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


snow_wizard

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"Twister rips up Clark County" - The Oregonian, issued January 11 2008.  :P

 

SDa7rzn.jpg

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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Severe clear out there!

 

Reminds me of two years ago but the ground cover is different. (ugh)

 

Not here. We had cold rain and it was infuriating. We had 2 sub-freezing highs out of it somehow though. Also had the event on the 7th which dropped a few inches that missed the n and c valley.

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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My Twitter @CBBjerseys4hope

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(01/19/2016)

3 years ago on this date one of the rarest convective events occurred at my place. A squall line thunderstorm formed off the SW Oregon coast, and instead of breaking apart around the Rogue Valley or west slopes like they normally do, the storm continued and actually strengthened over the cascades. A 67mph gust at KLMT (about 12:30pm) triggered a Severe Warning for it. I had half inch size hail with some decent thunder/lightning at my house. A few booms sounded maybe a mile or two away This was a couple weeks before I got my HD cameras, otherwise I would have gotten some good footage on that.



 



There was still snow pack on the mountains when this storm strengthened and it was only 40 degrees in Klamath Falls at the time this occurred (the outflow winds cooled it to upper 30's!). Even a little leftover snow in my yard as well during this storm, I thought that was interesting and new.



 



In the months of Dec/Jan/Feb, t'storms are almost impossible to occur in Klamath Falls. Going back to at least 1980; I find only 1 in December, 0 in January, 1 in February. However, many more can be found in locations west of the mountains in the winter season. Even in November I believe there have only been a couple of t'storm occurrences at KLMT last 40+ years. My 2nd earliest t'storm since 2010 is March 22nd in 2015. And usually my latest t'storm is in September.

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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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30 years ago, baseball practice was held inside the auxiliary fieldhouse because it was about 15F and about a foot of snow on the ground in Monmouth.

 

I was prepping a big write up on this event and then got distracted by the current goodies. A totally amazing event. It was the last time SLE had a sub-zero low. It amazes me this event and December 1990 happened so close together.

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 was prepping a big write up on this event and then got distracted by the current goodies. A totally amazing event. It was the last time SLE had a sub-zero low. It amazes me this event and December 1990 happened so close together.

Yeah, we didn't quite fall below zero in Monmouth. I think the lowest I had was 4F. We did have a high of 12F one day though.

 

Best part of that was later in March we were scheduled to play up at UW but the weekend series was cancelled at the last minute because, well, Seattle had about a foot of snow. I think we played 3 games total before we went South over spring break to play San Diego State.

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February 1936. Initial cold shot on the 7th-9th brought -34 to Newport in eastern WA, and subzero cold to Whatcom Co. Readings included -9 in Blaine and -1 in Clearbrook. The mid-month shot once again dropped eastern WA to -34 (at Republic on the 14th, and also -30 at Deer Park on the 15th). PDX stayed frozen for a week straight, including a maximum of 24 on the 17th. Readings in the mid-month airmass were actually colder in parts of the central Sound compared to the initial airmass, including 12 in Puyallup and -11 at Snoqualmie Pass. 

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Weird that no one has posted this, but yesterday and today mark the 23rd anniversary of the Willamette Valley Flood of 1996. Wicked winter weather, followed by a period of some of the strongest east winds recorded at PDX, were subsequently followed (in disastrous fashion) by a major pineapple express which brought feet of rain in some areas over a few day long period. 8 were killed, numerous buildings were damaged by the floodwaters.

"Let's mosey!"

 

--Cloud Strife

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Top 5 Snow Events (post 2014):

 

(1. January 10th, 2017: 18.5 in.

(2. February 6th, 2014: 7.5 inches

(3. February 20th, 2018: 5.0 inches

(4. February 21st, 2018: 4.0 inches

(5. December 14th, 2016: 3.5 inches

 

Honourable Mentions: December 7th, 2018, February 9th, 2019.

 

Total since joining the Weather Forums: 3"

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  • 2 weeks later...

It is the 26th anniversary of the big 2/19/93 snow event in the Willamette Valley. Here are some totals from that day. Many of these locations picked up another 1-3" in the days that followed. 

 

Salem 12"

Corvallis 12"

PDX Downtown 7.5"

PDX 6.1"

EUG 5.7"

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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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It is the 26th anniversary of the big 2/19/93 snow event in the Willamette Valley. Here are some totals from that day. Many of these locations picked up another 1-3" in the days that followed. 

 

Salem 12"

Corvallis 12"

PDX Downtown 7.5"

PDX 6.1"

EUG 5.7"

 

I had a lot of snow that day in Canby as well. I was too little to accurately gauge the depth, but it was probably 10". Spent all day outside playing in it. 

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I had a lot of snow that day in Canby as well. I was too little to accurately gauge the depth, but it was probably 10". Spent all day outside playing in it. 

 

I remember we went into a dry cool pattern afterwards so the snow stuck around in the shade for quite a while. It was a great capstone to what was easily the best winter of my childhood in the Willamette Valley.

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 remember we went into a dry cool pattern afterwards so the snow stuck around in the shade for quite a while. It was a great capstone to what was easily the best winter of my childhood in the Willamette Valley.

 

For sure. That winter was great in Canby, and it was also my first in this region. Gave me an unrealistic expectation for this climate zone.  :lol:

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Today is the 60th anniversary of the Mount Shasta storm (the ending anyway). 

 

From February 13-19, 1959 a single storm dropped 189" on Mount Shasta Ski Bowl, which I believe is still a world record. The daily obs mid-month were insane (attached).

 

Also, the abstract here provides a nice overview of the synoptic setup:

 

https://works.bepress.com/stephen_underwood/31/

shasta.JPG

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I remember we went into a dry cool pattern afterwards so the snow stuck around in the shade for quite a while. It was a great capstone to what was easily the best winter of my childhood in the Willamette Valley.

 

I didn't experience the storm living up in Tacoma, but I remember going down to visiting my grandparents in Cottage Grove a week or so after it happened and there being snow in the shade.

A forum for the end of the world.

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Solid contender for greatest snowstorm in regional history between February 18-19, 1884.

 

After a two week cold spell, a major system moved in off the coast and moved north up through the region while dropping tons of wet snow in its wake.

 

In the Willamette Valley on the 18th, the Oregonian reported 11 inches at Junction City, 24 inches at Corvallis, 20 inches at Halsey,  16 inches at Albany, 12 inches at Salem, and 16 inches in McMinnville. In Portland, about a foot fell with this storm with the paper reporting snowfall rates of 1.5" per hour throughout much of the morning of the 19th. The snow was so wet in town that the paper reported roofs caving in. By the evening the wind switched to the south and the entirety of Western OR was in the 40s.

 

The storm continued to spread northward , dropping 12"+ at Olympia and a reported 18 inches fell in downtown Seattle between the 18th and 19th. Downtown Seattle looked like this on the 19th before warming into the 40s

 

x17-1884-snow-p-square1.jpg

 

 

It appears this initial storm cut off somewhere to the north of Seattle, with Langley, B.C. reporting an overrunning total of 7" on the 21st with what was likely a 2nd storm.

 

However, it is definitely one of the only individual events that I'm aware of to drop 10"+ essentially from Eugene to Everett. Certainly no 21st century precedent for it.

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Solid contender for greatest snowstorm in regional history between February 18-19, 1884.

 

After a two week cold spell, a major system moved in off the coast and moved north up through the region while dropping tons of wet snow in its wake.

 

In the Willamette Valley on the 18th, the Oregonian reported 11 inches at Junction City, 24 inches at Corvallis, 20 inches at Halsey,  16 inches at Albany, 12 inches at Salem, and 16 inches in McMinnville. In Portland, about a foot fell with this storm with the paper reporting snowfall rates of 1.5" per hour throughout much of the morning of the 19th. The snow was so wet in town that the paper reported roofs caving in. By the evening the wind switched to the south and the entirety of Western OR was in the 40s.

 

The storm continued to spread northward , dropping 12"+ at Olympia and a reported 18 inches fell in downtown Seattle between the 18th and 19th. Downtown Seattle looked like this on the 19th before warming into the 40s

 

attachicon.gifx17-1884-snow-p-square1.jpg

 

 

It appears this initial storm cut off somewhere to the north of Seattle, with Langley, B.C. reporting an overrunning total of 7" on the 21st with what was likely a 2nd storm.

 

However, it is definitely one of the only individual events that I'm aware of to drop 10"+ essentially from Eugene to Everett. Certainly no 21st century precedent for it.

 

Pretty epic flood in the Los Angeles basin during the same time period. One of the more dynamic stretches along the west coast in history.

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Pretty epic flood in the Los Angeles basin during the same time period. One of the more dynamic stretches along the west coast in history.

 

Not just the West Coast, either. The SE ridge pumped up from that PNW trough produced one of the most significant tornado outbreaks on record that week

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enigma_tornado_outbreak

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Not just the West Coast, either. The SE ridge pumped up from that PNW trough produced one of the most significant tornado outbreaks on record that week

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enigma_tornado_outbreak

 

Wow, no kidding. I hadn't heard of that one before. That came after the big January cold wave back east, including still standing all-time records of -30 in Des Moines and -22 in St. Louis (not to mention a reported -40 in Rockford, IL, lower than the current state record). This was also the first winter after Krakatoa.

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Wow, no kidding. I hadn't heard of that one before. That came after the big January cold wave back east, including still standing all-time records of -30 in Des Moines and -22 in St. Louis (not to mention a reported -40 in Rockford, IL, lower than the current state record). This was also the first winter after Krakatoa.

 

Yeah, the 1880s were a pretty remarkable stretch for winter weather. That 1883-84 progression is rather similar to this winter.

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That is one of the best snowfall pictures for Seattle in the 19th century.  What an amazing year 1884 was!  Epic February and epic December.  Both still stand as the gold standard for those months.  Krakatoa could have certainly been repsponsible. 

Death To Warm Anomalies!

 

Winter 2023-24 stats

 

Total Snowfall = 1.0"

Day with 1" or more snow depth = 1

Total Hail = 0.0

Total Ice = 0.2

Coldest Low = 13

Lows 32 or below = 45

Highs 32 or below = 3

Lows 20 or below = 3

Highs 40 or below = 9

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

On this date in 1955 Silver Falls scored their all-time March record low with a low of 10.

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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  • 2 weeks later...

Squall line thunderstorm developed in 2011 today. This line extended from as far north as NW Oregon coast all the way south to near the NWS Eureka office. The squall was detected on all 3 of these doppler radars.

 

In southern Oregon there were a few isolated locations that received a severe t'storm, such as Merlin having golfball sized hail and Roseburg had a 60mph wind. Some outflow winds 55-60mph reached as far as the east slopes of the cascades, though the storm line itself was breaking apart over the hills. Even some of the offshore waters had some triggered Special Marine Warnings for winds well over 70mph. This storm effected quite a large area and held its form for several hours.

 

Locally I didn't have any thunder in Klamath Falls but still had high outflow winds and saw quite a dark sky to my west.

Another squall on January 19th 2016 actually reached K-Falls producing lightning, hail and a 67mph gust however that was a much more localized squall in comparison to the 2011 event. 

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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  • 4 weeks later...

Its kind of a watered down version, for sure. So. California had that rainstorm late last week too, with some all-time precip records challenged. 

 

1883-84 was the wettest rainy season in San Diego's recorded history (25.90") and Downtown Los Angeles's history (38.18").

 

 

 

 

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Not weather-related, but on this day one year ago walking from the bus stop to my work, I was trying to make it across the street before the walk time ran out. Someone ahead of me had pushed the button. Note that you can wait up for a ridiculous 2 minutes for the next walk signal in crowded Southern California. So I ran as fast as I could and fell half way across the street, cutting open my chin and banging my knee really bad. I needed 5 stitches in my chin. The worst thing, however, was breaking my new smartphone I had bought just a few days earlier.

 

It was not rainy that morning like it was today.

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  • 1 month later...

10th anniversary of one of the most significant thunderstorm outbreaks in recent western Oregon memory!

 

June 4th 2009

 

Solid line of severe thunderstorms extending from central Oregon to the coast, moving up from Eugene to Portland/Vancouver.

South Valleys had 1" and larger size hail, 60-70 mph winds. Corvallis records an 80mph wind gust out of the storm.

A rare Tornado Warning is issued in the Central Valley which is soon verified after an EF0 Tornado was confirmed in Peoria (Linn County). Public also witness wall clouds near Salem. The line continues climbing the Willamette Valley with multiple severe warnings as far north as the Portland Metro area. At around 5pm the line breaks up a little into 2 sections but there are still Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are all simultaneously being issued for Yamhill, Washington, Columbia, Clackamas, Multnomah and Clark Counties all at the same time. In Hillsboro where I lived during this storm, I observed an incredible display of shelf/roll clouds, the first time I've seen these types of clouds ever.

 

[upper Analysis - 5pm June 4 2009]

vwYh1UE.gif

 

[sPC 'Slight Risk' boundary covering most of Oregon]

https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2009/day1otlk_20090604_1300.html

w4NMcEg.gif

 

[sPC issues Severe Thunderstorm Watch #330 for the entire Willamette Valley, the first issued west of the Cascades since 1993]

https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/watch/2009/ww0330.html

i0AcHMN.gif

 

[Radar animation of the whole event]

DCm53JW.gif

 

[Zoomed, slower]

uKcSDoe.gif

 

UWxHzwn.gif

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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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Continued...

 

[Outflow Boundary incredibly well defined blowing through the metro!]

pBXmT36.gif

 

[Now, some of my pictures from a park near my apartments!]

pMPPRs8.jpg

 

49JErQG.jpg

 

JjDP8JR.jpg

 

[Original of this photo was a very low exposure, so I had to edit this one to look how I really saw it]

erxbryR.jpg

 

[And SPC's Watch actually verifies...widespread severe reports]

XFmWxZD.png

 

And I'd like anyone else's input on this incredible Western Oregon severe weather outbreak. This was truly a 20 or so year type event. 

I'd love to see pictures if anyone has some.

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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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