Winter Weather — Northeast Mountains, Washington

2018-12-11 · Northeast Mountains, Washington

Event narrative

Local media reported a highway fatality (indirect) when a car spun on an icy road, crossed the median into the oncoming lane and struck another car. The roads in the area were reported as very icy.

Wider weather episode

During the day of December 11th a moist warm front developed over eastern Washington. The mountains and valleys of northeast Washington received heavy snow from this system, although the southern valleys switched over to rain late in the day. This storm brought light to moderate accumulations of heavy wet snow to the northern Columbia Basin as well but amounts were limited to terrain above 2000 feet elevation where 1 to locally 3 inches fell before snow changed over to rain in the evening as the warm front passed through. This change-over created very hazardous road conditions in the northern Columbia Basin, claiming the life of one motorist.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 792153. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.