Tree service in Snohomish County, Washington

Storm records for Snohomish County

February stands out more here than almost anywhere in western Washington: 42 reports, against 32 in December and 21 in January. Overall 82% of the county’s 139 reports fall between November and February, which places Snohomish 15th of Washington’s 39 counties. Heavy snow leads (68), then high wind (26), winter weather (18) and ice storms (11).

NOAA attributes 6 deaths and 1 injury to the county’s storm record. Reports dipped to 33 in 2023 through 2025 from 54 in the three years before, but 2022 had 23 and 2024 had 15, so the quieter years are not a trend you can plan around.

In a county with this many people under tall second-growth firs and cedars, late-winter snow and ice on limbs over houses and roads is the main reason a removal becomes urgent.

NWS forecast zones covering the county: Cascades of Snohomish and Northern King Counties; Downtown Everett / Marysville Area; Foothills and Valleys of Snohomish and Northern King Counties; Foothills and Valleys of the North Cascades; Lowlands of Western Skagit and Northwestern Snohomish Counties; Shoreline / Lynnwood / South Everett Area.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 2016 to June 2026 · NWS zone-county correlation files (2019 to 2026 versions). Checked 2026-10-02. NOAA Storm Events 2016-2026; zone-based events assigned to every county the NWS zone covers using the zone-county correlation file in force on the event date (2019-04-02 file used for 2016-2018).

Hazard ratings

Strong wind: Very LowIce storm: Very HighWinter weather: Relatively HighWildfire: Very Low

FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Snohomish County Very High for ice storms, Relatively High for winter weather, Very Low for strong wind and Very Low for wildfire, Relatively High overall. USDA’s Forest Service puts wildfire risk to homes at the 29th percentile in Washington.

The ice rating is the one to act on. Have an arborist look at trees with codominant stems or heavy end weight over the roof before winter; reducing a crown is cheaper than an emergency removal through it.

Wildfire risk to homes: higher than 29% of Washington counties (USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities).

What to do about wildfire exposure: defensible space in Washington and Oregon.

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release · USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities (April 2026 download). Checked 2026-10-02.

Burning the debris

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency regulates outdoor burning here under Regulation I, Article 8, on top of state law. Residential yard-waste burning is already prohibited inside the county’s Urban Growth Areas; outside them it is currently allowed only with a valid burn permit from the local fire department. Land-clearing fires are prohibited everywhere in Snohomish County, and no outdoor fire is allowed during an air-quality burn ban or some fire-safety bans. The agency is reviewing whether to prohibit residential yard-waste burning outside UGAs as well; as of the check no change had been adopted and the current rules remain in effect. Debris from a removal is usually chipped or hauled. The Washington burning guide covers the statewide limits.

Full rules, seasons and alternatives: yard debris burning rules in Washington.

Source: Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Outdoor Burning · Upcoming Rulemaking for Residential Yard Waste Burning. Checked 2026-10-02.

Power lines and utilities

Snohomish County PUD maintains vegetation around its primary lines but states that it does not maintain vegetation around service lines or stand-alone communication lines, so the drop from the pole to your house is your responsibility. Report outages at 425-783-1001 or the PUD’s online outage center. Read tree removal near power lines before anyone works near that drop.

Source: utility vegetation-management pages linked above; WAC 296-24-960 (WA L&I). Checked 2026-10-02.

Cities and towns in Snohomish County

Snohomish has 870,656 residents (Census Vintage 2025), and its city rules vary widely. Lynnwood, Mukilteo and Mill Creek require a removal permit; Marysville, Edmonds, Lake Stevens, Mountlake Terrace and Monroe require one for some removals. Everett, the largest city at 113,567, has no general permit requirement, and no rule was found for Arlington.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Vintage 2025 and 2020 Census. Checked 2026-10-02. Permit rules from each city’s code; see the city pages.

Labor index

BLS puts the mean wage for tree trimmers and pruners at $33.85 an hour in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area. Treat that as a labor index, not a price: the modeled crew-hour range below adds payroll burden, equipment and overhead. Census County Business Patterns counted 443 landscaping-services establishments in the county in 2023, plenty of choice for a planned job.

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: $33.85 per hour mean wage for tree trimmers and pruners (BLS, May 2025). This is a labor index, not a price; the modeled crew-hour cost used on this site is $210 (method).

443 landscaping-services establishments were counted in Snohomish County in 2023 (Census County Business Patterns, NAICS 561730).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 37-3013 · U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, NAICS 561730. Checked 2026-10-02.

Climate and growing conditions

Most of the county is USDA zone 8b on the 2023 map, with 8a inland and 9a near the Sound. Winter cold rarely limits replanting here; ice does. Choose species with strong branch unions, keep large conifers a full mature-crown width from the house, and plant in fall.

USDA hardiness zones 8a, 8b, 9a (2023 map, by ZIP code).

Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (OSU PRISM ZIP data). Checked 2026-10-02.

Nearby counties

• Skagit County102 storm reports since 2016
• King County133 storm reports since 2016
• Island County45 storm reports since 2016
• Kitsap County79 storm reports since 2016
• Whatcom County155 storm reports since 2016

What to do next

If a tree is down on a line, call the PUD before anyone else. Otherwise start with the fallen tree guide and the Washington storm damage and insurance guide. For planned work, read your city’s rule, get an assessment, then call, and check the company in the Washington license lookup.

Services: tree removal · trimming · stump grinding · emergency. Check any company: Washington license lookup.

Major storms that reached Snohomish County

These regional storms produced NOAA Storm Events reports in Snohomish County since 2016. Each storm page lists the dates, report counts and the other counties hit.

• November 2024 bomb cyclone
• December 2022 ice storm and windstorm
• October 2021 windstorm
• February 2021 ice storm
• November 13, 2017 windstorm