A High Wind Warning was in effect for the coastal headlands of ORZ021/022 from 13/1455 PST until 13/2000 PST. Warning criteria was met continuously from 13/1125 until 13/1600 PST except for one observation at 1410 PST.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 in effect for the coastal headlands of ORZ021/022 from 13/1455 PST until 13/2000 PST. Warning criteria was met continuously from 13/1125 until 13/1600 PST except for one observation at 1410 PST. The peak sustained winds and peak gust at Cape Blanco and Cape Arago are recorded 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 13, 8:50 AM PST, 2 hours 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR 850 AM PST MON DEC 13 2004 .DISCUSSION... SATELLITE LOOPS SHOWING WEAK TROUGH JUST OFF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST THIS MORNING AND TROUGH WILL SWING THROUGH OREGON TODAY. MAIN EFFECT FOR THE FORECAST AREA WILL BE TO ENHANCE PRECIP MAINLY WEST OF THE CASCADES. MODERATELY TIGHT SURFACE GRADIENT BRINGING A FAIR AMOUNT OF WIND TO THE COASTAL HEADLANDS THIS MORNING AND CONSIDERED A HIGH WIND WARNING THERE BUT BELIEVE THAT WINDS WILL REMAIN BELOW CRITERIA AS TROUGH MOVES ONSHORE. GRADIENT WILL SLACKEN SOME THIS AFTERNOON FOR EVEN LESS WIND AT THAT TIME. THE STORY WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR MARINE INTERESTS AND WILL PUT UP A GALE WARNING FOR ALL OF THE COASTAL WATERS TODAY. BOTTOMLINE...WILL UPDATE COASTAL ZONES THIS MORNING TO HIGHLIGHT HIGHER WINDS AT THE COASTAL HEADLANDS. NO OTHER UPDATES AT THIS TIME. && .MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...GALE WARNING...FLORENCE TO CA/OR BORDER TO 60NM. CA...GALE WARNING...OR/CA BORDER TO PT ST GEORGE CA TO 60NM. && ALSO VISIT THE NWS ON THE WEB AT WEATHER.GOV/MEDFORD REYNOLDS
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Recorded at Cape Blanco at 1355 PST.
Recorded at Cape Blanco.
Recorded at Cape Arago.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, December 2004
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: 5430880, 5430881, 5430882.