Heavy Snow — Northeast Blue Mountains, Washington

2020-02-05 · Northeast Blue Mountains, Washington

Event narrative

The Bluewood ski resort reported 17 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.

Wider weather episode

During the day of February 4th light snow developed along a stationary front laying west to east across central Washington and into the Idaho Panhandle. This first wave of moisture brought with generally light snow accumulations, but this snow melted and subsequently froze on roadways causing multiple collisions along interstate 90 including a fatal crash near Ritzville.

A second wave of deeper moisture enhanced along this boundary during the evening and overnight hours and brought heavy accumulations to much of the Columbia Basin and the Palouse of eastern Washington by the morning of February 5th when accumulating snow snow began to taper off. Snow accumulations of 4 to 6 inches were common near and along this stationary front, with lighter but still significant accumulations of 2 to 4 inches noted across northern Washington and the Cascades east slopes.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 878846. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.