Flash Flood in Oregon, July 19, 2004

Name: Flash Flood in Oregon, July 19, 2004
Start: 2004-07-19T15:30
End: 2004-07-19T15:45
Location: Oregon

July 19, 2004 · NWS PDT · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $5,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS PDT wrote it up.

Very heavy rain from a thunderstorm led to flash flooding in La Grande. Storm drains were overwhelmed by the high volume of water, with manholes pushed off due to water pressure creating geysers 18 feet high. Up to six inches of water was reported running down the streets in La Grande. Wind-driven water flooded buildings by entering under doors and pooling in entryways. At the La Grande Air Center, internal flooding in the cache area of the building occurred after strong winds from the thunderstorm blew part of the roof off. Island Avenue underpass flooded up to three feet high. The overpass was closed on both sides overnight to allow for water to drain. Water flowed into the ground floors of three separate buildings at Eastern Oregon University, but the water was cleaned up by crews with no damage.

What forecasters said that day

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 Pendleton, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 19, 1:50 PM PST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 19, 1:50 PM PST, 1 hour 40 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OREGON
250 PM PDT MON JUL 19 2004

.SHORT TERM...A VIGOROUS SHORT WAVE IS MOVING NORTH INTO CENTRAL
AND NORTHEAST OREGON AND IS TAPPING INTO MID LEVEL MOISTURE AND
INSTABILITY THIS AFTERNOON. THIS HAS TRIGGERED STRONG TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON THIS AFTERNOON. THESE
STORMS HAVE PRODUCED WINDS UP TO 90 MPH AND HAIL UP TO 1.75 INCHES
IN DIAMETER. THE SHORT WAVE WILL CONTINUE MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL AND
NORTHEAST OREGON AND THEN INTO SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON TRIGGERING MORE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF THEM POSSIBLY STRONG OR
SEVERE...THROUGH THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THIS EVENING.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD TAPER OFF AFTER MIDNIGHT.

A STRONGER SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION LATER TONIGHT AND
TUESDAY MORNING. THIS WAVE WILL KEEP A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT AND INTO TUESDAY
MORNING. ON TUESDAY THE FLOW ALOFT WILL BECOME WESTERLY AND THE AIR
MASS WILL BE DRIER AND MORE STABLE OVER MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA.
THUS TUESDAY WILL BE DRY IN MOST AREAS...EXCEPT FOR A SLIGHT CHANCE
OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM IN WALLOWA COUNTY. THE FLOW ALOFT WILL
REMAIN WESTERLY TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY WITH SLIGHTLY COOLER
MARINE AIR MOVING INLAND FROM THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC FOR DRY AND
STABLE CONDITIONS EAST OF THE CASCADES TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.
POLAN

.LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE
WILL BUILD OFFSHORE...THEN MOVE SLOWLY INLAND OVER EASTERN
WASHINGTON AND OREGON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL
INCREASE THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY DUE TO SUBSIDENCE ASSOCIATED WITH
THE RIDGE. THE SUBSIDENCE WILL ALSO KEEP THE AREA SUNNY AND DRY WITH
RH VALUES DROPPING INTO SINGLE DIGITS NEXT WEEKEND. BY MONDAY THE
RIDGE AXIS WILL MOVE EAST INTO MONTANA. THE ECMWF MODEL SHOWS THE
UPPER LEVEL FLOW SOUTHWEST...KEEPING THE ATMOSPHERE TOO DRY FOR
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. THE GFS BRINGS IN A MORE MOIST SOUTHERLY
FLOW. AT THIS TIME OPTED TO KEEP THE FORECAST DRY DUE TO MODEL
DIFFERENCES SINCE EVEN THE GFS SHOWS LIMITED MOISTURE AVAILABLE FROM
THE OCHOCOS TO THE WALLOWAS. COONFIELD

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PENDLETON (AIRPORT) 061 085 058 084 / 040 005 000 000
WALLA WALLA         062 087 060 085 / 040 005 000 000
TRI-CITIES          061 088 056 086 / 030 005 000 000
YAKIMA              057 084 055 084 / 020 005 000 000
HERMISTON           061 086 056 086 / 030 005 000 000
ELLENSBURG          057 078 055 083 / 020 010 000 000
REDMOND             048 084 045 084 / 040 010 000 000
LA GRANDE           054 083 053 083 / 060 010 000 000
JOHN DAY            055 083 052 083 / 040 010 000 000
THE DALLES          064 083 060 083 / 020 005 000 000
&&

.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...NONE.
WA...NONE.
&&

99

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 19, 3:00 PM PST, 30 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OREGON
400 PM PDT MON JUL 19 2004

ORZ041>050-WAZ024>030-201200-
NORTH CENTRAL OREGON-CENTRAL OREGON-LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN (OR)-
FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS (OR)-BLUE MOUNTAINS-JOHN DAY BASIN-
OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS-GRANDE RONDE VALLEY-WALLOWA COUNTY-
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE (WA)-
EAST SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES-KITTITAS VALLEY-YAKIMA VALLEY-
LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN (WA)-FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS (WA)-
NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS-
400 PM PDT MON JUL 19 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON
AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
     LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN (WA), FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS (WA),
     NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS, CENTRAL OREGON, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN
     (OR), FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS (OR), BLUE MOUNTAINS, JOHN
     DAY BASIN, OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS, GRANDE RONDE VALLEY,
     WALLOWA COUNTY

THUNDERSTORMS
     EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE (WA), EAST SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN
     CASCADES, KITTITAS VALLEY, YAKIMA VALLEY, EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER
     GORGE (OR), NORTH CENTRAL OREGON

NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN
OREGON AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON THIS EVENING.  STORM PREDICTION
CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH THROUGH 10 PM TONIGHT
FOR THIS AREA.  PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST AREAL OUTLINE FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH AT PDXSLSOR WWUS66 KPQR FOR DETAILS.  GOLFBALL
SIZE HAIL...WINDS GUSTING TO 65 MPH...AND HEAVY RAIN CAN BE
EXPECTED.  THERE IS ALSO A POTENTIAL FOR TORNADO THIS EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY
          NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS, BLUE MOUNTAINS, OCHOCO-JOHN DAY
          HIGHLANDS, GRANDE RONDE VALLEY, WALLOWA COUNTY

LINGERING MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL ALLOW FOR ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE NORTHEAST OREGON AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON
MOUNTAINS ON TUESDAY.  AFTER TUESDAY DRY AND STABLE AIR WILL MOVE
INTO THE REGION WITH BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE AND WARMING TEMPERATURES
AGAIN.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

PROTOTYPE GRAPHICAL FORECASTS OF WEATHER HAZARDS OUT TO SEVEN DAYS
ARE DISPLAYED ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT:

WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/PENDLETON/FORECAST/HWOGRAPHICS/HWOGRAPHICS.PHP

ALL LETTERS IN THE ABOVE URL ARE LOWER CASE...EXCEPT THE G IN
HWOGRAPHICS AND THE G IN HWOGRAPHICS.PHP.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 19, 1:38 PM PST, 1 hour 52 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
238 PM PDT MON JUL 19 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1235 PM     HAIL             6 SSW PRAIRIE CITY      44.84N 119.41W
07/19/2004  0.75 INCH        GRANT              OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PENNY SIZED HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN REPORTED.

0120 PM     HAIL             13 NNE POST             44.32N 120.38W
07/19/2004  1.75 INCH        CROOK              OR   OTHER FEDERAL

            UP TO GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL AT LOOKOUT
            MOUNTAIN...ELEVATION 6900 FT.

0135 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 N WINLOCK             44.91N 119.89W
07/19/2004  40 MPH           WHEELER            OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN...WIND GUST TO APPROXIMATELY 40
            MPH REPORTED.

0145 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 E MITCHELL            44.57N 120.15W
07/19/2004  90 MPH           WHEELER            OR   CO-OP OBSERVER

            ESTIMATED 80-90 MPH WIND GUSTS...TREE LIMBS DOWN...1/8
            INCH HAIL...HEAVY RAIN.

0152 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 N MITCHELL            44.91N 119.89W
07/19/2004                   WHEELER            OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TREE LIMBS DOWN DUE TO STRONG WIND GUSTS.

0215 PM     HAIL             1 ENE NORTH POWDER      45.04N 117.90W
07/19/2004  0.88 INCH        UNION              OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NICKEL SIZED HAIL...HEAVY RAIN...STRONG WINDS BROUGHT
            TREE LIMBS DOWN.

0230 PM     HAIL             N KIMBERLY              44.76N 119.64W
07/19/2004  0.50 INCH        GRANT              OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MARBLE SIZED HAIL.

&&

ADAMS

Local storm report, Jul 19, 2:10 PM PST, 1 hour 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
310 PM PDT MON JUL 19 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0220 PM     TSTM WND GST     8 S KIMBERLY            44.76N 119.64W
07/19/2004  40 MPH           GRANT              OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ESTIMATED 40 MPH WIND GUSTS...AND 1/4 INCH HAIL. HEAVY
            RAIN...0.30 INCH IN 20 MINUTES.

0230 PM     HAIL             N KIMBERLY              44.76N 119.64W
07/19/2004  0.50 INCH        GRANT              OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MARBLE SIZED HAIL...TREE LIMBS DOWN

0245 PM     HEAVY RAIN       1 N WINLOCK             44.91N 119.89W
07/19/2004  0.80 INCH        WHEELER            OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HEAVY RAIN...0.80 INCH IN 10 MINUTES.

&&

DK

Local storm report, Jul 19, 2:36 PM PST, 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
336 PM PDT MON JUL 19 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0315 PM     HAIL             RITTER                  44.88N 119.13W
07/19/2004  1.25 INCH        GRANT              OR   PUBLIC

            1 1/4 INCH HAIL

0315 PM     TORNADO          10 E MONUMENT           44.82N 119.21W
07/19/2004                   GRANT              OR   PUBLIC

            A POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN BETWEEN LONG CREEK AND
            MONUMENT NEAR HAMILTON.

&&

JAS

Local storm report, Jul 19, 2:57 PM PST, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT ... CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
357 PM PDT MON JUL 19 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0245 PM     HEAVY RAIN       1 N WINLOCK             44.91N 119.89W
07/19/2004  0.80 INCH        WHEELER            OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HEAVY RAIN...0.80 INCH IN 10 MINUTES.

0315 PM     HAIL             RITTER                  44.88N 119.13W
07/19/2004  1.25 INCH        GRANT              OR   PUBLIC

            1 1/4 INCH HAIL. 7 CARS DENTED. 3 BROKEN WINDOW. 3 INCH
            DIAMETER TREE LIMBS DOWNED.

0315 PM     TORNADO          10 E MONUMENT           44.82N 119.21W
07/19/2004                   GRANT              OR   PUBLIC

            A POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN BETWEEN LONG CREEK AND
            MONUMENT NEAR HAMILTON.

&&

JAS

Local storm report, Jul 19, 3:12 PM PST, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
412 PM PDT MON JUL 19 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0340 PM     HAIL             13 E UKIAH              45.13N 118.67W
07/19/2004  1.75 INCH        UMATILLA           OR   PARK/FOREST SRVC

            GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL. NUMEROUS TREES DOWN.

&&

JAS

The radar

The Pendleton radar (KPDT), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Union

When: July 19, 3:30 PM PST to 3:45 PM PST
Where: Union County, La Grande
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 45.310, -118.009 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oregon in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Oregon, July 2004

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: 5414408.