A High Wind Warning was issued for the Southern Oregon coast (ORZ021/022) at 0836 PST on 12/11 and expired at 2110 PST on 12/12. This warning verified with the spotter reports and coastal wind reports listed above.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 episode as NWS MFR wrote it up.
A High Wind Warning was issued for the Southern Oregon coast (ORZ021/022) at 0836 PST on 12/11 and expired at 2110 PST on 12/12. This warning verified with the spotter reports and coastal wind reports listed above.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Medford, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 11, 10:05 AM PST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.
SOUTHWEST OREGON/NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1005 AM PST WED DEC 11 2002
INCREASING SOUTH WINDS UNDERWAY AT THE COAST AND MORE WIND ON THE
WAY THURS-FRI...INCLUDING OVER SOME INLAND AREAS. HAVE UPGRADED THE
COASTAL WATCH TO A WARNING AND HAVE ISSUED NEW WATCH FOR THE COAST
AND SOME INLAND AREAS FOR THU-FRI.
WARM FRONT IS THE CULPRIT TODAY WHILE PRE-COLD-FRONTAL WINDS WILL BE
THE CAUSE TONIGHT THROUGH THURS. COLD FRONT IS SEEN ON SATELLITE
MOVING INSIDE 140W AND PROMISES TO ALSO BRING A GREAT DEAL OF
PRECIPITATION TO COAST TO THE CA ZONES THU-THU NGT...THEN CONTINUING
OVER THE CA ZONES CASCADES AND WEST LATER THU THROUGH FRI.
ANOTHER WARM FRONT/COLD FRONT 1-2 PUNCH IS ON TAP FOR LATER FRI INTO
SAT WHICH SHOULD BRING MORE STRONG WINDS AND CONTINUING HEAVY PRECIP
TO COAST AND CA.
SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP DOWN TO 4-5 KFT THU NGT BUT QUICKLY RISE AGAIN
FRI...THEN FALLING LOWEST (3.5-4.5 KFT) SAT NGT. MS
.MFR...HIGH WIND WARNING TDY THRU THU SOUTH OREGON COAST ZNS 021-022.
HIGH WIND WATCH THURS NGT/FRI SOUTH OREGON COAST ZNS 021-022.
HIGH WIND WATCH THU THUR FRI ORZ030-031-CAZ082-084-085.
GALE WARNING FLORENCE OR TO PT. ST. GEORGE CA.ORZ021>031-CAZ080>085-121430- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR 630 AM PST WED DEC 11 2002 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA .DAY ONE...TODAY HIGH WIND WATCH TONIGHT SOUTH OREGON COAST...SEE PDXNPWMFR FOR DETAILS. GALE WARNING FOR COASTAL WATERS FLORENCE OR TO POINT SAINT GEORGE CA...SEE PDXCWFMFR FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY HIGH WIND WATCH THURSDAY MORNING FOR SOUTH OREGON COAST...SEE PDXNPWMFR FOR DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ORR
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Cape Arago recorded a gust to 59 mph.
Spotter CU41 reported 60 mph wind gusts.
Cape Arago recorded a peak gust of 70 mph.
Cape Blanco recorded sustained winds of 54 mph gusting to 76 mph.
Gold Beach recorded a peak gust of 64 mph.
Spotter CU39 reported south winds gusting to 61 mph.
Cape Arago recorded a sustained wind of 40 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, December 2002
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: 5326141, 5326137, 5326142, 5326139, 5326140, 5326138, 5326143.