Editor's Note: Staff at the National Weather Service offices in Washington have reviewed records of major weather events to affect the state over the past 100 years. Based on impacts to people, property, and the economy, National Weather Service has chosen the top 15 weather-related events to impact Washington, listed in ascending order. Washington is among the nation's leaders in Presidentially declared weather-related disasters. So, choosing among the numerous 20th century weather events was a difficult task.
Many of the events did not impact just Washington state alone. These events were widespread, impacting other parts of Pacific Northwest states. These kinds of events are included as well. You will note that most of the larger events are recent. This is due to the fact that record keeping has improved in the latter half of the century, while urbanization in the state has increased the economic impacts of severe storms and floods.
This information is taken from the National Weather Service pages in September. 2008.
Widespread, major flooding on western Washington rivers, especially
the rivers of northwest Washington, and several eastern Washington
rivers
* Two deaths
* Damage estimated $250 million
* Interstate 90 Lake Washington floating bridge sank during this
flooding event
* Stands as the highest flood of record for many northwest Washington
rivers including the Elwha, Cedar, Snoqualmie, Skykomish, Snohomish,
and Stillaguamish
* Seattle recorded its maximum snowfall ever in a 24 hour period, 21.5"
on February 1st
* Other parts of western Washington received between 2 to 4 feet of snow
* Winds created snow drifts as high as 5 feet
* Region was crippled, transportation essentially halted
* Seattle January snowfall was 23", February snowfall 35", total 58"
* Major major flooding on rivers of western and southeast Washington
* Widespread flooding on rivers across much of Oregon
* Major flooding in northern Idaho
* Damage region wide estimated $800 million
* Three deaths in Washington state alone
* Highest flood of record on many southwest Washington rivers, most
notably the Chehalis, Skookumchuck, and Nisqually
* An F3 tornado touched down in Vancouver
* 6 deaths and 300 injured, Washington led nation in tornado deaths
that year
* Tornado swept through a grocery store, bowling alley, and grade
school near where Vancouver Mall is today
* 50 million dollars in damage
* Later that day, another F3 tornado touched down west of Spokane
* An F2 tornado struck rural Stevens county
* Numerous severe thunderstorms with large hail and damaging winds were
reported over other areas of eastern Washington
* The deadliest avalanche in U.S. history occurred near Stevens Pass
* Two trains were swept off the tracks into a ravine, claiming 96 lives
* Over 60 lives lost from the eruption and ensuing mud flow on the
Toutle River
* Sent an ash plume into parts of Eastern Washington and beyond
* The ash fell like snow, drifting as deep as two feet, crushing crops,
halting transportation, and causing schools and businesses to close
* A national monument was formed in the wake of the event
* Three million acres of timber were scorched
* Conflagration created its own weather. Ships in the Pacific Ocean
were lost in the smoke, which also reached the Atlantic seaboard
* The flames claimed 85 lives - 72 of them firefighters
* 21.4" of snow fell in Seattle on the 13th together with
winds of 25-40 MPH, the 2nd greatest 24 hour snowfall recorded
* Claimed 13 lives in the Puget Sound area
* During Jan, 18 days with high temps 32 degrees or lower
* The winter of 1949-50 the coldest winter on record in Seattle -
average temp 34.4 degrees
* Eastern Washington, North Idaho, and parts of Oregon were paralyzed -
lower elevation snow depths ranged up to 50 inches and temperatures
plunged into minus teens and twenties. Several dozen fatalities
* Widespread flooding in northern Idaho, eastern Washington and along
the Columbia river to the Pacific Ocean
* Columbia River below Priest Rapids WA, Flood of Record 458.65 FT
(FS 432.0 FT)
* Lake Pend Oreille near Hope ID, Flood of Record 2071.2 FT
(FS 2063.5 FT)
* Pend Oreille River below Albeni Falls, ID Flow of Record 160000 CFS
(FF 100 kCFS)
* Methow River at Pateros WA, Flood of Record stage > 12.30 FT
(FS 10.0 FT)
* St. Joe River at Calder, ID Flood of Record 18.10 FT (FS 13.0 FT)
* May 30, 1948 - Vanport Flood
* America's largest war-time housing project wiped out in less than
one hour as dikes along the Columbia river near Portland gave way
* Vanport never came back and is now Delta Park area of north Portland
* Vancouver, Camas, Kalama, Kelso/Longview also suffered flooding
* Flood lasted 45 days
* The mother of all wind storms this century, the wind storm all others
are compared to
* Strongest widespread non-hurricane wind storm to strike the continental
U.S. this century
* Struck from northern California to British Columbia
* Claimed 46 lives, blew down 15 billion, yes, 15 billion board
feet of timber ($750 million worth - 1962)
* Total property damage in the region $235 million
* Recorded wind speeds (before power went out):
Naselle: Gust to 150 MPH
Bellingham and Vancouver: Gust 92 MPH
Renton: Gust 100 MPH
Morrison St Bridge: Gust 116 MPH
Tacoma: Gust 88 MPH
Troutdale: Gust to 106 MPH
Mt Hebo: Gust to 131 MPH
May 31, 1997 - Severe Weather/Tornado Outbreak
* A record six tornados touched down in Washington in one day
* Former record was 4 tornados in 1989 for the entire year
* Four F1 tornados hit Stevens and Spokane counties in northeast
Washington
* Two F0 tornados touched down in western Washington - Vancouver and
Tacoma
* An F1 tornado also struck Athol and an F0 was observed near Lewiston
in Idaho
* In addition, severe thunderstorms produced large hail up to 2 to 3
inches in diameter, heavy rain and flash flooding, and wind gust to near
80 mph
* No deaths or injuries reported
* Washington had a record 14 tornados reported in the state for the
year
January 20, 1993 - The Inauguration Day Wind Storm
* Claimed 5 lives, 3/4 million homes and businesses without power
* Total damage in western Washington, $130 million
* Winds in Puget Sound area - gusts 60-70 MPH
* Cape Disappointment - gust to 98 MPH
November 19,1996 - Spokane Area Ice Storm
* Up to a half inch of ice deposited or accreted on trees, vehicles,
buildings, etc., across much of the populated areas of Spokane and
Kootenai counties
* Over 100,00 homes and businesses lost power, some people without power
for up to 14 days
* Damage estimated at over 22 million dollars and 4 fatalities
1976-77 - Worst Drought in Pacific Northwest history
* Crop yields well way below normal
* Region wide water rationing and power consumption restrictions
* Area ski resorts were closed for much of the 76-77 ski season
* Significant economic impacts throughout from this event
October 16, 1991 - Spokane Area Urban Interface Wildfire
* Strong winds combined with very dry conditions
* Multiple fires started by downed power lines and other sources
* 2 lives were lost, 100 homes were damaged or destroyed