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

[BLI snowman 5806]

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.

[wx_statman 2443]

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

 

Agreed, a major SSW fits the bill there. 

[wx_statman 2443]

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

 

[SilverFallsAndrew 13017]

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.

[wx_statman 2443]

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

[Scott 358]

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

 

 

[Front Ranger 7369]

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.

[Timmy_Supercell 2023]

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.

[Phil 10959]

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.

[BLI snowman 5806]

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.

[BLI snowman 5806]

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.

[Phil 10959]

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.

[BLI snowman 5806]

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.

[SilverFallsAndrew 13017]

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...

[Phil 10959]

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.

[BLI snowman 5806]

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

No, it's on my bucket list.

[Timmy_Supercell 2023]

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. 

[BLI snowman 5806]

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.

[wx_statman 2443]

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. 

[Jesse 7695]

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. 

[TigerWoodsLibido 5143]

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.

[wx_statman 2443]

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.

[Phil 10959]

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.

[TT-SEA 1719]

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.

 

 

Good 'ole days?

 

We probably would not be here discussing this if we stayed in the LIA.   

[wx_statman 2443]

On this day in 2002:

 

East winds @ PDX reach 40 mph sustained, gusting to 48 mph and dewpoints hit 3 degrees above zero. 

[BLI snowman 5806]

On this day in 2002:

 

East winds @ PDX reach 40 mph sustained, gusting to 48 mph and dewpoints hit 3 degrees above zero.

Andrew's favorite day!

[Deweydog 13235]

Mid 40's with gusty east winds and dew points dropping through the teens one year later.

[TigerWoodsLibido 5143]

On this day in 2002:

 

East winds @ PDX reach 40 mph sustained, gusting to 48 mph and dewpoints hit 3 degrees above zero.

Looks like Eugene managed to make it into the 50s on those days. While it's an interesting setup, that cold was wasted during this time of year, then it was a very sad winter after that.

[Jesse 7695]

Looks like Eugene managed to make it into the 50s on those days. While it's an interesting setup, that cold was wasted during this time of year, then it was a very sad winter after that.

Still a pretty interesting setup from a meteorological perspective.

[wx_statman 2443]

Looks like Eugene managed to make it into the 50s on those days. While it's an interesting setup, that cold was wasted during this time of year, then it was a very sad winter after that.

 

They still hit the mid-10's for lows. Pretty neat to see that around Halloween. 

[wx_statman 2443]

Andrew's favorite day!

 

Most of us south of Covington are fans of Oct '02!

[Jesse 7695]

They still hit the mid-10's for lows. Pretty neat to see that around Halloween.

Probably one of the more recent airmasses to bring widespread monthly record lows throughout Oregon.

[TigerWoodsLibido 5143]

Probably one of the more recent airmasses to bring widespread monthly record lows throughout Oregon.

Was Dec 1972 and Dec 2013 enough to crack anything with that month as far as month records since, say, 1970? It's crazy to think places didn't get colder than that for the month of Oct going all the way back.

[SilverFallsAndrew 13017]

October 2002 is one of the most underrated events we've had in this region. I was in full geek mode as it was going down. I remember emailing Rod Hill about the low of 15 my Dad recorded on his farm outside Silverton. 

[Deweydog 13235]

October 2002 is one of the most underrated events we've had in this region. I was in full geek mode as it was going down. I remember emailing Rod Hill about the low of 15 my Dad recorded on his farm outside Silverton.

I remember it getting unusually cold at night. That's about it.

[TigerWoodsLibido 5143]

I remember it getting unusually cold at night. That's about it.

Yeah it still got up unto the 50s. Granted the setup was crazy and I can't even imagine what it would have been like in Dec.

[Deweydog 13235]

Yeah it still got up unto the 50s. Granted the setup was crazy and I can't even imagine what it would have been like in Dec.

It was just a decent backdoor air mass. It was more about the dry advection than anything else, great for radiational cooling.

 

Late October/early November 2003 was far more impressive. That was one of if not the most impressive meridional -PNA patterns we've seen since December 1990.

[Front Ranger 7369]

Yeah it still got up unto the 50s. Granted the setup was crazy and I can't even imagine what it would have been like in Dec.

Something like Dec 2009.

[SilverFallsAndrew 13017]

On this date in 2006 Eugene broke the all-time October record low which had previously been set in 2002 with a low of 16. I was living in Oklahoma at the time and pretty wrapped up in my new life there, so I do not remember many details of that cold snap.

[SilverFallsAndrew 13017]

Something like Dec 2009.

 

I would agree. 

[TigerWoodsLibido 5143]

On this date in 2006 Eugene broke the all-time October record low which had previously been set in 2002 with a low of 16. I was living in Oklahoma at the time and pretty wrapped up in my new life there, so I do not remember many details of that cold snap.

I was probly too wasted at UO to remember that one. I do remember that being a decent winter with a bit of snow going into an Arctic event in Jan I think?

[Timmy_Supercell 2023]

October 2002 is one of the most underrated events we've had in this region. I was in full geek mode as it was going down. I remember emailing Rod Hill about the low of 15 my Dad recorded on his farm outside Silverton. 

 

That was my local record low temperature, 15 degrees on 10/30/2002! Isn't that funny!

 

I almost locked horns with that yesterday with a low of 17.

[Front Ranger 7369]

November 12-13, 1955, the PNW saw an intense Arctic front move through with some of the coldest highs/lows ever recorded in November, much less this early in the season.

 

- SEA saw a high of 21 on the 12th. The next earliest they have seen a high this cold is 12/16/64!

 

- BLI saw a low of 5 (by far the earliest any event has produced single digits, next closest being 1985 almost two weeks later).

 

- Republic in NE WA saw a high of 9 on the 12th.

 

- Palmer saw a high of 20 on the 13th

 

- Forks saw a high of 26 on the 13th

 

- PDX saw a high of 28 on the 12th

 

- Spokane saw a high of 11 on the 13th

 

- Astoria saw a high of 31 on 11/12. The next earliest event with a sub-freezing high isn't until 11/23/2010.

 

Most of OR would see their coldest temps a couple days later.

[Scott 358]

The 1955 cold snap and storm also hit the Rocky Mountains too, but the coldest air was west of the divide.

 

For example, Salt Lake City hit -10 on 11/15/1955 and -14 on 11/16/1955. These were by far the coldest November readings on record.

[Deweydog 13235]

15 years ago right now it was breezy and very mild outside.

[Jesse 7695]

15 years ago this morning it stopped being breezy and mild.

[Timmy 1829]

The weather was so much better 15 years ago than it is today.

[Jesse 7695]

The weather was so much better 15 years ago than it is today.

This post would have been 15 times funnier 15 years ago.

 

November 19, 2003 was a nice event. But it was no 1/10/17.

[wx_statman 2443]

8 years ago, it was getting ready to stop being mild in the very near future. 

[Tyler Mode 1510]

I love technology that brings this image from Logan Pass in Glacier NP right to my home...