Heavy Snow in Oregon, March 27 to 28, 1996

Name: Heavy Snow in Oregon, March 27 to 28, 1996
Start: 1996-03-27T07:00
End: 1996-03-28T11:00
Location: Oregon

March 27 to 28, 1996 · NWS PQR · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

A pacific storm pumped moisture over Oregon as a cold front slowly moved across the state. Heavy snow fell over the Cascades, northeastern mountains, and central Oregon.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 pacific storm pumped moisture over Oregon as a cold front slowly moved across the state. Heavy snow fell over the Cascades, northeastern mountains, and central Oregon. In the Cascades Crater Lake recieved 6 inches, Lake of the Woods 13 inches, Diamond Lake 6 inches, Lemolo and Butte Falls 6 inches, Willamette Pass 11 inches and Santiam Pass 7 inches. In central Oregon Crescent recieved 8 inches, Chemult and Adel 6 inches, Bend 4 inches and Chiloquin 6 inches. Alkalai Lake measured 10 inches. In the northeast mountains Long Creek measured 6 inches, Battle Mountain and the mountains south of Hepner 5 inches. Baker, Ukiah and Meacham recieved 4 inches of snow from this system.

Event by event

5 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Cascades in Lane County

When: March 27, 7:00 AM PST to March 28, 11:00 AM PST
Where: Cascades in Lane County forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Western Columbia River Gorge

When: March 27, 7:00 AM PST to March 28, 11:00 AM PST
Where: Western Columbia River Gorge forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Southern Willamette Valley

When: March 27, 3:00 PM PST to March 28, 11:00 AM PST
Where: Southern Willamette Valley forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Northern Oregon Cascades

When: March 27, 10:00 PM PST to March 28, 11:00 AM PST
Where: Northern Oregon Cascades forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Greater Portland Metro Area

When: March 28, 12:00 AM PST to 11:00 AM PST
Where: Greater Portland Metro Area forecast zone

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oregon in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Oregon, March 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: 5556771, 5556772, 5556773, 5556774, 5556775.