Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties storm history

Shortly before 11AM PST on December 11, Pierce County Sheriff noted an avalanche fatality in the Silver Basin Backcountry Ski Area on Crystal Mountain in the Southern Cascades. A total of 6 skiers were caught in the avalanche, all carrying beacons, but one person was unable to su…

On the team's descent from the summit on Saturday, March 26, they were caught out overnight in a winter storm, causing them to take shelter from extreme wind, blowing snow, and frigid temperatures on the lee side of a ridge. During this time it is believed that the man may have s…

A climber died near the summit on Mount Rainier. There were high winds and low visibility at the time. The man had taken shelter in a crevasse, but went back to the summit to get his stove and was never seen alive again.

A wind gust of 81 mph was recorded at Chinook Pass.

Sixteen inches of snowfall was reported at Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park.

A measurement site at Paradise recorded generally around 10 to 14 inches of snowfall through early February 25th through the late afternoon hours of February 26th.

A wind gust of 65 miles per hour was recorded at Greenwater.

A wind gust of 62 miles per hour was recorded at Kosmos.

A Northwest Avalanche Center weather station at Paradise on Mount Rainier reported a snowfall of 28 inches over a 29 hour period.

Observations across the lower elevations of the southern Cascades recorded a period of warm conditions with highs in the 70s and 80s.

Heavy snow carried over from the end of March, resulting in hefty snow accumulation at Paradise (and nearby locations) from April 1-2. From 12 AM April 1 to 12AM April 2, around 20 inches of new snow had fallen (and about 12 inches of snow feel in a 12 hour period ending at 12PM …

Observations depict light snow started to fall in the late evening hours of March 9th and continued through the day on March 10th, with advisory amount snow accumulations of around 5 to 7 inches through 12 hours.

Light to moderate snow started early to mid afternoon hours on March 2nd and continued into March 3rd,with lighter snow continuing into the afternoon hours of March 4th. Accumulations around 8 to 10 inches were depicted at Paradise in the South Cascades, within 12 hours. This fal…

Observations show that now started late on February 7th into the late afternoon hours on February 8th, with around 9 to 11 inches falling within a 12 hour period, reaching Winter Weather Advisory criteria.

Heavy snow stretched from the early morning hours on the 26th and continued through the afternoon hours of the 28th. About 15 inches of new snow fell during this time as a Winter Weather Advisory was issued.

Snow began in the southern Cascades during the early morning hours of the 8th and continued through the 9th. Then later in the afternoon on the 9th snow increased in intensity, resulting in over 18 inches of new snow accumulation at Crystal Mountain before tapering into the after…

A period of decent snowfall fell at Mt Rainier National Park shortly after midnight on the 27th. Snow remained steady through the 28th but did not meet advisory or warning criteria, with about 15 inches of new snow depth through this period. Much heavier snow then fell on the 29t…

Lewis county EM called to say 9 houses were damaged or destroyed from high wind in the Packwood area (High Valley neighborhood).

Decent snowfall began at Mt Rainier National Park on the 3rd in the early afternoon. New snow accumulation recorded at Paradise suggested about 11 inches of new snow fell within a 12 hour period. Snow then continued through the 4th before tapering into the early hours of the 6th.…

An observation site at Mt Rainier National Park in Longmire recorded a record high temperature of 95 degrees on July 30.

Heavy snow began to fall during the late evening hours of April 3rd in the Southern Cascades and peaked in intensity throughout the day on the 4th and into the 5th. Overall snowfall totals for this event, per Paradise at Mount Rainier was around 30 inches.

Data gathered at Paradise at Mount Rainier suggested a period of prolonged snowfall between March 13 and March 21. Around 25 inches of new snow fell during this time period with the heaviest period of snow March 14 and through the 15th. Snow then tapered through the early morning…

A reinforcing period of heavy snow, particularly during the evening hours of January 6th affected Paradise at Mount Rainier.

Snow began during the early afternoon hours on January 2nd and became very heavy by late evening and through the overnight period. During this timeframe, over 2 feet of new snow accumulated around Paradise at Mount Rainier. Snow then persisted through January 3rd before tapering …

A quick period of heavy snow resulted in 12-13 inches of new snow at Paradise at Mount Rainier in a 12 hour period.

A long duration period of heavy snow affected the Southern Cascades during the latter part of December. Snow began on Dec 22 and really ramped up in intensity around Dec 24-25, with about 2 feet of new snow reported after the Christmas holiday.

Precipitation (in the form of snow) began earliest for this event in the Southern Cascades, with heavy snow already falling by the start of December 10. By the next morning (December 11), 2 feet of new snow was reported at Paradise at Mount Rainier, with the heaviest snow falling…

A stretch of unusually warm weather affected the valleys and lower elevations of the Cascades of Lewis and Pierce Counties. Temperature recordings at Longmire at Mount Rainier National Park showed temperatures ranging from the mid 80s to upper 90s through the event, with record h…

An extended period of heat affected the Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties at the end of June. Temperatures began to climb into the upper 70s and lower 80s at Paradise on 6/26 and continued through 6/28. On 6/29, the Paradise Ranger Station recorded an unofficial all time reco…

Snow began near daybreak on February 6th and continued through the early morning hours of February 8th. Snow was heaviest on the 6th, from around sunrise through midnight. In a 12 hour period from roughly 8am to 8pm on February 6th, Paradise at Mount Rainier picked up around 14 i…

Light snow began during the morning hours of the 5th, peaking in intensity during the evening of the 5th and overnight into the 6th. According to NWAC snow data, from arounf 6PM PST on the 5th through 6AM PST on the 6th, around 12 inches of new fell around Paradise at Mount Raini…

Heavy snow began to fall in the Southern Cascades during the early afternoon hours on January 2. By 12 PM on January 3 (24 hours later), 21-22 inches of new snow were reported around Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park. Snow then gradually tapering into the evening hours.

Heavy snow began to fall in the southern Cascades the evening of Nov 12. Around 18 inches was recorded in a 24 hour period at Paradise at Mt Rainier. Snow continued into the 14th but little additional accumulation was reported.

A period of heavy snow fell across the Southern Cascades of Washington beginning the evening of the 10th and continuing through the morning hours of October 11. Paradise at Mount Rainier received 8.5 inches of new snow with this storm.

Anomalous upper level high pressure over the Northwest US combined with surface low pressure along the WA Coast and high pressure east of the WA Cascades led to favorable wildfire conditions. Strong easterly winds through the Cascade gaps led to the development of a wildfire arou…

Snow began falling across the Southern Cascades on the 13th, with the most significant snowfall recorded on the 15th. Snow then leveled off through the night into the 16th.

Significant snowfall began to fall across the Southern Cascades around noon on the 4th. Between 20-23 inches were then recorded near Mount Rainier National Park 24 hours later on the 5th. More snow continued thereafter before eventually tapering. Total new snowfall from this even…

Snow began during the very late evening hours on the 27th, with snow continuing through the 30th. New snow accumulation of around 30 inches near Paradise.

Snow began during the early morning hours of the 10th and continued fairly consistently through the 18th. Measurements around Paradise indicated a storm total snowfall of around 39 inches.

Snow began to fall late in the evening hours on the 4th, with 13 inches of fresh snow at Paradise by the afternoon of the 4th. Thereafter, periods of heavy snow persisted across the southern Cascades into the early afternoon hours on the 8th, bringing the storm total snowfall to …

Snow began falling in the southern Cascades on the evening of the 18th and lingered a little than the northern and central Cascades, with snowfall accumulation ending on the evening of the 23rd at Mount Rainier National Park. New total snowfall accumulation of around 22 inches. L…

Snow began falling on the evening of the 10th, with heaviest accumulation on the 12th and 13th. Total snow accumulation at Paradise of around 34 inches. Snowfall amounts near White Pass were slightly lower around 25 inches.

Snow began during the evening hours on the 17th, steadily accumulating to 32 inches by by noon on the 19th. Snowfall then appeared to taper off into the 20th. Paradise received about 24 total inches of new snow from this event beginning during the evening hours of of the 17th thr…

Snowfall began around 9am at Paradise with 5.5 inches noted by about 5pm. An additional few tenths of an inch then fell through mid evening before tapering off. Total snowfall accumulation at Paradise of just under 6 inches (5.8 inches) in 12 hours. Crystal Mountain snowfall star…

Heavy snow fell in the Cascades at Paradise at Mt Rainier. Snowfall of 20 inches fell over a period of 24 hours from March 11 thru March 12.

Paradise had 14 inches in 12 hours, 11 AM 2/19 to 11 PM 2/19, then collected 26 inches total through 5 PM 2/20.

Paradise got 12 inches in 8 hours, 3 PM 2/10 to 11 PM 2/109, then came up with at least 49 inches through 6 AM 2/12, then broke.

Paradise had 12 inches in 12 hours, 12 PM 2/8 to 12 AM 2/9, then 23 inches through 12 PM 2/9.

The Paradise observation showed 12 inches in 12 hours, and 17 inches storm total.

Paradise on Mount Rainier received 18 inches of snow in 24 hours.