Mt Rainier.
• Flash Flooding and Winter Storm in Washington, February 2 to 28, 19991 death · 1 injured · $4.8 million · 15 eventsHeavy snow of 6-15" each day was reported across portions of eastern Washington, especially the mountainous areas. Some sites included: Chewelah, Newport, Republic, Mazma and Lake Wenatchee.
• Blizzard and Ice Storm in Washington, February 11 to 15, 20211 death · $2.1 million · 10 eventsA deep upper trough drove an arctic airmass into southwest Washington. As multiple Pacific fronts moved over the area, a major elevation winter storm with heavy snow and freezing rain occurred over a multi-day period.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Washington, February 4 to 5, 20201 death · 15 eventsDuring the day of February 4th light snow developed along a stationary front laying west to east across central Washington and into the Idaho Panhandle.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Washington, December 26 to 28, 20081 death · 6 eventsA strong warm front brought heavy snow to much of Central and Eastern Washington. On the Palouse, gusty winds also contributed to poor visibility with blowing and drifting snow. This led to the closure of State routes 272 and 27.
• Winter Storm in Washington, January 14, 19981 death · 2 eventsA 27 year old woman died after her car collided with a tractor-trailer rig on snow covered I-90 west of Cle Elum. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not hurt. Dozens of other vehicles, including a couple of tow trucks, were stranded along the interstate highway.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Washington, December 20 to 22, 2008$3.1 million · 7 eventsThe third in a series of an unusually cold storm systems brought heavy snow accumulations to southwest Washington. The heavy snowfall created a significant impact to many communities across southwest Washington.
• Winter Storm in Washington, December 14 to 15, 20065 injured · $300,000 · 2 eventsCold air pooled along the East Slopes of the Central Cascades combined with a warm front moving north to produce heavy snowfall. Five to 7 inches occurred in the Ellensburg area and 8 to 10 inches of snow fell in the Cle Elum-Roslyn area.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Washington, January 10 to 12, 2020$100,000 · 42 eventsThe third week of January brought very active winter weather to the Inland Northwest as a series of surface low pressures tracked along a stalled arctic air mass boundary laying near or over eastern Washington and north Idaho.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Washington, February 13 to 14, 20256 injured · $44,000 · 6 eventsAbnormally cold conditions were in place early on February 13th as widespread precipitation increased across the region south to north due to the arrival of a warm-frontal boundary.
• Winter Storm in Washington, December 1, 2001$300,000 · 2 eventsAn upper low level pressure trough moved across eastern Washington, bringing heavy snow to the mountain areas in the northeast part of the state.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Washington, January 10 to 14, 1998$250,000 · 4 eventsThe area of Southwest Washington and western Columbia River Gorge experienced the same storm as described in the narrative for Oregon zones 001-004 and 006-009. See that narrative for details.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Washington, January 11 to 13, 2024$70,000 · 5 eventsA very strong arctic front moved across Western Washington and Oregon on the 12th and 13th dropping temperatures below freezing.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Washington, January 8 to 9, 20085 injured · 4 eventsA strong warm front followed by the passage of an upper level low resulted in heavy snow across much of Eastern Washington. Snow accumulations ranged between five to eight inches across most locations, with up to four inches in the Upper Columbia Basin.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Washington, January 17 to 18, 201743 eventsA well directed atmospheric river of Pacific moisture enhanced into widespread snow and freezing rain over eastern Washington during January 17th and 18th. Heavy snow impacted the mountains and valleys north and west of the Columbia Basin.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Washington, January 5 to 7, 20221 injured · $25,000 · 56 kt wind · 13 eventsA deep and slow moving storm system, with a deep fetch of Pacific moisture, delivered widespread moderate to heavy snow to the Inland Northwest tonight into Thursday. The winter storm severely impact transportation for almost one week.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Washington, February 8 to 9, 201733 eventsDuring the afternoon of February 8th and into the morning of February 9th an atmospheric river of tropical origin moisture was directed into eastern Washington. Mild air with this moisture feed allowed snow levels to rise over the Columbia Basin.
• Winter Storm and Strong Wind in Washington, February 6 to 7, 2008$40,000 · 4 eventsA strong winter storm brought heavy snow and considerable blowing snow to portions of northeast Washington. Numerous road closured occurred during and after the storm. Highway two from Wilbur to Creston was closed.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Washington, January 3 to 5, 201530 eventsA slow moving Pacific winter storm system moved through the region and dumped heavy snow initially late Saturday and into Sunday Jan 3rd and 4th.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Washington, November 21 to 23, 20102 injured · $1,000 · 10 eventsA deep low pressure system tracking through Oregon in combination with an arctic area of high pressure over British Columbia resulted in strong northerly winds and snow with areas of blizzard conditions. Washington state activated its Emergency Operations Center.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Washington, December 27 to 28, 201619 eventsA large and vigorous winter storm brought heavy snow to the mountains and valleys of eastern Washington and the eastern Columbia Basin.
• Winter Storm in Washington, January 12 to 15, 202014 eventsCold air spilled southward through the Fraser River Valley in mid-January, creating necessary antecedent conditions for the development of lowland snow as a weather system dropped down from Canada/Gulf of Alaska.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Washington, January 16 to 21, 202413 eventsThe cold air mass remained in place from the initial arctic air mass with freezing temperatures continuing. Bouts of precipitation brought more freezing rain, snow as well.
• Winter Storm in Washington, February 12 to 13, 202112 eventsA significant snowstorm impacted the lowlands of Washington beginning during the evening hours of February 12 and continuing through the morning of February 13. Strong Fraser outflow was responsible for the advection of much colder air west of the Cascade Crest.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Washington, January 16 to 20, 201211 eventsModified arctic air moved into the region followed by a series of moderate to strong upper level storm systems riding on a moist subtropical jet stream. The result was widespread heavy snow and local high winds.

Winter Storm everywhereEvery kind of event in Washington

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.