Heavy Snow — S Grant & Sw Adams, Washington

2001-02-15 to 2001-02-16 · S Grant & Sw Adams, Washington

Wider weather episode

A cold arctic air mass quickly invaded eastern Washington on February 15. (In fact, the Oroville RAWS site measured a wind gust to 57 mph at 5 am on February 15 as the cold air funnelled down the Okanogan Valley.) A low pressure center then formed off the Washington coast that afternoon, drawing warm moist air over the dome of cold air starting that evening. Heavy snow was the result for almost all of eastern Washington, even for parts of the Columbia Basin which normally see lighter snowfall amounts. Only the northern tier of counties escaped heavier snowfall, where drier air kept snowfall totals below the heavy category. Specific snowfall totals include: Holden Village...6", Lake Wenatchee...6", Methow...6", Wenatchee area...4-6", Douglas County...2-6", Spokane...3-5", southern Okanogan valley...4", Smyrna...4", upper Grant County...4", Lind...3", and Davenport...3".

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5230018. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.