Oregon, 1998

Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in Oregon, July 30, 1998

July 30, 1998 · NWS PDT · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood, 1 heavy rain, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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), 144 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:37 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When
July 30, 1:40 PM PST to 1:50 PM PST
Where
Grant County, John Day Arpt to Prairie City
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.400, -118.970

The John Day Airport reported a thunderstorm wind gust to 63 MPH. Small trees were blown down east of the town of John Day. Pea sized hail accumulated to three inches deep about five miles south of Prairie City.

Flash Flood, Wheeler

When
July 30, 5:30 PM PST to 8:00 PM PST
Where
Wheeler County, Northeast Portion
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.726, -120.027 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A three foot wall of water came down Alder Creek and the water level stayed up for two and a half hours.

Heavy Rain, Crook

When
July 30, 5:55 PM PST to 6:25 PM PST
Where
Crook County, Prineville
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.142, -120.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Close to one inch of rain fell in half an hour causing local flooding. Highway 126 had water over it.

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.
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.
Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Oregon in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, July 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: 5657785, 5657786, 5657787.