The Great April Snowstorm of 1885
A record-breaking blizzard buries Seattle, collapsing roofs across the territory and disrupting the spring thaw.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Dana [Seattle/King County], April 28.—The heaviest snowstorm ever known in this country set in at 6 o'clock last night, and continued until 6 o'clock this evening. Fully 20 inches fell, as much as the aggregate previous falls of the whole winter. The snow is very heavy. Numberless roofs have fallen, but without fatal results. So far as reported the storm is general throughout the state, but trains are making no time. The storm will be of invaluable benefit to cattle interests.
“The heaviest snowstorm ever known in this country set in at 6 o'clock last night... Numberless roofs have fallen, but without fatal results.”
While Seattle is accustomed to occasional winter snowfall, a 20-inch dump in late April would today paralyze the region’s transit and infrastructure. This historical event serves as a reminder of the Pacific Northwest's volatile weather history, echoing modern concerns about climate extremes and their impact on regional agriculture and urban stability.
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