It’s Impossible To Forget These 7 Horrific Winter Storms That Have Gone Down In Washington History

While the east coast of the United States tends to endure the fallout from an icy winter storm time and time again, we enjoy a fairly tame winter here in Washington state. Unfortunately, though, this isn't always the case. The Evergreen State has seen its share of treacherous winter weather, and these horrific storms from our history are proof that sometimes our "mild" winters can be anything but:

1. The major blizzard of Whatcom County in 1950.

January 13, 1950 was one of the worst winter days in western Washington's history. Single-digit temperatures mixed with hurricane-force winds in Bellingham and made for a terrible time. Take a look at some interesting archival footage from this event here.

2. The Spokane Snowpocalypse of 2008-2009.

Record snowfall in the Spokane area stranded residents and put a real strain on numrous public services. Stores and government offices closed, and two feet of snow was accumulating at a time before plows could even try to help. Learn more about this historical event here.

3. The January 2012 snowstorm that blanketed the entire Pacific Northwest.

This storm produced over 50 inches of snow, blanketing Western Washington and parts of Oregon and British Columbia. Sadly, one Washingtonian was killed. Learn more about this storm on Washington.edu's website.

4. The winter of 1935.

On January 21, 1935, a record-setting four feet of snow was recorded at Gunn's Ranch in north-central Washington. That must have been fun. Click here to learn more about this historic winter.

5. The Seattle Snowmageddon of 2004 - 2005.

Everyone knows that Seattle, which is full of hills, basically shuts down when it snows. The winter of 2004-2005 brought the worst storm in many years, and locals could be seen sledding and snowboarding in the streets. Read more here!

6. The Olympic Blowdown on January 29, 1921.

It was wind, not snow, that was the major culprit in this winter storm. Winds of hurricane force hit the coast, with Western Washington, especially the Olympia area, getting hit the hardest. Mill stacks and telephone lines toppled, and A. A. Brown, chief engineer for the Anderson & Middleton Mill at Aberdeen, was killed.

7. The 1910 blizzard that led to the worst avalanche in our history.

In February 1910, Wellington, Washington, was hit with a terrible blizzard. On its worst day, 11 feet of snow fell. It was too much for anyone to handle, including the employees of the railroad. The resulting avalanche hit the railroad depot, throwing the trains 150 feet downhill, killing 96 people.

We've had some pretty intense storms here in Washington, and not just in winter. This one in the spring of 1972 was deadly, too. What's the most intense weather event you can remember? Tell us about it in the comments!