A High Wind Warning was issued for the coastal headlands and exposed beaches of Oregon zones ORZ021/022 at 0444 PST on 02/24 and expired at 1845 PST on 02/25. Wind records indicate that this was actually two high wind events.
Every event with a place to put it; 9 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 coastal headlands and exposed beaches of Oregon zones ORZ021/022 at 0444 PST on 02/24 and expired at 1845 PST on 02/25. Wind records indicate that this was actually two high wind events. The first lasted from 0700 PST to 1400 PST on 02/25, and the second event lasted from 2200 PST to 2300 PST on 02/25. The maximum verifying observations from Gold Beach and Cape Blanco are listed above for each event. It appears that the warning was cancelled several hours too early...between the first and second events.
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 25, 8:30 AM PST, 5 hours earlier.
SOUTHWEST OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD, OR
830 AM PST WED FEB 25 2004
.DISCUSSION...BUSY MORNING WITH A NUMBER OF WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES
COVERING THE CURRENT STORM. SITUATION IS PRETTY MUCH ON TRACK AS
STRONG 500MB CLOSED LOW LOCATED ABOUT 300 MILES OFF THE SOUTH OREGON
COAST WILL MOVE NORTHEAST THEN BEGIN TO WEAKEN TONIGHT. THE SURFACE
FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE WEST SIDE BY LATE MORNING AND EAST SIDE
THIS AFTERNOON. LIGHTNING PLOT SHOWS A FEW STRIKES NEAR BANDON. A
980MB SURFACE LOW NEAR 43/131 SEEMS TO BE HANDLED A LITTLE BETTER BY
THE GFS MODEL WHICH MOVES THE LOW SLOWLY EAST TO JUST INSIDE 130 BY
LATE AFTERNOON...THEN WEAKENING TONIGHT AS IT MOVES NORTHEAST.
STRONG JET AXIS OVER THE WEST SIDE THIS MORNING WILL SHIFT EAST OF
THE CASCADES THIS AFTERNOON. STRONG UPSLOPE COMPONENT INTO THE MT
SHASTA CITY ZONE LOOKS LIKE IT WILL PERSIST EASILY INTO THURSDAY
MORNING. A REPORT OF 6 INCHES ALREADY JUST WEST OF WEED OVERNIGHT.
THE SKI PARK COULD EASILY SEE STORM TOTALS OF 3 FEET. RH
&&
.MFR...WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...GALE WARNING FLORENCE, OR TO THE CA BORDER.
HIGH WIND WARNING COASTAL HEADLANDS OR21-22 THROUGH
6 PM TODAY.
WIND ADVISORY OR29-30-31 THROUGH 6 AM THURSDAY.
WIND ADVISORY ROGUE VALLEY ORZ26 THROUGH 12 AM THURSDAY.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY
CA...GALE WARNING OR BORDER TO PT. ST. GEORGE, CA.
HIGH WIND WARNING SHASTA VALLEY CA81 THROUGH 12AM
THURSDAY.
WIND ADVISORY CAZ83-84-85 THROUGH 6 AM THURSDAY.
WINTER STORM WARNING WESTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL
SISKIYOU COUNTY ABOVE 3000 FT FOR CAZ82 AND ABOVE
4000 FT CAZ80 THROUGH 4 AM THURSDAY.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY
&&
HOLTZHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR 630 AM PST WED FEB 25 2004 ORZ023-025-027-028-261430- CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY-EASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOTHILLS- SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHERN OREGON CASCADES- SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES- 630 AM PST WED FEB 25 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA .DAY ONE...TODAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PZZ350-353-356-370-373-376-261430- 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- 630 AM PST WED FEB 25 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN OREGON .DAY ONE...TODAY GALE WARNINGS ARE POSTED FOR THE COASTAL WATERS OF SOUTHERN OREGON. REFER TO PDXCWFMFR FOR DETAILS. IN ADDITION, A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN OREGON AND FAR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS. REFER TO PDXMWSMFR FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THE HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. REFER TO PDXMWSMFR FOR DETAILS. CAZ081-ORZ021-022-026- 261430-CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY-CURRY COUNTY COAST-JACKSON COUNTY- SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON COAST- 630 AM PST WED FEB 25 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA .DAY ONE...TODAY A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 12 AM THURSDAY. REFER TO PDXNPWMFR FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. CAZ083>085-ORZ024-029>031-261430- CENTRAL AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY- EASTERN CURRY COUNTY AND JOSEPHINE COUNTY-KLAMATH BASIN-MODOC COUNTY- NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST SISKIYOU COUNTY- NORTHEAST SISKIYOU AND NORTHWEST MODOC COUNTIES- NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY AND WESTERN LAKE COUNTY- 630 AM PST WED FEB 25 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA .DAY ONE...TODAY A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 12 AM THURSDAY. REFER TO PDXNPWMFR FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. CAZ080-082-261430- SOUTH CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY-WESTERN SISKIYOU COUNTY- 630 AM PST WED FEB 25 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA .DAY ONE...TODAY A WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 3000 FEET FOR SOUTH CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY HAS BEEN POSTED THROUGH 4 AM THURSDAY INCLUDING THE MOUNT SHASTA REGION. A WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 4000 FEET FOR WESTERN SISKIYOU COUNTY HAS BEEN POSTED THROUGH 4 AM THURSDAY. REFER TO PDXWSWMFR FOR DETAILS. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. JACOBS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
835 AM PST WED FEB 25 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0829 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG ROGUE RIVER 42.44N 123.17W
02/25/2004 JACKSON OR TRAINED SPOTTER
530 AM STEEL CANOPY 10 X 10 X 15 STAKED DOWN WITH
RAILROAD SPIKES PICKED UP AND TURNED OVER ON ITS TOP,
ALSO TREES BLOWN DOWN.
&&
MWOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
855 AM PST WED FEB 25 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0855 AM HEAVY SNOW WEED 41.42N 122.38W
02/25/2004 9.50 INCH SISKIYOU CA TRAINED SPOTTER
6 MILES WEST OF BLACK BUTTE 4000 FOOT LEVEL. 1.35 INCHES
WATER EQUIVLENT.
&&
MWOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
924 AM PST WED FEB 25 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0920 AM NON-TSTM WND GST MYRTLE CREEK 43.03N 123.28W
02/25/2004 10 MPH DOUGLAS OR CO-OP OBSERVER
WIND GUST TO 31 MPH AT 730 AM
0923 AM HIGH SUST WINDS MYRTLE CREEK 43.03N 123.28W
02/25/2004 20 MPH DOUGLAS OR CO-OP OBSERVER
SUSTAINED 10 TO 20 MPH. GUST TO 31 MPH AT 730AM.
&&
MWOThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Max sustained wind recorded at Gold Beach.
Reported by spotter in Brookings.
Max sustained wind recorded at Cape Blanco.
Max gust recorded at Gold Beach.
Max gust recorded at Cape Blanco.
Max sustained wind recorded at Cape Blanco.
Max sustained wind recorded at Gold Beach.
Max gust recorded at Cape Blanco.
Max gust recorded at Gold Beach.
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: 5384221, 5384227, 5384219, 5384222, 5384220, 5384223, 5384225, 5384224, 5384226.