WASHINGTON, D.C. (MyBellinghamNow.com) – President Biden has approved a disaster declaration for over a dozen of Washington counties after the storms that buffeted the state earlier this year.

January 2024’s storms resulted in widespread record-breaking low temps, flooding, power outages and landslides. A rare blizzard warning was also issued for western Washington.

The Seattle Times reports Washington state declared the state of emergency back in mid-March for 16 counties, adding that the storms caused over $30 million in damages. The federal declaration was approved on Sunday.

Island and Skagit Counties make the list for places that can now apply for federal disaster assistance according to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Other eligible locations include Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Ferry, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties.

The money is intended to help local governments and nonprofits do recovery work and repair facilities affected by the storms.