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On This Day In History...Major Weather Events in the PNW or West


snow_wizard

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Attached is an image from the book "All Over Oregon and Washington: Observations on the Country" published in San Francisco in 1872, by Frances Fuller Victor. Nice record of Portland weather in 1870. Note the 9.5" of snow in March and a low of 18, I presume that this occurred with the major mid-month airmass. Also the 102 degrees in July sticks out. Most likely from the major heat wave that happened in the first week of July and also supposedly brought 100 degree readings to Seattle. 

March1870.jpg

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Attached is an image from the book "All Over Oregon and Washington: Observations on the Country" published in San Francisco in 1872, by Frances Fuller Victor. Nice record of Portland weather in 1870. Note the 9.5" of snow in March and a low of 18, I presume that this occurred with the major mid-month airmass. Also the 102 degrees in July sticks out. Most likely from the major heat wave that happened in the first week of July and also supposedly brought 100 degree readings to Seattle. 

 

Remarkably dry Jul-Oct if that is to be believed. Only 5 rainy days for all of Sep and Oct? 

 

The precip records definitely look a little suspect, with the exact same amounts Feb-Apr, May-June, and then Jul-Aug.

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I remember that article. KOMO gave way too much credence to suspect old observations, with splashy language like "putting 2009 to shame." It's news people being news people as far as I'm concerned. There's very little chance those 1870 readings are accurate, considering the rampant over-exposure of thermometers back in those days. 

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Remarkably dry Jul-Oct if that is to be believed. Only 5 rainy days for all of Sep and Oct? 

 

The precip records definitely look a little suspect, with the exact same amounts Feb-Apr, May-June, and then Jul-Aug.

 

They were definitely more cavalier with the observations, back in the day. 

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I remember that article. KOMO gave way too much credence to suspect old observations, with splashy language like "putting 2009 to shame." It's news people being news people as far as I'm concerned. There's very little chance those 1870 readings are accurate, considering the rampant over-exposure of thermometers back in those days.

Yes, it was probably over exposed. There was definitely a heat wave then, but it's hard to collaborate just how hot it got because there weren't many stations to compare to. If Portland was "only" 102, Seattle was probably in the upper 90's.

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  • 2 weeks later...

2014

 

Record warmth in western N. America. Port Orford hit 79 degrees on 1-25-2014, just missing the state record high for Oregon for January (80 in Brookings on 1-28-1984). Bandon tied its monthly record of 75 degrees. In Alaska, upper 50's surged into the Anchorage Bowl. Palmer hit 57 degrees, smashing its monthly record of 52 from 1961, and Palmer Airport hit 58. In the interior, Big Delta hit 50 degrees - not a monthly record, but remarkably the 4th time in 7 years that Big Delta hit 50 in January (2008, 2009, 2011 and 2014, monthly record of 54 set in 2009). Since records began in 1942, Big Delta had never exceeded 48 degrees in January until 2008.

 

Truly phenomenal warmth overspread NW Canada. Fort Nelson, BC soared to 59 degrees (14.9c), shattering its monthly record of 51 (10.7c) from 1-19-1981. Another station in Fort Nelson hit 60 degrees (15.3c). In the Yukon, both stations in Burwash - town and airport - reached an unfathomable 62 degrees (both at 16.5c). These are the highest January readings in Yukon history as far as I'm aware. For the Burwash town station, the previous January record had been just 49 degrees (in 2009). However, a similar freakish surge of warmth hit Alaska/Yukon right before Christmas in 1999, providing some historical context to January 2014 more than the previous January record could provide. Burwash hit 56 degrees (13.5c) on 12-22-1999, the previous highest reading in the entire Nov-Mar period. As an aside, numerous monthly records had fallen in Alaska during the December 1999 event, with readings well into the 50's in the interior. Dry Creek hit 60 on 12-22-1999 in what may have been the warmest reading in interior AK history during the heart of winter. 

 

Back to January 2014, Fort Liard hit 61 degrees (16.0c), representing what was likely the highest January reading on record for the Northwest Territories. As with Burwash, the previous January record was significantly lower at 49 degrees (in 1985). Another station in the downslope zone of western NT, up against the topography near the Yukon border, recorded an even higher reading - Wrigley hit 63 degrees (17.0c), but I'm not sure how reliable this particular reading is. It may very well have been accurate. All the way up at 70N latitude, Cape Parry hit 39 degrees (4.0c). This station has records from 1957-2002, and the previous January record was just 30 degrees in 1981.

 

2015 (encore)

 

On the one year anniversary of the previously described record heat, Eugene soared to 68 degrees on 1-24-2015. This broke the January airport record of 67 (in 1975 and 2005), and just missed the city record of 69 from two torch-tastic Nino's (1914 and 1931). A couple days later, Newport hit 72 degrees, the probable January record for the city. This reading was recorded at the new COOP located 3 miles north of town. The previous long-standing COOP (which stopped recording in 2010) had never exceeded 69 in January.

 

Government Camp hit a ridiculous 70 degrees, shattering the monthly record of 63 from 1994, 2013, and 2014. It was the 3rd straight January with a monthly record high at G Camp. The 70 degree reading also exceeded the previously untouchable mid-winter record of 69 from 2-1-1962. Not to be outdone, Santiam Junction hit an other-worldly 72 degrees on 1-26-2015. Temperature records at Santiam Junction only date to 1986, but the previous January record was just 62 degrees - set in 2014. The warm air spread east of the Cascades, and monthly records of 71 degrees were set in both Bend and Condon. At both locations, the previous January records had been 67 degrees (Condon in 1939, Bend in 1971).

 

Some additions to January 2014 in Alaska - the state monthly record high for January was actually tied with a reading of 62 at Port Alsworth (the 1SW station, main COOP hit 58) and Seward Airport hit 61. These readings are absent from the state climo report for the month, which I had checked before making that post. The Port Alsworth reading tied the state record high of 62 set at Petersburg in January 1981.

 

These readings were broken this past January, during that phenomenal surge of mild air into western N. America around mid-month. January 2018 readings above the previous monthly state record included:

 

66 at Annette

66 at Metlakatla 6S

65 at Craig

64 at Klawock 

63 at Sitka Airport

63 at Petersburg

62 at Point Baker

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March 20, 2002. We were nearing the end of an epically snowy stretch for so late in the season. It was snowing heavily that morning with temps in the mid 20’s. 6” of fresh snow overnight and close to 10” on the ground. The snow stopped mid morning but it remained cloudy and Shawnigan Lake officially recorded a 32/27 day. 23” of snow fell here in March 2002.

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The epic heat spike of March 18-19, 1928:

 

85 in Centralia

84 in Landsburg

83 in Startup

82 in Sedro-Woolley

78 in Olympia

78 at Vashon Island

78 in Keyport

78 in Puyallup

78 in Kent

77 at Seattle - UW

76 in Quilcene

76 at Seattle - Downtown

74 in Olga

 

The 85 in Centralia on 3/19/1928 is likely the highest March temperature ever recorded in Western WA, at the very least it is the earliest in the season. There was also a reading of 85 at Packwood on 3/21/1960, and 85 at Castle Rock on 3/28/1930. The (probable) WA state record for March is 87 set at Kennewick on 3/30/1911, and also at Hanford on 3/24/1939.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The pattern crash in late March 1914:

 

Dynamic, continental-style pattern progression. Early season heat wave centered on the 19th-20th, followed by a blast of late season cold centered on the 25th-27th.

 

Clearbrook saw highs reach 76 (early season record) & 74 on the 19th-20th, followed by 41/24 on the 25th and 36/24 on the 26th, along with 4.0" of snow on the 25th (their latest 4" on record). 

 

Downtown Seattle dropped from 71 to 43/33. Centralia saw 3 straight days in the 70's, then a 40/34 day less than a week later. 

 

Skagit Power Dam, at 510 feet ASL, dropped from 68 to 21 degrees during the week. 15" of snow buried this location in 12 hours on 3/25 (attached screenshot from WA state climo report for March 1914). 

 

At Antoine in Okanogan County, highs fell from 60 on the 19th & 20th down to 28 on 3/25, followed by a low of -2 on 3/26. 

March1914.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

I looked at April snowfall numbers for WA state.

 

Highest monthly totals:

 

170.2" in 2011 @ Rainier Paradise

146.0" in 1991 @ Rainier Paradise

143.5" in 1972 @ Rainier Paradise

129.7" in 1937 @ Mount Baker Lodge

122.0" in 1974 @ Rainier Paradise

116.1" in 1955 @ Rainier Paradise

116.0" in 1937 @ Rainier Paradise

110.5" in 1981 @ Rainier Paradise

107.2" in 1970 @ Stampede Pass

106.0" in 1982 @ Rainier Paradise

105.5" in 1984 @ Rainier Paradise

105.0" in 1927 @ Mount Baker Lodge

105.0" in 1899 @ Monte Cristo

 

Other notable totals, at lower elevations and/or drier locations:

 

49.5" in 1920 @ Longmire

32.0" in 1920 @ Cedar Lake

24.0" in 1917 @ Anatone

21.0" in 1920 @ Glenoma

16.0" in 1927 @ Cle Elum

14.0" in 1929 @ Darrington

12.0" in 1945 @ Palmer

12.0" in 1929 @ Index

10.3" in 1929 @ Pullman

10.0" in 1954 @ Glacier Ranger Station

8.7" in 1945 @ Buckley

8.0" in 1968 @ Everett

7.5" in 2008 @ Baring

7.0" in 1935 @ White Salmon

6.5" in 1911 @ Landsburg

6.0" in 2011 @ Hoh Ranger Station

5.0" in 1933 @ Duvall

4.5" in 1968 @ Monroe

4.0" in 1911 @ Aberdeen

4.0" in 1929 @ Forks

2.4" in 1920 @ Downtown Seattle

2.3" in 1972 @ SEA

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So...1899 was a blocky/-NAM winter/spring that also had a consolidated NPAC storm train/subtropical +AAM?

 

What the heck was going on that year? Hard (for me) to make sense of it.

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So...1899 was a blocky/-NAM winter/spring that also had a consolidated NPAC storm train/subtropical +AAM?

 

What the heck was going on that year? Hard (for me) to make sense of it.

 

Well, from my limited knowledge in this realm...wouldn't +AAM make sense in a +ENSO situation? 1899-00 was an El Nino after all, and MEI bimonthly's had already crept up into positive territory for April/May 1899 (albeit only slightly). A consolidated NPAC storm train in April is also not out of the realm of possibility. April 1991 is another example. Second highest April snowfall at Paradise and it occurred in a developing Nino situation. I dunno, just throwing stuff out there. 

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Well, from my limited knowledge in this realm...wouldn't +AAM make sense in a +ENSO situation? 1899-00 was an El Nino after all, and MEI bimonthly's had already crept up into positive territory for April/May 1899 (albeit only slightly). A consolidated NPAC storm train in April is also not out of the realm of possibility. April 1991 is another example. Second highest April snowfall at Paradise and it occurred in a developing Nino situation. I dunno, just throwing stuff out there.

Yeah, could be. Though 1898/99 was a weak niña according to the JMA reconstruction, so I wonder if there was a major SSW in mid/late January of 1899. Hard to explain how such a monstrous -NAM (and poleward displacement of -AAM from the low latitudes) could have occurred, otherwise.

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Yeah, could be. Though 1898/99 was a weak niña according to the JMA reconstruction, so I wonder if there was a major SSW in mid/late January of 1899. Hard to explain how such a monstrous -NAM (and poleward displacement of -AAM from the low latitudes) could have occurred, otherwise.

 

Given what happened in the first half of February, that wouldn't be surprising.

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Here's a follow up post to the one about WA state, but for OR. Highest April snowfall totals:

 

143.5" in 1948 @ Crater Lake

139.0" in 1955 @ Crater Lake

108.5" in 1982 @ Santiam Pass

108.0" in 1963 @ Crater Lake

95.2" in 1945 @ Timberline Lodge (too bad this station only existed 1938-1951)

91.5" in 1911 @ Musick (at only 5,000 feet in SW Oregon - epic month)

91.0" in 1932 @ Crater Lake

89.0" in 1967 @ Crater Lake

87.3" in 2003 @ Crater Lake

86.5" in 1993 @ Crater Lake

86.0" in 1955 @ Odell Lake

86.0" in 1937 @ Crater Lake

85.0" in 1899 @ Summit Guard Station (Government Camp)

 

*Incredibly, Summit Guard Station recorded 87.0" of snow in May 1896, higher than any April total in the combined Summit Guard Station/Government Camp period of record that extends back to 1895. May of 1896 also featured a remarkable cold trough that brought downtown Portland a 48/39 day on the 16th (the 5th sub-50 maximum that month), and snowfall down to the hills. The latter assertion is based on the fact that Ashford, at 1,700 feet, recorded 1.0" of snow on 5/16/1896, so flakes down to 1,000 feet were possible. 45" of snow buried Government Camp between May 11th-17th alone, the modern (1951-) record for the entire month is 32.0" in 1974. 

 

Just like with the WA post, here are some notable totals at lower elevations and/or drier locations:

 

37.3" in 1982 @ Marion Forks

32.5" in 1917 @ Joseph

29.0" in 1917 @ Ochoco Ranger Station

28.1" in 1982 @ Scotts Mills 9SE

26.0" in 1963 @ Austin

24.5" in 1955 @ Sundown Ranch, out beyond Silverton

24.0" in 1911 @ Detroit

23.7" in 1967 @ Bend

23.5" in 1967 @ Chiloquin

23.0" in 1967 @ Prospect

18.6" in 1929 @ Zigzag Ranger Station

16.0" in 1982 @ Cave Junction

15.0" in 1933 @ Klamath Falls

14.5" in 1963 @ Dayville

13.0" in 1935 @ Parkdale

11.0" in 1972 @ Valsetz

10.5" in 1972 @ Tillamook 13ENE

9.0" in 1948 @ Timber

9.0" in 1901 @ Glenora

8.0" in 1982 @ Illahe

7.5" in 1936 @ Headworks Portland (Bull Run)

5.3" in 1948 @ Falls City

5.2" in 1936 @ Downtown Portland

5.2" in 1936 @ Hood River

4.5" in 1936 @ Estacada

4.0" in 1901 @ Langlois

3.3" in 1896 @ Stafford

2.6" in 1911 @ Downtown Eugene

2.4" in 1953 @ Roseburg Airport

2.0" in 2008 @ Cloverdale

1.5" in 1903 @ Nehalem

1.1" in 2008 @ Florence

1.0" in 1929 @ Brookings

1.0" in 1936 @ Newport

0.2" in 1929 @ North Bend

0.1" in 1911 @ Port Orford

 

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Here's a follow up post to the one about WA state, but for OR. Highest April snowfall totals:

 

143.5" in 1948 @ Crater Lake

139.0" in 1955 @ Crater Lake

108.5" in 1982 @ Santiam Pass

108.0" in 1963 @ Crater Lake

95.2" in 1945 @ Timberline Lodge (too bad this station only existed 1938-1951)

91.5" in 1911 @ Musick (at only 5,000 feet in SW Oregon - epic month)

91.0" in 1932 @ Crater Lake

89.0" in 1967 @ Crater Lake

87.3" in 2003 @ Crater Lake

86.5" in 1993 @ Crater Lake

86.0" in 1955 @ Odell Lake

86.0" in 1937 @ Crater Lake

85.0" in 1899 @ Summit Guard Station (Government Camp)

 

*Incredibly, Summit Guard Station recorded 87.0" of snow in May 1896, higher than any April total in the combined Summit Guard Station/Government Camp period of record that extends back to 1895. May of 1896 also featured a remarkable cold trough that brought downtown Portland a 48/39 day on the 16th (the 5th sub-50 maximum that month), and snowfall down to the hills. The latter assertion is based on the fact that Ashford, at 1,700 feet, recorded 1.0" of snow on 5/16/1896, so flakes down to 1,000 feet were possible. 45" of snow buried Government Camp between May 11th-17th alone, the modern (1951-) record for the entire month is 32.0" in 1974.

 

Just like with the WA post, here are some notable totals at lower elevations and/or drier locations:

 

37.3" in 1982 @ Marion Forks

32.5" in 1917 @ Joseph

29.0" in 1917 @ Ochoco Ranger Station

28.1" in 1982 @ Scotts Mills 9SE

26.0" in 1963 @ Austin

24.5" in 1955 @ Sundown Ranch, out beyond Silverton

24.0" in 1911 @ Detroit

23.7" in 1967 @ Bend

23.5" in 1967 @ Chiloquin

23.0" in 1967 @ Prospect

18.6" in 1929 @ Zigzag Ranger Station

16.0" in 1982 @ Cave Junction

15.0" in 1933 @ Klamath Falls

14.5" in 1963 @ Dayville

13.0" in 1935 @ Parkdale

11.0" in 1972 @ Valsetz

10.5" in 1972 @ Tillamook 13ENE

9.0" in 1948 @ Timber

9.0" in 1901 @ Glenora

8.0" in 1982 @ Illahe

7.5" in 1936 @ Headworks Portland (Bull Run)

5.3" in 1948 @ Falls City

5.2" in 1936 @ Downtown Portland

5.2" in 1936 @ Hood River

4.5" in 1936 @ Estacada

4.0" in 1901 @ Langlois

3.3" in 1896 @ Stafford

2.6" in 1911 @ Downtown Eugene

2.4" in 1953 @ Roseburg Airport

2.0" in 2008 @ Cloverdale

1.5" in 1903 @ Nehalem

1.1" in 2008 @ Florence

1.0" in 1929 @ Brookings

1.0" in 1936 @ Newport

0.2" in 1929 @ North Bend

0.1" in 1911 @ Port Orford

I almost bought a house in 2011 about 1/2 mile from the the old Sundown Ranch station. Just needed a little to much work.

Snowfall                                  Precip

2022-23: 95.0"                      2022-23: 17.39"

2021-22: 52.6"                    2021-22: 91.46" 

2020-21: 12.0"                    2020-21: 71.59"

2019-20: 23.5"                   2019-20: 58.54"

2018-19: 63.5"                   2018-19: 66.33"

2017-18: 30.3"                   2017-18: 59.83"

2016-17: 49.2"                   2016-17: 97.58"

2015-16: 11.75"                 2015-16: 68.67"

2014-15: 3.5"
2013-14: 11.75"                  2013-14: 62.30
2012-13: 16.75"                 2012-13: 78.45  

2011-12: 98.5"                   2011-12: 92.67"

It's always sunny at Winters Hill! 
Fighting the good fight against weather evil.

 

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I know March already passed, but I wanted to list some snowfall totals for March 1951. Such an amazing month!

 

114.3" at Spirit Lake, WA

108.5" at Odell Lake, OR

84.9" at Marion Forks, OR

78.4" at Sundown Ranch, OR

76.0" at Wind River, WA

73.7" at Longmire, WA

64.0" at Detroit, OR

61.0" at Vernonia, OR

51.5" at Cedar Lake, WA

51.0" at Three Lynx, OR

47.0" at Palmer, WA

39.5" at Falls City, OR

39.4" at Randle, WA

39.0" at Blaine, WA

38.5" at Forks, WA

35.5" at Sedro-Woolley, WA

34.7" at Quinault, WA

34.6" at Willamina, OR

34.5" at Bellingham, WA

30.0" at Clatskanie, OR

29.5" at Neah Bay, WA

29.5" at Duvall, WA

26.8" at Arlington, WA

25.8" at Mill Creek, WA

25.0" at Estacada, OR

24.7" at Tatoosh Island, WA

23.6" at McMinnville, OR

21.8" at Silverton, OR

21.0" at Forest Grove, OR

20.8" at Dallas, OR

20.6" at OLM

20.3" at Astor Experiment Station, OR

19.6" at Everett, WA

19.0" at Tillamook, OR

18.9" at Centralia, WA

18.5" at Cottage Grove, OR

18.2" at SEA

17.5" at Aberdeen, WA

15.8" at Elkton, OR

15.1" at Troutdale, OR

12.9" at PDX

12.8" at Astoria, OR

10.4" at Roseburg, OR

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I looked at April snowfall numbers for WA state.

 

Highest monthly totals:

 

170.2" in 2011 @ Rainier Paradise

146.0" in 1991 @ Rainier Paradise

143.5" in 1972 @ Rainier Paradise

129.7" in 1937 @ Mount Baker Lodge

122.0" in 1974 @ Rainier Paradise

116.1" in 1955 @ Rainier Paradise

116.0" in 1937 @ Rainier Paradise

110.5" in 1981 @ Rainier Paradise

107.2" in 1970 @ Stampede Pass

106.0" in 1982 @ Rainier Paradise

105.5" in 1984 @ Rainier Paradise

105.0" in 1927 @ Mount Baker Lodge

105.0" in 1899 @ Monte Cristo

 

 

Some from Mount Baker (I can only find it separated by month since 2005):

 

124" in 2011

107" in 2010

 

 

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On 5/22/2008, an EF-3 tornado carved a path of destruction 39 mi long in Weld County, CO - about 50 minutes northeast of me. The huge wedge tornado was up to a mile wide at times. 1 person was killed and over 300 homes were severely damaged or destroyed, mainly in the town of Windsor.

 

This remains the most significant severe weather event that's happened since I've lived here, and probably only second to the 1990 EF-3 tornado that destroyed the town of Limon (206 mph winds) when it comes to damaging twisters in CO.

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I think a lot of us know what happened 9 years ago today. One of the few times an outbreak of severe thunderstorms occurred west of the cascades. Both severe reports and radar presentations were pretty widespread for valley standards. 60-70mph winds, large hail and one tornado report in Linn County. I think to this day that was the last warm-core style tornado warned thunderstorm in the Willamette Valley. (This storm briefly exhibited supercell characteristics before and after it was tornado warned)

 

The first time in my life I saw a shelf cloud. Further south towards Salem and beyond there were pictures of what was clearly a wall cloud.

 

And it wasn't just the 4th of June, the ULL responsible for these storms had been producing literally daily convection in southern Oregon since late May. Klamath Falls for example was just finishing a rather incredible stretch of thunderstorms (8 days) when the severe weather occurred. That was about a year and a half before I moved to this town. 

 

It was a once-in-20-years kind of thing. Even if much of the population didn't experience severe weather - quite literally almost everyone from the cascades westward towards the coast, recorded some kind of thunderstorm. 

 

Some locations in the central and southern Willamette Valley had the kind of storm that even the town I live in now has not seen in several years, and I'm in an area much more prone to t'storm activity.

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Ashland, KY Weather

'23-'24 Winter

Snowfall - 5.50"
First freeze: 11/1 (32)
Minimum: 2 on 1/17

Measurable snows: 4
Max 1 day snow: 3" (1/19)

Thunders: 11
1/27, 1/28, 2/10, 2/22, 2/27, 2/28, 3/5, 3/6, 3/14, 3/15
3/26, 

-------------------------------------------------------
[Klamath Falls, OR 2010 to 2021]
https://imgur.com/SuGTijl

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Ugh, that’s the one thing that makes me second-guess moving out west. I can’t imagine living without severe weather on a weekly to bi-weekly basis. It’s the only thing that gets my adrenaline pumping, except for hurricanes. Snow and cold are awesome, but not in the same way.

 

It’s why I hate the months of September and October around here. It’s just sooo boring 90% of the time.

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I think a lot of us know what happened 9 years ago today. One of the few times an outbreak of severe thunderstorms occurred west of the cascades. Both severe reports and radar presentations were pretty widespread for valley standards. 60-70mph winds, large hail and one tornado report in Linn County. I think to this day that was the last warm-core style tornado warned thunderstorm in the Willamette Valley. (This storm briefly exhibited supercell characteristics before and after it was tornado warned)

 

The first time in my life I saw a shelf cloud. Further south towards Salem and beyond there were pictures of what was clearly a wall cloud.

 

And it wasn't just the 4th of June, the ULL responsible for these storms had been producing literally daily convection in southern Oregon since late May. Klamath Falls for example was just finishing a rather incredible stretch of thunderstorms (8 days) when the severe weather occurred. That was about a year and a half before I moved to this town. 

 

It was a once-in-20-years kind of thing. Even if much of the population didn't experience severe weather - quite literally almost everyone from the cascades westward towards the coast, recorded some kind of thunderstorm. 

 

Some locations in the central and southern Willamette Valley had the kind of storm that even the town I live in now has not seen in several years, and I'm in an area much more prone to t'storm activity.

 

 

The Portland area experienced a very similar event 60 years ago day. A thermal trough moved onshore and the marine push was accompanied by a severe squall line that moved up the valley.

 

PDX measured its 2nd highest thunderstorm wind gust on record of 55mph, one of the few severe thunderstorm range speeds the city has officially seen. More storms moved in the following morning and dropped 1.70" of rain on PDX on the 6th, which is still the calendar day rainfall record for PDX during summer.

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An even more impressive PNW severe event occurred on June 2-3, 1894, also during the midst of the most severe flood event on record in Portland.

 

As with our other severe events, a strong marine push moved in on top of an early season heat spike. Portland recorded a high of 90 on the 2nd and 56 on the 3rd, the largest one day drop on record for the city. 

 

On the afternoon of the 2nd, a very severe squall line moved up the Willamette Valley from the south and produced extremely strong wind, hail, and lightning. Cottage Grove reported "4" hail that broke windows" around 2:45pm. Downtown Portland recorded a sustained wind speed of 53mph around 4:15pm, meaning gusts probably got much higher, and likely made it the strongest thunderstorm wind speeds on record in the area. Many trees were reportedly toppled in the area and the winds in Portland were said to be the worst since the 1880 storm.

 

The severe thunderstorms moved north to at least Tacoma, where it was reported that wind speeds topped 50mph and over 2.5" of rain fell in less than 24 hours at rates described as the "heaviest ever known here".

 

The marine air moved east and triggered Oregon's worst tornado event on record on the morning of the 3rd. An estimated F2 tornado touched down south of Long Creek, OR and moved north into the town, staying on the ground for close to 10 miles and killing 3 people. To date this was the last fatal tornado in the state of Oregon.

 

Given the magnitude of that setup I'd have to imagine other brief tornadoes may have occurred in the region as well, but went unreported given the sparse populations of the time.

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The Portland area experienced a very similar event 60 years ago day. A thermal trough moved onshore and the marine push was accompanied by a severe squall line that moved up the valley.

 

PDX measured its 2nd highest thunderstorm wind gust on record of 55mph, one of the few severe thunderstorm range speeds the city has officially seen. More storms moved in the following morning and dropped 1.70" of rain on PDX on the 6th, which is still the calendar day rainfall record for PDX during summer.

Not to be a smartass, but technically speaking severe thunderstorm winds are classified as 58mph or higher. So in the ballbark, but a smidge short.

 

Still sounds like an awesome event, though.

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Not to be a smartass, but technically speaking severe thunderstorm winds are classified as 58mph or higher. So in the ballbark, but a smidge short.

 

Still sounds like an awesome event, though.

 

I know, although with a number like that it's pretty reasonable to conclude that severe conditions may have been reached in the vicinity.

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An even more impressive PNW severe event occurred on June 2-3, 1894, also during the midst of the most severe flood event on record in Portland.

 

As with our other severe events, a strong marine push moved in on top of an early season heat spike. Portland recorded a high of 90 on the 2nd and 56 on the 3rd, the largest one day drop on record for the city. 

 

On the afternoon of the 2nd, a very severe squall line moved up the Willamette Valley from the south and produced extremely strong wind, hail, and lightning. Cottage Grove reported "4" hail that broke windows" around 2:45pm. Downtown Portland recorded a sustained wind speed of 53mph around 4:15pm, meaning gusts probably got much higher, and likely made it the strongest thunderstorm wind speeds on record in the area. Many trees were reportedly toppled in the area and the winds in Portland were said to be the worst since the 1880 storm.

 

The severe thunderstorms moved north to at least Tacoma, where it was reported that wind speeds topped 50mph and over 2.5" of rain fell in less than 24 hours at rates described as the "heaviest ever known here".

 

The marine air moved east and triggered Oregon's worst tornado event on record on the morning of the 3rd. An estimated F2 tornado touched down south of Long Creek, OR and moved north into the town, staying on the ground for close to 10 miles and killing 3 people. To date this was the last fatal tornado in the state of Oregon.

 

Given the magnitude of that setup I'd have to imagine other brief tornadoes may have occurred in the region as well, but went unreported given the sparse populations of the time.

 

Every been to Long Creek? Some lonely country out there...

Snowfall                                  Precip

2022-23: 95.0"                      2022-23: 17.39"

2021-22: 52.6"                    2021-22: 91.46" 

2020-21: 12.0"                    2020-21: 71.59"

2019-20: 23.5"                   2019-20: 58.54"

2018-19: 63.5"                   2018-19: 66.33"

2017-18: 30.3"                   2017-18: 59.83"

2016-17: 49.2"                   2016-17: 97.58"

2015-16: 11.75"                 2015-16: 68.67"

2014-15: 3.5"
2013-14: 11.75"                  2013-14: 62.30
2012-13: 16.75"                 2012-13: 78.45  

2011-12: 98.5"                   2011-12: 92.67"

It's always sunny at Winters Hill! 
Fighting the good fight against weather evil.

 

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I know, although with a number like that it's pretty reasonable to conclude that severe conditions may have been reached in the vicinity.

Very fair point.

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The Portland area experienced a very similar event 60 years ago day. A thermal trough moved onshore and the marine push was accompanied by a severe squall line that moved up the valley.

 

PDX measured its 2nd highest thunderstorm wind gust on record of 55mph, one of the few severe thunderstorm range speeds the city has officially seen. More storms moved in the following morning and dropped 1.70" of rain on PDX on the 6th, which is still the calendar day rainfall record for PDX during summer.

 

Maybe I've forgotten about PDX stats, but second highest? Nearby cities have easily gotten 60+ in thunderstorms in the past and more than once. Makes me wonder if some events went missing. Does Jan 15 1996 register as one of the thunderstorm winds at PDX? That was yet another widespread squall line thunderstorm event (westerly squall) and even one tornado resulted in Lincoln City. Regardless of time of year that one should be logged as one of the important ones.

 

 

An even more impressive PNW severe event occurred on June 2-3, 1894, also during the midst of the most severe flood event on record in Portland.

 

As with our other severe events, a strong marine push moved in on top of an early season heat spike. Portland recorded a high of 90 on the 2nd and 56 on the 3rd, the largest one day drop on record for the city. 

 

On the afternoon of the 2nd, a very severe squall line moved up the Willamette Valley from the south and produced extremely strong wind, hail, and lightning. Cottage Grove reported "4" hail that broke windows" around 2:45pm. Downtown Portland recorded a sustained wind speed of 53mph around 4:15pm, meaning gusts probably got much higher, and likely made it the strongest thunderstorm wind speeds on record in the area. Many trees were reportedly toppled in the area and the winds in Portland were said to be the worst since the 1880 storm.

 

The severe thunderstorms moved north to at least Tacoma, where it was reported that wind speeds topped 50mph and over 2.5" of rain fell in less than 24 hours at rates described as the "heaviest ever known here".

 

The marine air moved east and triggered Oregon's worst tornado event on record on the morning of the 3rd. An estimated F2 tornado touched down south of Long Creek, OR and moved north into the town, staying on the ground for close to 10 miles and killing 3 people. To date this was the last fatal tornado in the state of Oregon.

 

Given the magnitude of that setup I'd have to imagine other brief tornadoes may have occurred in the region as well, but went unreported given the sparse populations of the time.

 

 

I remember a good read on the 1894 tornado in Long Creek. That possibly could have been an actual wedge tornado, maybe the first in the PNW of that magnitude? 

Yeah, not surprising that other tornadoes would go unreported in Oregon/Washington and also these had several different names over the years.

 

 

 

Not to be a smartass, but technically speaking severe thunderstorm winds are classified as 58mph or higher. So in the ballbark, but a smidge short.

 

Still sounds like an awesome event, though.

 

You're not wrong for pointing that out. Just a quick visit on SPC storm reports page from 06-04-2009 would show you that multiple wind reports were given a bit south of Portland. And my own personal recalling (from Hillsboro area) of winds that actually downed a tree and there was even a rare "outflow boundary" which was radar indicated, though this was around the time the storms happened to weaken, but regardless PDX was not the only site to consider on a day like that when things happened in so many other locations. 

Ashland, KY Weather

'23-'24 Winter

Snowfall - 5.50"
First freeze: 11/1 (32)
Minimum: 2 on 1/17

Measurable snows: 4
Max 1 day snow: 3" (1/19)

Thunders: 11
1/27, 1/28, 2/10, 2/22, 2/27, 2/28, 3/5, 3/6, 3/14, 3/15
3/26, 

-------------------------------------------------------
[Klamath Falls, OR 2010 to 2021]
https://imgur.com/SuGTijl

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Maybe I've forgotten about PDX stats, but second highest? Nearby cities have easily gotten 60+ in thunderstorms in the past and more than once. Makes me wonder if some events went missing. Does Jan 15 1996 register as one of the thunderstorm winds at PDX? That was yet another widespread squall line thunderstorm event (westerly squall) and even one tornado resulted in Lincoln City. Regardless of time of year that one should be logged as one of the important ones.

 

 

I think PDX topped out at 50mph with the 1996 squall line, so that one is definitely among the stronger convective events in the PDX era. I consider 4/5/1972 to be the the strongest thunderstorm related wind speed at PDX, which hit 63mph that day and was just a mile or so SE of where the tornado touched down.

 

There have been some documented microbursts west of the Cascades that certainly have produced 60+mph speeds, most recently the one in Lacey last May that was estimated in excess of 70mph. But in that event, just a few miles away at OLM, the peak wind speed was 49mph. It's just difficult to get a major reporting station to reflect those higher numbers given the localized nature of our most intense storms.

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  • 4 months later...

The October 21-24, 1943 snowstorm. Probably the most significant snowstorm to hit the Mt. Hood area so early in the season.

 

2-day totals included:

 

29.5" at Timberline

25.7" at Summit Guard Station (present day Gov't Camp)

15.0" at Friend, located at just 2,447 feet on the east side

 

Other totals included 21" at Paradise Lodge, 12" at Snoqualmie Pass, and 4" down to Detroit. At both Friend and Detroit, it was the earliest measurable snowfall and earliest maximums in the 30's on record. 

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The October 21-24, 1943 snowstorm. Probably the most significant snowstorm to hit the Mt. Hood area so early in the season.

 

2-day totals included:

 

29.5" at Timberline

25.7" at Summit Guard Station (present day Gov't Camp)

15.0" at Friend, located at just 2,447 feet on the east side

 

Other totals included 21" at Paradise Lodge, 12" at Snoqualmie Pass, and 4" down to Detroit. At both Friend and Detroit, it was the earliest measurable snowfall and earliest maximums in the 30's on record. 

 

Great info. Interesting that this was about a century after the beginning of the Oregon Trail migration. I have read some anecdotal stuff about some very nasty October snowstorms hitting pioneers on the Barlow Cutoff in the 1840s. 

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Great info. Interesting that this was about a century after the beginning of the Oregon Trail migration. I have read some anecdotal stuff about some very nasty October snowstorms hitting pioneers on the Barlow Cutoff in the 1840s.

It would be surreal to live in the valley and just expect multiple snowstorms a year in that 1800s climate.

Springfield, Oregon regular season 2023-24 Stats:

  • Coldest high: 25F (Jan 14, 2024)
  • Coldest low: 20F (Jan 14, 2024)
  • Days with below freezing temps: 24 (Most recent: Mar 8, 2024)
  • Days with sub-40F highs: 4 (Most recent: Jan 16, 2024)
  • Total snowfall: 0.0"
  • Total ice: 2.25”
  • Last accumulating snowfall on roads: Dec 27, 2021 (1.9")
  • Last sub-freezing high: Jan 15, 2024 (27F)
  • Last White Christmas: 1990
  • Significant wind events (gusts 45+): 0

Personal Stats:

  • Last accumulating snowfall on roads: Dec 27, 2021
  • Last sub-freezing high: Jan 16, 2024 (32F)
  • Last White Christmas: 2008
  • Total snowfall since joining TheWeatherForums: 42.0"
  • Sub-freezing highs since joining TheWeatherForums: 4

 

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Great info. Interesting that this was about a century after the beginning of the Oregon Trail migration. I have read some anecdotal stuff about some very nasty October snowstorms hitting pioneers on the Barlow Cutoff in the 1840s. 

 

Wouldn't surprise me if similar snowstorms hit in the 1840s, for sure.

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It would be surreal to live in the valley and just expect multiple snowstorms a year in that 1800s climate.

Heck, if you think the 1800s were epic, you would have been blown away by the 1600s..it was the coldest stretch in the NH since the end of the last ice age (or possibly the 8200kr event in local areas). ☃️

 

FWIW, almost 40% of the NH glacier melt had already occurred by 1900. Goes to show how far gone we are from the good ‘ole days. We’re essentially back to a MWP climate now.

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