7pm Monday…
The storm was quite powerful for some, but underwhelmed for others. Lots of gusts 45-55 mph on local airport official observations, so a bit higher than I forecast, but very few spots were above 55 mph in the lowlands. Seems to me the “Lower Columbia” area from Vancouver to Longview was slammed hardest, along with Clark County. I’m really glad we didn’t say (at FOX12) 60-70 mph gusts; that would have been a huge windstorm that we haven’t seen in quite a long time.
PDX officially hit 55mph, which makes it a bit weaker than the March storm this year (58 mph). That storm put 70,000 PGE customers in the dark. This time PGE outages were only a bit above normal for a typical winter windstorm. Around 35,000 at the peak. Of course in YOUR neighborhood the storm maybe have been stronger than what we saw last March. That’s how it goes with storms.
I notice the Longview/Kelso damage was from a WEST wind, not a southerly wind. Something we might expect with a low moving quickly west to east.
Chief Meteorologist Mark Nelsen
Peak Gusts from the NWS…sorry about the coding gaps, I might clean that up when I get home:
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NOUS46 KPQR 220006 PNSPQR ORZ001>008-010>016-WAZ019>022-039-040-045-046-221204- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR 404 PM PST MON DEC 21 2015 ...WIND REPORTS PAST 12 HOURS ... LOCATION SPEED TIME/DATE ELEVATION ...CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY... SUGARLOAF 66 MPH 0706 AM 12/21 4328 FT EMIGRANT 44 MPH 1253 PM 12/21 3840 FT ...CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON... MARYS PEAK 82 MPH 0900 AM 12/21 4137 FT ...CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE... 2 WNW COOK 85 MPH 0225 PM 12/21 2990 FT 2 WSW UNDERWOOD 49 MPH 0323 PM 12/21 569 FT 1 S HOOD RIVER 48 MPH 0300 PM 12/21 570 FT 1 W UNDERWOOD 48 MPH 0238 PM 12/21 25 FT ...CENTRAL OREGON COAST... 1 N LINCOLN BEACH 67 MPH 0940 AM 12/21 49 FT 1 S OTTER ROCK 61 MPH 1105 AM 12/21 141 FT YACHATS 60 MPH 0613 AM 12/21 32 FT 1 SSE HECETA BEACH 59 MPH 0645 AM 12/21 25 FT LINCOLN CITY 57 MPH 0956 AM 12/21 187 FT 1 N NEWPORT 55 MPH 1010 AM 12/21 165 FT WALDPORT 54 MPH 0914 AM 12/21 42 FT NEWPORT MUNI AP 51 MPH 0655 AM 12/21 0 FT 2 N LINCOLN CITY 50 MPH 1040 AM 12/21 88 FT HECETA BEACH 48 MPH 0752 AM 12/21 30 FT 2 NNE YACHATS 47 MPH 1051 AM 12/21 81 FT 2 N SEAL ROCK 46 MPH 1004 AM 12/21 65 FT NEWPORT 44 MPH 0656 AM 12/21 127 FT YACHATS 42 MPH 0719 AM 12/21 32 FT DUNES 41 MPH 0804 AM 12/21 120 FT ...CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY... ROCKHOUSE 1 67 MPH 1212 PM 12/21 1797 FT 3 WSW SCHOLLS 60 MPH 1143 AM 12/21 1348 FT MC MINNVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPO 54 MPH 1112 AM 12/21 0 FT SALEM AP (MCNARY FIELD) 52 MPH 0742 AM 12/21 205 FT 4 NNE COLTON 48 MPH 1127 AM 12/21 1407 FT AURORA STATE AIRPORT 45 MPH 0829 AM 12/21 0 FT SCOTTS MILLS 41 MPH 1005 AM 12/21 518 FT 1 NE AMITY 41 MPH 1139 AM 12/21 751 FT ...COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON... 4 E HEBO 73 MPH 1015 AM 12/21 3160 FT TIDEWATER 71 MPH 0114 PM 12/21 2035 FT 4 E HEBO 69 MPH 1140 AM 12/21 3170 FT ...GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA... 1 S RALEIGH HILLS 73 MPH 1255 PM 12/21 236 FT 1 NNW TROUTDALE 59 MPH 1205 PM 12/21 120 FT 1 ENE HAPPY VALLEY 56 MPH 0120 PM 12/21 610 FT 1 NW FOREST GROVE 55 MPH 1245 PM 12/21 200 FT PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPO 55 MPH 0151 PM 12/21 21 FT SCAPPOOSE INDUSTRIAL AIRPARK 54 MPH 1135 AM 12/21 0 FT PORTLAND-TROUTDALE AIRPORT 52 MPH 1211 PM 12/21 35 FT HAPPY VALLEY 50 MPH 1205 PM 12/21 1000 FT 2 W EAGLE CREEK 50 MPH 0107 PM 12/21 13 FT WILLAMETTE RIVER NR OREGON C 50 MPH 1200 PM 12/21 49 FT HILLSBORO AIRPORT ASOS & LAW 48 MPH 1245 PM 12/21 204 FT 1 SE TROUTDALE 46 MPH 1158 AM 12/21 203 FT FOREST GROVE 45 MPH 1255 PM 12/21 200 FT 2 SE THE OREGON ZOO 45 MPH 0131 PM 12/21 750 FT TROUTDALE 45 MPH 1215 PM 12/21 262 FT 2 SSE WILSONVILLE 44 MPH 1245 PM 12/21 141 FT WILSHIRE PARK 44 MPH 0134 PM 12/21 255 FT 1 W BORING 44 MPH 1209 PM 12/21 600 FT SCAPPOOSE 42 MPH 0153 PM 12/21 65 FT OREGON CITY 42 MPH 1200 PM 12/21 475 FT ...GREATER VANCOUVER AREA... BATTLE GROUND 50 MPH 0133 PM 12/21 346 FT 2 SW RIDGEFIELD 47 MPH 1222 PM 12/21 25 FT 3 NW FELIDA 45 MPH 1210 PM 12/21 114 FT PEARSON FIELD AIRPORT 44 MPH 0103 PM 12/21 0 FT 1 WNW BATTLE GROUND 43 MPH 0110 PM 12/21 278 FT 1 NE LACAMAS LAKE 41 MPH 1235 PM 12/21 387 FT ...LOWER COLUMBIA... 1 WSW SAINT HELENS 42 MPH 0145 PM 12/21 100 FT ...LOWER COLUMBIA AND I - 5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY... 2 W LEXINGTON 46 MPH 0155 PM 12/21 921 FT KELSO-LONGVIEW AIRPORT 46 MPH 0215 PM 12/21 0 FT ...NORTH OREGON COAST... 2 E OCEANSIDE 87 MPH 1149 AM 12/21 1420 FT 2 WNW GARIBALDI 67 MPH 1200 PM 12/21 75 FT MANZANITA 61 MPH 1152 AM 12/21 42 FT CANNON BEACH 59 MPH 1218 PM 12/21 22 FT TILLAMOOK AIRPORT 55 MPH 1215 PM 12/21 36 FT ASTORIA AIRPORT 51 MPH 1239 PM 12/21 9 FT OCEANSIDE 51 MPH 1242 PM 12/21 21 FT BAY CITY 50 MPH 1224 PM 12/21 104 FT TILLAMOOK 50 MPH 1240 PM 12/21 62 FT PACIFIC CITY 49 MPH 1038 AM 12/21 27 FT ROCKAWAY BEACH 48 MPH 1229 PM 12/21 450 FT CLATSOP SPIT 47 MPH 1230 PM 12/21 29 FT 2 ENE ASTORIA 47 MPH 1242 PM 12/21 0 FT 3 SW SANDLAKE 42 MPH 0917 AM 12/21 13 FT TILLAMOOK 41 MPH 0112 PM 12/21 11 FT ...NORTHERN OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS... YELLOWSTONE MTN 51 MPH 1217 PM 12/21 3080 FT MILL CITY 49 MPH 0758 AM 12/21 1007 FT EAGLE CREEK 47 MPH 0213 PM 12/21 731 FT 2 SSE SHORTYS CORNER 42 MPH 0123 PM 12/21 1600 FT ...NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES... MT HOOD MEADOWS 65 MPH 0300 PM 12/21 5370 FT TIMBERLINE BASE 60 MPH 0300 PM 12/21 6000 FT GOVERNMENT CAMP SKI BOWL 58 MPH 0300 PM 12/21 4000 FT WANDERERS PEAK 57 MPH 0207 PM 12/21 4350 FT 2 NW WHITE RIVER SNOW PARK 44 MPH 0200 PM 12/21 5880 FT 2 SE MOUNT HOOD 41 MPH 1100 AM 12/21 6601 FT ...OREGON... 3 ENE WESTPORT 59 MPH 0114 PM 12/21 25 FT NEWPORT 56 MPH 1008 AM 12/21 120 FT 21 W YAQUINA HEAD 54 MPH 0450 AM 12/21 0 FT NEWPORT 49 MPH 1000 AM 12/21 0 FT 1 WSW SOUTH BEACH 47 MPH 0900 AM 12/21 29 FT 1 WNW ASTORIA 47 MPH 1247 PM 12/21 355 FT ...SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY... EUGENE-MAHLON SWEET FIELD 43 MPH 1055 AM 12/21 353 FT CORVALLIS 41 MPH 1230 PM 12/21 229 FT 6 ESE CROW 41 MPH 0613 AM 12/21 810 FT 2 S PHILOMATH 41 MPH 1107 AM 12/21 308 FT CORVALLIS 41 MPH 1145 AM 12/21 308 FT ...SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES... 6 NW NORTH BONNEVILLE 94 MPH 0300 PM 12/21 3450 FT ...SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST... 1 NW MEGLER 64 MPH 1230 PM 12/21 1189 FT 3 NNE NASELLE 51 MPH 0645 AM 12/21 2008 FT 1 NW NAHCOTTA 44 MPH 1210 PM 12/21 42 FT ...UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY... MIDDLE MTN 48 MPH 0314 PM 12/21 2544 FT 2 NNW PARKDALE 41 MPH 0200 PM 12/21 1480 FT ...WASHINGTON... 21 W CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT 60 MPH 1150 AM 12/21 0 FT 1 ENE CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT 59 MPH 1245 PM 12/21 120 FT ...WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE... STEVENSON 62 MPH 0145 PM 12/21 25 FT CAPE HORN 57 MPH 1215 PM 12/21 1416 FT 1 SW ROOSTER ROCK STATE PARK 56 MPH 1146 AM 12/21 751 FT 1 NE BONNEVILLE DAM 52 MPH 0100 PM 12/21 79 FT ROOSTER ROCK STATE PARK 51 MPH 0812 AM 12/21 50 FT 1 SW CASCADE LOCKS 44 MPH 0200 PM 12/21 110 FT PRINDLE 43 MPH 0200 PM 12/21 239 FT LOCKS 42 MPH 1108 AM 12/21 127 FT 1 E CORBETT 41 MPH 1245 PM 12/21 839 FT ...WILLAPA HILLS... ABERNATHY MTN 64 MPH 0301 PM 12/21 2000 FT
It’s still so warm out. I’m walking in it. No dice
nothing here in Wilsonville as usual.
Actual snowflakes were just falling. No accumulation of course but it was nice to see.
Snow/rain mix here – 33.4
And “here” is…?
It’s in his name: GermanTown Summit 1 thousand feet.
Ah
Steady 37 degrees and 0.28″ of cold, splatty rain overnight. Splat test still = Positive this morning. If only we would have been another 5 or so degrees cooler, we’d have woken up to 3″ of snow.
It is very close… I was getting lots of splats this morning on the way in as well. At least that glimmer of hope for Christmas Eve Night and Christmas Morning is still alive.
It would be great if we could get some of the heavy showers we are getting this morning in another 36-48 hours.
Let’s all hope the surface low that is supposed to spin up in tomorrow’s cool trough and slide down the coast will A) move far enough South, and B) generate enough moisture to bring us the goods!!
“W”
You just need to get closer to heaven by a few thousand feet to get your white gold.
It’s snowing!!
Heavy rain snow mix here at 650′ SW of Tigard. Temp down to 36.
That’s exactly what I have here at home at 1,000′
Nothing sticking yet at your place either, Mark?
Might take a drive up to Bald Peak this morning to get an idea for the snow level. It is between Scholls and Gaston and sits at about 1,600′.
According to the radar, it looks to be snowing in the West Hills above Portland??
Listening out my window, the harder the wind blows, the harder the rain falls. The harder the rain falls, the cooler the temperature gets. Was 41 an hour ago, then 39, now 37 with moderate rain and West winds occasionally gusting close to 20.
Just went out to my car to check…
Splat test = POSITIVE in Milwaukie!!
😀
And then the precip ends…
…of course! 😦
12/22/2015 Oregon (All) Temperature Summary
Warmest:
High:52 at Bullards Bridge( 23 ft) & North Bend Munic(16 ft)
Low: 46 at BANDON(79 ft) & EW1135 Yachats1(32 ft)
Coldest:
High:20 at Mt Hood Meadows(7300 ft) & ANEROID LAKE #2(7400 ft)
Low: 8 at KB7DZR Joseph (3984 ft )
Largest Diurnal Change: 26 degrees
KB7DZR Joseph (34/8 ) (3984 ft )
Heaviest Rainfall:
2.10″ at BLAZED ALDER(3650ft)
1.60″ at BIGELOW CAMP(5130ft)
1.60″ at CASCADE SUMMIT(5100ft)
1.60″ at LITTLE MEADOWS(4020ft)
The rain has been switching to snow with these recent showers here around Sandy (1000ft) Hopefully it will start sticking overnight!
Uh oh, Mark there is a “new kid” on the block I hear. some cute talkin’ fellow named Brian Brennen. Portland weather will never be the same (a least at KGW)!
32 degrees and snowing up at Bald Peak! Rain/snow mix up on Bull Mountain.
OMFG, LOOK!!!
I refuse to accept this. I’ve been burned far too many times to believe this, especially on Christmas. No way this will ever happen, it’s not possible. Just, no. Not going to happen!
Nope never.
Boom goes the dynamite!
Photoshopped wishcasting…….
No, that is the actual 00Z RPM output. Looking forward to the 12Z run.
No one seems to care much for the lowland “close but no cigar” weather pattern motif that we are currently in–probably myself included. Still, copious snow down to relatively low elevations and lots of cold rain at sea level does translate to “typical” PACNW winter weather. At least–this year–we have that!
Dan. Give it a rest. You are a one trick pony. No one cares about Salem. Well maybe the meth addicts do. Or the guys living in a Safeway parking lot.
Let’s focus on where most people live. Although Portland is run by socialists anymore that think it’s ok to live in a tent on 10th st. Yayyyy. Go America.
You are a moron and should be banned.
Why do you care to focus on “where most people live”. You ain’t people. You poor little misguided fool, you need help. No leave the blog and go get it.
36F with showers and a few snowflakes occasionally in the mix. Man, I know is just a few hundred feet above us! Sooo close…
Well, just like most others reporting on this blog, I get teased with a glimpse of snow and then it’s gone. However, it looks like we have a chance to see actual snow on the ground tomorrow morning. Perhaps only a trace, but it’s better than nothing… let’s believe!
I haven’t posted much of late because of bronchitis and strep throat. But I wanted to take time to thank the trolls for some very naughty remarks made in regards about me. I hope Santa brings you a bar of soap for Christmas. You should wash out your mouth and brain with it. As for everyone else I wish you a very merry Christmas. As for a White Christmas it looks possible but not probable. Maybe a few flakes to the Valley floor. More likely above 500 feet. Either way this looks like the coldest week of Winter so far coming up. Now the days start to get longer. Hooray. I love the heat and long days of Summer. But I really do hope all of you snow lovers out there get some low level snow this Winter. If so I will sit by the window and watch the snow fly by with a cup of hot chocolate to keep warm. Think Summer. Peace.
Merry Christmas to you, too, WeatherDan – I hope you feel better soon. Don’t let the naysayers get you down.
Get better Weather Dan may the heat be with You! I can’t live without it now I am cold when it drops below 55.
WEATHERDAN, wishing a very merry Christmas to you and your family, good folk’s hearts will always prevail. Thanks for all your thoughtful comments throughout the year, and looking forward to more next year!
PEACE TO ALL
I’m in!
Peace/health/Merry Christmas, WEATHERDAN!
Quite the complicated pattern setting, could use advice.
Hey we are having Weather Dan Temps in San Antonio this week today was 82 and blue skies. 85 on Christmas! Kids went swimming today ( heated the pool first ) Merry Christmas y’all!
In the hills above Longview we definitely caught the west wind just behind the low. My barometer dropped to 28.17″ around noon (raw value ~750′ elev) and had started back up when the power flickered hard enough to take the computer down. No damage here but plenty in town.
Looks like all good things come to an end in about a week….. but its been a great run for the mountains, and ski resorts which really needed the boost, as it looks like inversion season/split flow in our future…. at least the mountains will have a healthy start to sustain what looks to be a blah week or 2 stretch. Guess a little fake cold is better than no cold!!! lol.
Based on what? 2 days of ridging does not a trend make.
Based on past few days of ensembles, they look very inversion like, Not a sure thing no, but with the run we have just had, most likely outcome is it swings towards that for next 10-14 days after we get through early next week. Better to get it out of the way now while we still have a good window remaining for a arctic blast of some sort… as it surely doesnt look to be in the cards in the next 2 weeks…. at all.
A lot can change in a week. I remember last month someone on here saying we were a week away from the death ridge returning for the winter… and instead what happened was the beginning of nearly a month of rain. Inversions happen every winter, they are a reason for the freeze-thaw snow conditions our ski resorts are cursed with.
Oh ya, I know a lot can change in a week, but I sure would rather get this out of the way now… instead of going into some sort of ar event or total split flow with warmer systems, as that would decimate the snow pack a lot more than the week or 2 of inversion type weather. I’d love to keep this up indefinitely, its been a great run for the mountains the past couple weeks!!! I would love snow down here in Salem, but gladly trade it for healthy snowpack and ski season this season.:-)
It suddenly got so quiet in here…
We lost power on Columbia Heights for about 3 hours yesterday! Cowlitz County is a mess numerous trees down & power still out!
Lost power for about 4 hours due to a large tree down across state hwy 224 near the Deep Creek bridge. Barton store had back-up generator running so gas and food were available. At the farm we had a pretty good blow with several weak old pines being uprooted, no big thing just a small mess to contend with, and my generator and transfer panel worked to perfection.
00z runs of models are in (and 6z GFS)…
The GFS and WRF are pretty consistent now showing temps in the mid-30s Christmas Eve morning, so maybe a few wet flakes on the windshield, that’s about it.
GFS shows some possible lingering showers early Christmas morning which would fall as snow, so maybe a few people will wake up to a dusting.
One more thing to mention, WRF and GFS are both in agreement on snow potential on Sunday..heavy-ish precipitation arriving about 4 AM while temps are still at or below freezing. Something to keep an eye on.
Thanks for keeping hope alive!
Merry Christmas!
I pretty much agree on snow anytime late Christmas Eve into Christmas Morning but I’m not entirely sold on moisture coming in Sunday falling as snow. GFS shows 950mb temps above freezing when moisture arrives which tells me cold rain. That plus a southerly wind when the heaviest moisture arrives.
Snow level is supposed to be up around 1,500 feet, we’ll be lucky to see snow mixed with the rain in the hills around town, and that’s only if — a BIG IF — the Coast Range doesn’t gobble up all the showers before they get here, which is so often the case.
Omm-nom-nom-nom…
Registered a peak gust in my Southerly wind sheltered location just shy of 35 mph. Typically, my anemometer reads roughly half of actual wind speeds in the area. I’m not saying we had 70 mph winds in Milwaukie yesterday, but 55-60 is definitely within the realm of possibility. I just wish I could have been there to experience it, not cooped up in my office all day watching the winds mostly fail to materialize in downtown.
Was in Longview when the wind storm hit. Could see huge firs crashing down the hillside above Rainier. All westerly direction. Had to cross the Rainier bridge twice–3 to 4 hundred above the river the west wind pushed you all over the road. Got home to many trees down and tops broken out–what a mess–worse than last year. Power was out and just came back on before 9AM.
12/21/2015 Oregon (All) Temperature Summary
Warmest:
High:57 at North Bend Munic( 16 ft)
Low: 48 at Port Orford(0 ft) & Gold Beach (US 1(60 ft) & BROOKINGS(79 ft)
Coldest:
High:23 at HOWARD Mt Howard(8150 ft)
Low: 16 at HOWARD Mt Howard (8150 ft )
Largest Diurnal Change: 24 degrees
CW2286 Monument (50/26 ) (2021 ft )
Heaviest Rainfall:
3.27″ at EW4856 Brookings(1365ft)
3.15″ at N7NKE Forest Gro(200ft)
3.10″ at RED MOUND(1753ft)
2.77″ at Timberline Lodge(5880ft)
2.74″ at QUAIL PRAIRIE LO(3183ft)
2.50″ at NORTH FORK(3060ft)
2.35″ at Mt Hood Meadows(5380ft)
Chapman, OR – halfway between Scappoose & Vernonia. Consistent wind from the west, strongest we have seen in a long time, gusts to 32mph at ground level in the valley. I am happy to see the trees shedding the branches, as that is better than the trees coming down. Power out since 1:30pm (11pm now), but the Internet just came up and the generator is getting its exercise. Last December the wind storm took the power out for 27 hours, 200 gallons of fuel on hand, plenty of food, and a wood stove – no worries!
Longview is a mess. Trees down all over the place. According to Cowlitz County DEM, NWS is saying it was a straight line wind event up here. Kinda odd.
Definitely west to east! The foot of the Allen St bridge at 1st ave going towards the court house south then the first two streets north no power they need someone to direct traffic the same at the foot of the Cowlitz Way bridge too!” Wow crazy rain shower just happening
Straight line winds, as opposed to tornadic winds. It definitely wasn’t a tornado.
The HRRR was pegging the west side of the region to get the stronger wind gusts. Seems like it was fairly spot on.
That you for the clarification W7ENK! I definitely know the difference thank you! The max we had was a 44 mph gust here but strong enough to pull down trees
I understand it wasn’t a tornado, but straight line winds are usually associated with thunderstorms and derechos, just seems odd to call it that. I see the NWS is sending a crew up here to assess the damage and try to explain what happened, also, the paper noted one wind estimate based on damage at 65-70 mph, and the NWS crew is hoping to confirm or change that. The 46 mph recorded at the airport is a ways away from where the brunt of the damage occurred. Kelso didn’t have much damage, Longview got hit hard.
I know most of Vernonia has no power & may not have any for 3 days. Seems to be in conjunction with BPA substation. Lots of trees down & some roads hardly passable
So glad today’s wind event was relatively benign. I am old enough to remember the “Columbus Day Storm”, etc. Destructive weather events are not fun, to say the least. But like most of we weather impassioned folks, I am always generally pulling for the next “big event”. Here’s looking forward to some low elevation, season defining snow–soon!
Yes, I will agree with that, John!
Did I read we got 94? North Bonneville.
My wind gust is the 50 mph in Battle Ground. Strongest wind since last December. Lost only 10′ of fence and a shingle or two…that’s a win in my book!
I thought you were on vacation! Thanks for the best forecast on the wind storm your blog yesterday was pretty mush right on! Now go have happy holidays! !!!
We missed it completely. In fact there was next to no wind this afternoon, even though the barometer was below 29.30 inches at one point. Skies cleared off before sunset.
Wow