A High Wind Warning was issued for the headlands and exposed beaches of Oregon zones ORZ021/022 at 1535 PST on 02/16 and expired at 1155 PST on 02/17. The above observations verified the warning, but it was cancelled too early as observations meeting high wind warning criteria continued until 1800 PST on 02/17.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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 headlands and exposed beaches of Oregon zones ORZ021/022 at 1535 PST on 02/16 and expired at 1155 PST on 02/17. The above observations verified the warning, but it was cancelled too early as observations meeting high wind warning criteria continued until 1800 PST on 02/17.
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 Feb 17, 2:20 AM PST, 5 hours 40 minutes earlier.
SOUTHWEST OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD, OR
220 AM PST TUE FEB 17 2004
.DISCUSSION...
STEADY PRECIP FALLING ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA ESPECIALLY
SISKIYOU COUNTY NWD INTO JACKSON/JOSEPHINE. MFR REPORTING MODERATE
RAIN FOR SEVERAL HOURS. BASED ON THIS AND MORE RAIN TO FOLLOW..WILL
CONTINUE WITH VARIOUS FLOOD WARNINGS. WATER VAPOR SHOWING STRONG
UPPER SYSTEM OFF NRN CAL COAST WITH GOOD JET AND AREA OF
ENHANCEMENT. SURFACE LOW WILL PASS JUST WEST OF OREGON TODAY. THIS
PUTS THE AREA IN A GOOD POSITION FOR STRONG SOUTH WINDS LATE MORNING
INTO AFTERNOON. WILL CONTINUE WITH WIND ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS.
WINDS SHUD QUICKLY DIMINISH DURING THE EVENING. SNOW LEVELS LOWER
THAN EXPECTED RIGHT NOW BUT INCREASING WINDS SHUD MIX OUT COLD AIR
AT THE SURFACE AND SNOW LEVELS WILL RISE LATER THIS MORNING. ANOTHER
SURFACE LOW MOVES INTO NRN CAL LATE TONIGHT/WED ALONG WITH UPR TROF
AXIS. THIS WILL KEEP PRECIP GOING..THEN A BREAK ON THU AS BRIEF UPR
RIDGING OVER THE AREA. WEAK SYSTEM PASSING THRU THU NIGHT/FRI WITH
SHOWERS. MAYBE A BREAK SAT..BUT TIMING THIS FAR OUT BECOMING MORE
DIFFICULT AS ANOTHER SYSTEM FORECAST TO MOVE THRU SUNDAY. WILL GIVE
A LITTLE MORE BROADBRUSH FOR THIS PERIOD. MRF HAS YET ANOTHER
SURFACE LOW SLIDING ACROSS OREGON WED SO A WET PATTERN INTO THE
EXTENDED.
&&
.MFR...WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...GALE WARNING FLORENCE, OR TO CA BORDER.
URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD WARNING ZONES 21,22,24.
HIGH WIND WARNING TODAY 21,22
HIGH WIND WARNING TODAY ZONES 29>31.
WIND ADVISORY TODAY 24,26.
CA...GALE WARNING OR BORDER TO PT ST GEORGE, CA.
URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD WARNING ZONES 80>83.
HIGH WIND WARNING TODAY ZONE 81.
HIGH WIND WARNING TODAY ZONES 83>85.
WIND ADVISORY TODAY ZONES 80,82.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR 547 AM PST TUE FEB 17 2004 PZZ350-353-356-370-373-376-181430- CAPE ARAGO TO FLORENCE, OR 20 TO 60 NM- CAPE ARAGO TO FLORENCE, OR WESTWARD 20 NM- CAPE BLANCO TO CAPE ARAGO, OR 20 TO 60 NM- CAPE BLANCO TO CAPE ARAGO, OR WESTWARD 20 NM- PT. ST. GEORGE, CA TO CAPE BLANCO, OR 20 TO 60 NM- PT. ST. GEORGE, CA TO CAPE BLANCO, OR WESTWARD 20 NM- 547 AM PST TUE FEB 17 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA .DAY ONE...TODAY GALE WARNING FROM FLORENCE OREGON TO CALIFORNIA BORDER AND FROM PT ST GEORGE CALIFORNIA TO THE OREGON BORDER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. CAZ080-083-ORZ021-022-024-181430- CURRY COUNTY COAST-EASTERN CURRY COUNTY AND JOSEPHINE COUNTY- NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST SISKIYOU COUNTY- SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON COAST-WESTERN SISKIYOU COUNTY- 547 AM PST TUE FEB 17 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA .DAY ONE...TODAY URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD WARNING. HIGH WIND WARNING FOR CURRY COUNTY COAST AND SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON COAST. AND FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST SISKIYOU COUNTY IN CALIFORNIA. WIND ADVISORY FOR JACKSON...JOSEPHINE AND EASTERN CURRY COUNTY OF OREGON. WIND ADVISORY FOR WESTERN AND CALIFORNIA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. CAZ081-085-ORZ029-031-181430- CENTRAL AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY-CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY- KLAMATH BASIN-MODOC COUNTY- 547 AM PST TUE FEB 17 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA .DAY ONE...TODAY HIGH WIND WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. CAZ082-181430- SOUTH CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY- 547 AM PST TUE FEB 17 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA .DAY ONE...TODAY WIND ADVISORY FOR SOUTH CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ORR
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
652 AM PST TUE FEB 17 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
&&
MWOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
702 AM PST TUE FEB 17 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0654 AM HEAVY RAIN GOLD BEACH 42.41N 124.42W
02/17/2004 0.00 INCH CURRY OR TRAINED SPOTTER
CU39 IN GOLD BEACH REPORTED 2.32 INCHES OF RAIN IN PAST
24 HOURS.
&&
MWOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
703 AM PST TUE FEB 17 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0305 AM HEAVY SNOW 22 SE MEDFORD 42.11N 122.55W
02/17/2004 0.00 INCH JACKSON OR TRAINED SPOTTER
SPOTTER JA87 HYATTE LAKE RECEIVED 4 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW
SINCE 8 PM LAST NIGHT. MODERATE SNOW FALLING.
&&
MWOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
728 AM PST TUE FEB 17 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0725 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 E GOLD BEACH 42.41N 124.36W
02/17/2004 0.00 INCH CURRY OR TRAINED SPOTTER
2.07 INCHES OF RAIN PAST 24 HOURS. STRONG WINDS.
0724 AM HEAVY RAIN ETNA 41.46N 122.89W
02/17/2004 0.00 INCH SISKIYOU CA TRAINED SPOTTER
1.42 INCHES OF RAIN PAST 24 HOURS
&&
MWOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
729 AM PST TUE FEB 17 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0715 AM HEAVY SNOW 19 SE ASHLAND 42.00N 122.44W
02/17/2004 0.00 INCH SISKIYOU CA DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT REPORTED 6 INCHES OF SNOW ON SISKIYOU
SUMMIT OVERNIGHT.
0713 AM HEAVY RAIN ROSEBURG 43.22N 123.36W
02/17/2004 0.00 INCH DOUGLAS OR TRAINED SPOTTER
1.04 ICNES OF RAIN PAST 24 HOURS
&&
MWOThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Cape Blanco sustained winds exceeded 40 mph continuously during this time interval. Peak sustained wind was 46 mph.
Gust recorded at Cape Blanco. Gusts to 58 mph were recorded at 0900 and 1000 PST as well.
Peak gust recorded at Gold Beach. Gold Beach met High Wind Warning criteria continuously from 0800 PST to 1800 PST except for two observations.
Peak gust recorded by spotter at Langlois. It likely occurred in the morning.
Sustained wind reported at Cape Blanco.
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, February 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: 5384090, 5384092, 5384093, 5384094, 5384091.