Winter Storm Warning Issued for Washington Cascades: Up to 3 Feet of Snow and Blizzard Conditions Expected
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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The National Weather Service has issued a series of alerts including a Winter Storm Warning and Blizzard Warning for the Washington Cascades, with heavy snow accumulations up to 3 feet expected through Saturday.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Winter Storm Warning
- Affected area
- Washington Cascades
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Seattle
Storm notices can cover different combinations of wind, hail, lightning, and rainfall. Use the original notice for the hazards and boundaries attached to this specific record.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Washington Cascades.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service (NWS) Seattle WA has issued a sequence of severe weather alerts for the Washington Cascades. This includes a Winter Weather Advisory, a Blizzard Warning, and a Winter Storm Warning (NWS Alert Type Code: WSW). The alerts indicate a prolonged period of hazardous winter weather with significant snow and wind impacts.
Affected Areas
The primary geographic regions affected include:
- Cascades of Southern King County
- Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties
What You Should Do
Residents and travelers in the warning areas are advised to take the following precautions:
- Restrict Travel: Travel should be limited to emergencies only. If you must travel, keep a winter survival kit in your vehicle, including a flashlight, food, and water.
- Stay with Vehicle: If you become stranded, remain with your vehicle to stay safe.
- Prepare for Outages: Strong winds and heavy snow may cause extensive tree damage; residents should prepare for possible power outages.
- Exercise Caution: Slow down and use extreme caution if you must be on the roads.
Expected Conditions
Weather conditions will vary across the alert phases:
- Snow Accumulation: The Winter Weather Advisory expects 8 to 12 inches of additional snow. The Blizzard Warning phase anticipates up to 8 inches, while the final Winter Storm Warning phase predicts heavy snow totaling between 1 and 3 feet.
- Wind and Visibility: During the Blizzard Warning, wind gusts as high as 55 mph are expected. Visibilities may drop below 1/4 mile due to falling and blowing snow.
- Impacts: Travel could become very difficult to impossible due to the combination of heavy snow and high winds.
Timeline
The alert sequence is scheduled as follows:
- Winter Weather Advisory: In effect until 6 PM PDT Wednesday, March 11.
- Blizzard Warning: Effective from 6 PM PDT Wednesday, March 11, to 5 AM PDT Thursday, March 12.
- Winter Storm Warning: Effective from 5 AM PDT Thursday, March 12, until 5 AM PDT Saturday, March 14.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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