Oregon, 1996

Damaging Wind in Oregon, December 20, 1996

December 20, 1996 · NWS PQR · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A thunderstorm produced a microburst in the town of Cottage Grove which blew a tree onto a house and left about 1,000 homes and businesses temporarily without electricity.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PQR wrote it up.

A thunderstorm produced a microburst in the town of Cottage Grove which blew a tree onto a house and left about 1,000 homes and businesses temporarily without electricity.

The radar

The Portland,OR radar (KRTX), 197 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:31 UTC.

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Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lane

When
December 20, 4:30 PM PST to 4:31 PM PST
Where
Lane County, Cottage Grove
Coordinates
43.942, -122.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Oregon in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, December 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5575747.