Flooding in Oregon, November 17 to 21, 1996

Name: Flooding in Oregon, November 17 to 21, 1996
Start: 1996-11-17T18:00
End: 1996-11-21T00:00
Location: Oregon

November 17 to 21, 1996 · NWS MFR · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A moist southwest flow aloft produced moderate to heavy rain and strong winds over southwest Oregon between Nov 17 and Nov 21. 3 to 7 inches of rainfall fell inland.

The toll

Deaths: 5
Injuries: 6
Property damage: $42 million
Crop damage: $400,000
Events: 2

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 MFR wrote it up.

A moist southwest flow aloft produced moderate to heavy rain and strong winds over southwest Oregon between Nov 17 and Nov 21. Storm total rainfall ranged from 8 to 12 inches on the coast with local amounts near 20 inches...3 to 7 inches of rainfall fell inland. Flooding was extensive in Coos, Curry and Douglas counties. The rainfall amount and rate producing numerous midslides into residences and across highways. Many highways were closed due to slides and the northbound lane of I-5 near Roseburg collapsed. Strong winds of 40-70 mph were reported on the coast and many trees and power line were downed across southwest Oregon.

Event by event

2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Douglas T Nw & E

When: November 17, 6:00 PM PST to November 21, 12:00 AM PST
Where: Douglas T Nw & E forecast zone
Deaths: 4 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 5 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $5.0 million

Flood, Southern Coast

When: November 17, 6:00 PM PST to November 21, 12:00 AM PST
Where: Southern Coast forecast zone
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $37 million
Crop damage: $400,000

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Flood, Douglas T Nw & E	1996-11-18	46	Male	Permanent Home	Direct
Flood, Douglas T Nw & E	1996-11-18	44	Female	Permanent Home	Direct
Flood, Douglas T Nw & E	1996-11-18	40	Female	Permanent Home	Direct
Flood, Douglas T Nw & E	1996-11-18	40	Female	Permanent Home	Direct
Flood, Southern Coast	1996-11-21	48	Female	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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, November 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5584186, 5584187.