7 Times When Washington Was Actually The Worst Place To Be
Life in Washington is pretty amazing… except on the rare occasion when it isn’t. We’ve had a few scary natural disasters in our time, and we’ve also had some unfortunate experiences that made like in the Evergreen State kind of a bummer. Luckily, those moments are few and far between, and they’re always temporary.
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On December 17, 2008, record cold temperatures and snowfalls east of the Cascades kicked off two weeks of Snowmageddon that spread through the state. Spokane broke snowfall records, Seattle got more snow than it could handle, and every county experienced a bitter cold.
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The day that Mt. St. Helens erupted was chaotic and scary. And the weeks that followed weren't a breeze either... traces of ash spread all over the state and even made it to Idaho and Montana.
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Several hundred people were injured and six died. Tornados of that magnitude are almost unheard of the in the PNW, so it was especially unnerving.
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In some ways, it felt good to be a Washingtonian on the sad day we learned of Chris Cornell's passing... it felt like we were mourning together. But to those who grew up enjoying the Seattle grunge scene, the loss was especially brutal.
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While wildfires are an unfortunate part of our lives, the summer and fall of 2017 were especially brutal. The west side of the state was immersed in smoke from the devastating fires in B.C., while Central Washington and Eastern Washington had their own blazes to battle. Oregon's Eagle Creek Fire even jumped the Columbia Gorge into Skamania County.
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Washington has had an unusually high number of serial killers, but Ted Bundy was the worst. As the details of his crimes emerged, many Washingtonians realized they either knew him or knew someone who did. It was an unsettling time, at best.
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We don't want to talk about it.
No place is perfect, but even with its occasional mishaps, Washington is still the best state.
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