Ice Storm, Western Columbia River Gorge
- When
- December 25, 12:00 PM PST to December 26, 6:00 AM PST
- Where
- Western Columbia River Gorge forecast zone
- Reported by
- DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Ice Storm and Heavy Snow in Oregon, December 25 to 26, 1998
A Christmas Day Pacific storm brought high winds to the coast, freezing rain to the Columbia River Gorge, heavy snow to the Cascades, and heavy rain to Northwest Oregon, which contributed to a major flood episode a few days later. Winds along the coast included Sea Lion Caves 61 gusting to 72 mph, Netarts 45 gusting to 70 mph, Newport 52 gusting to 67 mph, gusts to 69 mph at Seaside, Cannon…
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 4
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 Christmas Day Pacific storm brought high winds to the coast, freezing rain to the Columbia River Gorge, heavy snow to the Cascades, and heavy rain to Northwest Oregon, which contributed to a major flood episode a few days later. Winds along the coast included Sea Lion Caves 61 gusting to 72 mph, Netarts 45 gusting to 70 mph, Newport 52 gusting to 67 mph, gusts to 69 mph at Seaside, Cannon Beach 50 gusting to 59 mph, and gusts to 63 mph at Tillamook, 60 mph at Yachats, and 59 mph at Astoria and Yaquina lighthouse. The last of the cold air from the arctic outbreak the previous week filtered through the Columbia River Gorge and caused freezing rain that created hazardous holiday driving conditions on Interstate 84. In the Cascades, Timberline Lodge reported 8 inches of new snow.
Event by event
2 high wind, 1 ice storm, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
High Wind, Northern Coast
- When
- December 25, 2:00 PM PST to December 26, 12:00 AM PST
- Where
- Northern Coast forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
- Reported by
- OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
High Wind, Central Coast
- When
- December 25, 2:00 PM PST to December 26, 12:00 AM PST
- Where
- Central Coast forecast zone
- Measured
- 63 kt (72 mph)
- Reported by
- OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
Heavy Snow, Northern Cascades
- When
- December 25, 2:00 PM PST to December 26, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Northern Cascades forecast zone
- Reported by
- DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
What these are
- Ice Storm
- Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
- 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
- High Wind in Idaho, December 25, 1998
- Ice Storm in South Carolina, December 25, 1998
- Winter Storm in Washington, December 25, 1998
- Heavy Snow in Michigan, December 25 to 26, 1998
- Heavy Snow in Idaho, December 25 to 26, 1998
- Ice Storm and High Wind in Washington, December 25, 1998
- Heavy Snow in Wyoming, December 25 to 26, 1998
- High Wind in Oregon, December 25, 1998
- Winter Storm in Oregon, December 25, 1998
- High Wind in Washington, December 25 to 31, 1998
- Heavy Snow in Montana, December 25 to 26, 1998
- Winter Storm in Montana, December 25 to 26, 1998
More
Every storm in Oregon in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, December 1998
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: 5677702, 5677700, 5677701, 5677703.