Oregon, 1997

Flash Flooding and Dust Storm in Oregon, May 12 to 31, 1997

May 12 to 31, 1997 · NWS PDT · 6 events in 5 counties and zones

3 flash flood, 1 hail, 1 dust storm, 1 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
3
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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.

The radar

The Pendleton radar (KPDT), 209 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 flash flood, 1 hail, 1 dust storm, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Crook

When
May 12, 10:00 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
Where
Crook County, Powell Butte
Coordinates
44.142, -120.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A thunderstorm sent a 2-foot wall of water through several homes and fields soaking carpet and scattering silt over several hundered acres. The water also took out fences and caused damage to a road.

Flash Flood, Deschutes

When
May 12, 10:30 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
Where
Deschutes County, Alfalfa
Coordinates
43.915, -121.228 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A thunderstorm sent a 2-foot wall of water through several homes and fields soaking carpet and scattering silt over several hundered acres. The water also took out fences and caused damage to a road.

Flash Flood, Umatilla

When
May 29, 12:00 PM PST to 2:00 PM PST
Where
Umatilla County, Pilot Rock
Coordinates
45.592, -118.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A flash flood sent water into Pilot Rock High School and Junior High School, covered parts of highway 395, flooded a few basements, and filled a house and yard with mud lifting it off its foundation.

Hail, Morrow

When
May 31, 1:30 AM PST to 2:00 AM PST
Where
Morrow County, Ione
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
45.500, -119.830

A farmer reported severe damage to wheat crop. Hail dented three vehicles.

Dust Storm, Northeast Oregon

When
May 31, 1:40 PM PST to 4:30 PM PST
Where
Northeast Oregon forecast zone
Injuries
3 direct, 0 indirect

Blowing dust caused a three-car accident on highway 82 between Island City and Imbler.

Lightning, Umatilla

When
May 31, 3:15 PM PST
Where
Umatilla County, Pendleton
Coordinates
45.592, -118.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A power pole cought fire and caused power and cable TV outages in southeast Pendleton.

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Dust Storm
Blowing dust that reduced visibility to a quarter mile or less.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Oregon in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, May 1997

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: 5597946, 5597951, 5597950, 5597947, 5597949, 5597948.