Alert archive / Oregon / Hazardous Seas Warnings in 2012

Hazardous Seas Warning 63, NWS Medford, OR

December 23, 2012

NWS Medford, OR issued this hazardous seas warning at Dec 23, 2012, 2:56 PM PST. It took effect at Dec 24, 2012, 10:00 PM PST. It was in force for 53 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Dec 23, 2012, 2:56 PM PST (22:56 UTC)
In effect from: Dec 24, 2012, 10:00 PM PST
Expired: Dec 27, 2012, 2:49 AM PST
In force: 53 hr
Issued by: NWS Medford, OR

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this hazardous seas warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Medford, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before this hazardous seas warning went out at Dec 23, 10:05 AM PST, 4 hours 51 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 23, 10:05 AM PST, 4 hours 51 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1005 AM PST SUN DEC 23 2012

.DISCUSSION...THE FORECAST WAS UPDATED TO ISSUE A BLIZZARD WARNING
FOR THE VICINITY OF TENNANT IN EASTERN SISKIYOU COUNTY AND ACROSS
NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH AND NORTHERN AND WESTERN LAKE COUNTY
THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. GUSTY WINDS WITH BLOWING SNOW WILL ALSO
CAUSE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF VISIBILITY IN THE VICINITY OF WEED
IN SOUTH CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY. THE SNOW LEVEL IS VARIABLE WITH
SNOW AT AROUND 1500 FEET OVER CAMAS MOUNTAIN AND HAYES HILL IN
SOUTHWEST OREGON...BUT RAIN AT 2100 FEET IN ASHLAND IN JACKSON
COUNTY AND 2600 FEET AT MONTAGUE IN SISKIYOU COUNTY.

MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW WITH STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS AND SNOWFALL INTENSITY WILL DIMINISH
THIS EVENING BUT IT WILL REMAIN WINDY AND WET ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH
AROUND MIDNIGHT.

THE FOCUS FOR THE AFTERNOON PACKAGE WILL BE ON THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM
TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. THE CHRISTMAS DAY STORM WILL BE WARMER WITH
SNOW LEVELS GENERALLY AROUND 3500 FEET. THE HIGHEST PRECIPITATION
AMOUNTS WILL BE ALONG THE COAST AND ACROSS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THERE
IS A HIGH PROBABILITY FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL OVER SISKIYOU
COUNTY AND A POSSIBILITY OF ADVISORY LEVEL SNOWFALL ELSEWHERE
ABOVE 3500 FEET. ADDITIONAL LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS ABOVE 2500 TO 3000
FEET ARE LIKELY WEDNESDAY.

HIGH PRESSURE IS LIKELY TO PROVIDE ANOTHER BREAK BETWEEN SYSTEMS
THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. ANOTHER UPPER LOW WILL APPROACH THE COAST AT
THE END OF THE WEEK. THERE IS LOW CONFIDENCE IN THE TRACK AND
STRENGTH OF THE LOW BUT THE 12Z GFS RUN KEEPS THE LOW CENTER
OFFSHORE AND DROPS IT SOUTHWARD. THIS WOULD KEEP OUR AREA DRY NEXT
WEEKEND BUT LIKELY NIGHT AND MORNING FOG IN VALLEYS.

&&

.AVIATION...MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW AND STRONG WINDS ARE
PRODUCING A MIX OF MVFR AND IFR CIGS AND VSBYS WITH MOUNTAINS
OBSCURED. THIS STORM WILL PERSIST THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON WITH
SNOW ABOVE 2000 FEET AND MIXED RAIN AND SNOW DOWN AS LOW AS 1000
FEET. FLYING WILL BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS OVER THE MOUNTAINS WITH
HEAVY SNOW AND VLIFR CONDITIONS...AND EAST OF THE CASCADES WITH
MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...REDUCING
VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN TO
IMPROVE THIS EVENING BUT MVFR CIGS ARE LIKELY TO PERSIST INTO
MONDAY MORNING.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 331 AM PST SUN DEC 23 2012/

DISCUSSION...THE NEXT STORM IS ALREADY STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE NEAR
39N/129W AND IS QUICKLY HEADING TOWARDS THE FORECAST AREA. THIS
STORM WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY SNOW TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
PARTICULARLY AROUND MOUNT SHASTA AND DUNSMUIR STARTING EARLY THIS
MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON WHERE WE COULD SEE RATES OF OVER AN
INCH PER HOUR. MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW IS ALSO LIKELY NEAR AND OVER
SISKIYOU SUMMIT...HIGHWAY 66 AND 140. THE MODELS SUGGEST THERE COULD
ALSO BE AN AREA OF MODERATE TO HEAVY PRECIPITATION  ORIENTED
SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST FROM BROOKINGS TOWARDS FORT ROCK. IF THIS
PANS OUT...THEN AREAS FROM CHEMULT TO FORT ROCK COULD PICK UP
SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW.

CURRENTLY THE WINTER STORM WARNINGS WEST OF THE CASCADES ARE FOR
ABOVE 2000 FEET. HOWEVER THEY COULD TEMPORALLY LOWER TO 1500 OR
LOWER IN AREAS THAT GET CAUGHT UNDER MODERATE PRECIPITATION THUS
DRAGGING COLDER AIR ALOFT DOWN.

THIS IS A SERIOUS STORM AND THEREFORE HAZARDOUS TRAVELING CONDITIONS
ARE CERTAIN ALONG INTERSTATE 5 BETWEEN ASHLAND AND
DUNSMUIR...HIGHWAYS 140...66 AND HIGHWAY 97. IT IS STRONGLY ADVISED
THAT TRAVELERS FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES OR DELAY THEIR TRAVEL
PLANS...ESPECIALLY THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND.

IF SNOW WAS NOT ENOUGH OF AN ISSUE...GUSTY WINDS WILL ADD TO AN
ALREADY PROBLEMATIC SITUATION IN THAT IT WILL CAUSE BLOWING AND
DRIFTING AND BRIEF WHITEOUT CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND EAST
OF THE CASCADES AND NEAR WEED. THE STRONGEST SOUTH WINDS ARE
EXPECTED TO IN THE SHASTA VALLEY NEAR WEED AND NEAR SUMMER LAKE AND
SILVER LAKE THROUGH THIS EVENING. WINDS IN THESE AREAS COULD GUST TO
55 MPH AND CAUSE BRIEF BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.

MEANWHILE AT THE COAST MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED AT THE
COAST WHICH WILL KEEP THE COQUILLE RIVER AT COQUILLE ABOVE FLOOD
STAGE INTO TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

THE SURFACE LOW MOVES EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING WITH
THE UPPER TROUGH AXIS MOVING EAST TONIGHT. THIS WILL RESULT IN
DECREASING PRECIPITATION FOR MOST LOCATIONS. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE
THE CASCADES WHERE MODERATE PRECIPITATION COULD LINGER THROUGH AT
LEAST MIDNIGHT BEFORE DECREASING.

WE'LL FINALLY GET A BREAK IN THE WEATHER MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT
WITH DRY CONDITIONS OVER MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA BEFORE ANOTHER
FRONT ARRIVES LATE MONDAY NIGHT. THE NAM CONTINUES TO SHOW
PRECIPITATION SPREADING INTO THE AREA OVERNIGHT MONDAY WHILE THE GFS
AND EC KEEP IT OFFSHORE UNTIL EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. EVEN THEN ONLY
THE COAST STAND THE BEST CHANCE OF GETTING PRECIPITATION. ONE THING
IN COMMON WILL BE INCREASING SOUTH WINDS OVER THE MARINE WATERS AND
COAST. -PETRUCELLI

&&

.MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR
     ORZ029>031.
     BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR ORZ030-031.
     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING ABOVE 2000
     FEET FOR FOR ORZ023>026.
     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR
     ORZ027-028.

CA...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR
     CAZ082-083.
     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR CAZ080.
     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR CAZ081.
     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR
     CAZ084-085.
     BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR CAZ083.

PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS UNTIL
     NOON PST TODAY FOR PZZ350-356-370-376.

DW/TW/TW

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 23, 10:36 AM PST, 4 hours 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1036 AM PST SUN DEC 23 2012

...TIME...  ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
...DATE...  ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1000 AM     HEAVY RAIN       5 NNW BROOKINGS         42.12N 124.34W
12/23/2012  M1.00 INCH       CURRY              OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR TOTAL.

&&

IRIS SYSTEM

Local storm report, Dec 23, 10:40 AM PST, 4 hours 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1040 AM PST SUN DEC 23 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1039 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 NW ASHLAND            42.24N 122.77W
12/23/2012  M35 MPH          JACKSON            OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SUSTAINED WIND SOUTH 25 MPH.

&&

DW

Local storm report, Dec 23, 10:55 AM PST, 4 hours 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1055 AM PST SUN DEC 23 2012

...TIME...  ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
...DATE...  ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1055 AM     SNOW             ALTURAS                 41.49N 120.54W
12/23/2012  M2.0 INCH        MODOC              CA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SNOW DURATION 1 HOUR

&&

IRIS SYSTEM

Local storm report, Dec 23, 10:59 AM PST, 3 hours 57 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1059 AM PST SUN DEC 23 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1059 AM     SNOW             4 E KLAMATH FALLS       42.21N 121.70W
12/23/2012  M1.5 INCH        KLAMATH            OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            5 HOUR TOTAL.

&&

BPN

Local storm report, Dec 23, 12:11 PM PST, 2 hours 45 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1211 PM PST SUN DEC 23 2012

...TIME...  ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
...DATE...  ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1205 PM     HEAVY SNOW       MOUNT SHASTA            41.32N 122.31W
12/23/2012  M3.5 INCH        SISKIYOU           CA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SINCE 0845 PST

&&

IRIS SYSTEM

Local storm report, Dec 23, 12:30 PM PST, 2 hours 26 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1230 PM PST SUN DEC 23 2012

...TIME...  ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
...DATE...  ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0830 AM     SNOW             MOUNT SHASTA            41.32N 122.31W
12/23/2012  M12.0 INCH       SISKIYOU           CA   COOP OBSERVER

            50 INCHES SINCE DEC 19. 30 INCH SNOW DEPTH
            ON GROUND. SNOW DURATION 12 HOURS

&&

IRIS SYSTEM

The office that day

Everything else NWS Medford, OR issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 23, 3:00 AM PST	Small Craft Advisory for Winds	MFR		4 hr
Dec 23, 3:00 AM PST	Small Craft Advisory for Hazardous Seas	MFR		9 hr
Dec 23, 7:04 AM PST	Small Craft Advisory for Winds	MFR		116 min
Dec 23, 9:17 AM PST	Blizzard Warning	MFR	Klamath, Lake	9 hr
Dec 23, 2:56 PM PST	Gale Warning	MFR		37 hr

Nearby

Hazardous Seas Warnings in Oregon, 2012 Every hazardous seas warning in 2012

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.