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CHAPTER 13. SEVERE WEATHER <br />13-5 <br />Heavy snow can immobilize a region and paralyze a city, stranding commuters, stopping the flow of <br />supplies, and disrupting emergency and medical services. Accumulations of snow can collapse buildings <br />and knock down trees and power lines. In rural areas, homes and farms may be isolated for days, and <br />unprotected livestock may be lost. In the mountains, heavy snow can lead to avalanches. The cost of snow <br />removal, repairing damages, and loss of business can have large economic impacts on cities and towns. <br />Areas most vulnerable to winter storms are those affected by convergence of dry, cold air from the interior <br />of the North American continent, and warm, moist air off the Pacific Ocean. Typically, significant winter <br />storms occur during the transition between cold and warm periods. <br />13.2. HAZARD PROFILE <br />13.2.1 Past Events <br />Table 13-1 summarizes severe weather events in Kittitas County since 1970, as recorded by the Nat ional <br />Centers for Environmental Information Storm Events Database. Within the database, severe weather events <br />are classified as cold/wind chill, extreme cold/wind chill, hail, heavy rain, heavy snow, high wind, ice <br />storm, lightning, strong wind, thunderstorm wind, winter storm, or winter weather. Collection of data on <br />thunderstorm wind and hail events began in 1955, while data on all other hazard events began being <br />collected in 1996. <br />Table 13-1. Severe Weather Events Impacting Planning Area Since 1970 (NCEI) <br />Date Event Type Event Location Property Damages <br />5/12/1988 Thunderstorm Wind Kittitas County None Recorded <br />11/19/1996 Heavy Snow Kittitas County None Recorded <br />12/27/1996 Heavy Snow Kittitas County None Recorded <br />12/28/1996 Heavy Snow Kittitas County None Recorded <br />12/28/1996 Heavy Snow Kittitas County None Recorded <br />12/29/1996 Heavy Snow Kittitas County None Recorded <br />12/30/1996 Heavy Snow Kittitas County None Recorded <br />6/6/1998 Heavy Rain Kittitas County, Cle Elum None Recorded <br />12/1/1998 Heavy Snow Kittitas County None Recorded <br />12/5/1998 Heavy Snow East Kittitas County None Recorded <br />12/25/1998 Winter Storm Kittitas County None Recorded <br />12/27/1998 Heavy Snow Kittitas County None Recorded <br />1/22/1999 Heavy Snow Kittitas County None Recorded <br />2/2/1999 High Wind Kittitas County None Recorded <br />1/15/2000 Heavy Snow East Kittitas County None Recorded <br />11/29/2000 Heavy Snow East Kittitas County None Recorded <br />12/15/2000 High Wind Kittitas County None Recorded <br />12/23/2000 Heavy Snow East Kittitas County None Recorded