Flood in Oregon, December 31, 2005

Name: Flood in Oregon, December 31, 2005
Start: 2005-12-31T10:35
End: 2005-12-31T19:35
Location: Oregon

December 31, 2005 · NWS MFR · 1 event in 1 county or zone

44 feet at 31/1435 PST, and fell below flood stage at 31/1935 PST. A Flood Warning was issued for the area at 31/1405 PST, and cancelled at 31/2240 PST.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: None recorded
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 MFR wrote it up.

Deer Creek at Roseburg exceeded flood stage (10.0 feet) at 31/1035 PST, crested at 13.44 feet at 31/1435 PST, and fell below flood stage at 31/1935 PST. A Flood Warning was issued for the area at 31/1405 PST, and cancelled at 31/2240 PST.

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 Medford, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 31, 9:05 AM PST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 31, 9:05 AM PST, 1 hour 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
905 AM PST SAT DEC 31 2005

.DISCUSSION...A SHORTWAVE AND SURFACE LOW ARE LOCATED ALONG THE COAST
OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS MORNING. THIS LOW IS MOVING INTO
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND WILL MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
TODAY. RAINFALL WILL BE LIGHT OVER MOST THE FORECAST AREA WITH THIS
SYSTEM...PORTIONS OF SISKIYOU...CURRY...AND JOSEPHINE COUNTIES WILL
SEE MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS AT TIMES. THIS SYSTEM WILL QUICKLY
MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...MOVING INTO EASTERN OREGON BY THE
AFTERNOON. PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF TO SHOWERS DURING THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. COLD AIR ADVECTION WILL ALLOW SNOW LEVELS
TO DROP TONIGHT. SNOW LEVELS ARE CURRENTLY BETWEEN 5000 AND 6500
FEET AREA WIDE...AND WILL LOWER TO 3500 FEET BY SUNDAY MORNING.
THE NEXT SYSTEM...A DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST ON SUNDAY MORNING...BRINGING A STRONG COLD
FRONT INTO THE AREA. AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WINDS WILL BE STRONG
OVER THE MARINE AND COASTAL WATERS AS WELL AS INTO THE SHASTA
VALLEY. ALSO WITH LOW SNOW LEVELS....EXPECT THE POSSIBILITY FOR
HEAVY SNOW...ESPECIALLY FOR PORTIONS OF SISKIYOU COUNTY WHERE
PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BE GREATEST. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER
MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA ARE EXPECTED TO BE LOWER THAN THE LAST
SYSTEM....AS THIS COLD FRONT WILL QUICKLY MOVE THROUGH THE AREA AND
NO STALL OVER THE REGION.

NO UPDATES NEEDED TO THE ZONE FORECAST. PLEASE SEE LATEST PDXFLSMFR
FOR CURRENT FLOOD WARNINGS.

.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...ACTIVE PATTERN CONTINUES THROUGH EARLY NEXT
WEEK AS A SERIES OF FRONTS PASSES THROUGH THE REGION. HIGH DEWPOINTS
WITH A BRIEF BREAK IN HIGHER CLOUD COVER OVER THE WEST SIDE HAS
ALLOWED FOG TO DEVELOP OR WILL SOON DEVELOP IN MOST OF THE WEST SIDE
VALLEYS THIS MORNING. THE NEXT SYSTEM BARRELING IN AT AROUND 127W
SHOULD COME ASHORE EARLY THIS MORNING AND BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN
TO THE REGION...BUT WITH HALF OR LESS QPF AMOUNTS AND RATES THAN
YESTERDAY. THIS WILL AGGRAVATE SATURATED SOILS AND CAUSE LOCALIZED
SMALL STREAM FLOODING AND SLIDES BUT SHOULD BE LOW ENOUGH TO ALLOW
MAIN STEM CREEKS AND RIVERS TO BEGIN TO SUBSIDE BY THE AFTERNOON.
SNOW LEVELS WILL START AROUND 5000 FEET THIS MORNING BEFORE RISING
ABOVE 5000 FEET IN THE AFTERNOON. COLD POOL MOVES IN WITH THIS
SYSTEM DROPPING SNOW LEVELS DOWN ON THE TAIL END. A GOOD AMOUNT OF
INSTABILITY ACCOMPANIES THIS SYSTEM WITH 500 MB TEMPS OF NEAR -30C
SHOULD PROVIDE STRONG MECHANISM IN CONJUNCTION WITH A 100KT JET
BRUSHING ACROSS THE REGION IN THE EVENING. WILL ISSUE A WINTER
STORM WATCH FOR LATE TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING...BUT AM A LITTLE
LEERY OF THE TIMING OF THIS SYSTEM AND HAVE A FEELING...BASED ON
SATELLITE TRENDS THAT MODEL TIMING MAY BE A BIT SLOW.

IN THE EXTENDED ACTIVE PATTERN EASES ONLY BRIEFLY EARLY TUESDAY
WITH BRIEF WEAK RIDGE AHEAD OF NEXT GOOD PRECIP EVENT ON WEDNESDAY.

&&

.AVIATION...AS A SMALL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE AREA
FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NORTHEAST WARD....EXPECTED WIDESPREAD
MVFR WITH ISOLATED IFR IN PATCHY MORNING FOG AND IN MODERATE TO HEAVY
RAIN SHOWERS. BY EVENING THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE EAST OF THE AREA WITH
PRECIPITATION TAPERING OFF TO SCATTERED SHOWERS...ALLOWING CIGS TO
SLOWLY RAISE OVERNIGHT. THE NEXT SYSTEM IS DUE INTO THE COAST ON
SUNDAY MORNING BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN WITH LOW CIGS.

WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS FLORENCE TO CA
      BORDER 0-60 NM.
     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR WINDS REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THIS
      EVENING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FLORENCE TO CA
      BORDER 0-60 NM.
     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR WINDS REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THIS
      EVENING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FLORENCE TO CA
      BORDER 0-60 NM.
     FLOOD WARNING FOR THE COQUILLE RIVER AT COQUILLE REMAINS IN
      EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT.
     FLOOD WARNING FOR THE SOUTH FORK OF THE COQUILLE RIVER AT
      MYRTLE POINT REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT.
     FLOOD WARNING FOR THE SOUTH UMPQUA RIVER AT ROSEBURG REMAINS IN
      EFFECT THROUGH TODAY.
     FLOOD WARNING FOR THE UMPQUA RIVER AT ELKTON REMAINS IN
      EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT.
     FLOOD WARNING FOR ELK CREEK AT DRAIN REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH
      THIS MORNING.
     FLOOD WARNING FOR THE ROGUE RIVER AT GOLD RAY REMAINS IN
      EFFECT THROUGH TODAY.
     FLOOD WARNING FOR THE ROGUE RIVER AT GRANTS PASS REMAINS IN
      EFFECT THROUGH TODAY.
     FLOOD WARNING FOR THE ROGUE RIVER FROM AGNESS TO GOLD BEACH
       REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY.
     FLOOD WARNING FOR THE SPRAGUE RIVER NEAR BEATTY REMAINS IN
      EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY...
     HIGH WIND WATCH...SOUTH COAST ZONES 21-22 LATE SATURDAY NIGHT
      THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
     SNOW ADVISORY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR OR ZONES 30.

CA...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS OR BORDER TO
      PT ST GEORGE CA 0-60 NM.
     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR WINDS REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THIS
      EVENING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT OR BORDER TO PT ST GEORGE CA
      0-60 NM.
     FLOOD WARNING KLAMATH RIVER AT SEIAD VALLEY THROUGH
       SUNDAY.
     FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE SCOTT RIVER NEAR
      FORT JONES THROUGH SUNDAY.
     FLOOD WARNING FOR WESTERN SISKIYOU THROUGH TODAY.
     SNOW ADVISORY THIS MORNING FOR CA ZONES 81...82 AND 83.
     WINTER STORM WATCH THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING ZONES
      80...82 AND 83.

&&

CC

ALSO VISIT THE NWS ON THE WEB AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MEDFORD
SVEN

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 31, 7:56 AM PST, 2 hours 39 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
756 AM PST SAT DEC 31 2005

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

0700 AM     HEAVY RAIN       2 SE ROSEBURG           43.20N 123.33W
12/31/2005  1.95 INCH        DOUGLAS            OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PAST 231/2 HRS ENDING AT 7 AM.

0700 AM     HEAVY RAIN       7 NW CALLAHAN           41.37N 122.89W
12/31/2005  3.74 INCH        SISKIYOU           CA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PAST 24 HRS ENDING AT 7 AM.

0700 AM     HEAVY RAIN       N MYRTLE POINT          43.06N 124.14W
12/31/2005  1.68 INCH        COOS               OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PAST 24 HRS ENDING AT 7 AM.

0755 AM     HEAVY RAIN       4 NNW GRANTS PASS       42.50N 123.34W
12/31/2005  2.10 INCH        JOSEPHINE          OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR ENDING AT 7 AM.

0756 AM     HEAVY RAIN       2 N COOS BAY            43.41N 124.22W
12/31/2005  1.65 INCH        COOS               OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR RAINFALL ENDING AT 7 AM.

&&

ORR

Local storm report, Dec 31, 8:23 AM PST, 2 hours 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
823 AM PST SAT DEC 31 2005

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

0804 AM     HEAVY RAIN       N LOOKOUT               41.21N 121.15W
12/31/2005  2.02 INCH        MODOC              CA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR RAINFALL EDNING AT 7 AM.

0809 AM     HEAVY RAIN       1 N COOS BAY            43.38N 124.24W
12/31/2005  2.08 INCH        COOS               OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR RAINFALL ENDING AT 8 AM.

0814 AM     HEAVY RAIN       1 SSW OBRIEN            42.06N 123.71W
12/31/2005  5.98 INCH        JOSEPHINE          OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOURS EDNING AT 8 AM.

&&

ORR

Local storm report, Dec 31, 9:21 AM PST, 1 hour 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
921 AM PST SAT DEC 31 2005

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

0845 AM     HEAVY RAIN       4 SW WEED               41.37N 122.42W
12/31/2005  3.25 INCH        SISKIYOU           CA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR ENDING AT 7 AM.

0906 AM     HEAVY RAIN       5 NNE SELMA             42.34N 123.57W
12/31/2005  2.53 INCH        JOSEPHINE          OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOURS RAINFALL ENDING AT 8 AM.

0908 AM     HEAVY RAIN       2 NE WILDERVILLE        42.40N 123.43W
12/31/2005  2.15 INCH        JOSEPHINE          OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR ENDING AT 8 AM.

0913 AM     HEAVY RAIN       2 NE WILDERVILLE        42.40N 123.43W
12/31/2005  2.15 INCH        JOSEPHINE          OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR ENDING AT 8 AM.

0918 AM     HEAVY RAIN       1 N ROSEBURG            43.21N 123.34W
12/31/2005  2.10 INCH        DOUGLAS            OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOURS ENDING AT 9 AM.

0920 AM     HEAVY RAIN       5 SW JACKSONVILLE       42.25N 123.03W
12/31/2005  1.55 INCH        JACKSON            OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR ENDING AT 8 AM.

&&

ORR

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Central Douglas County

When: December 31, 10:35 AM PST to 7:35 PM PST
Where: Central Douglas County forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 44.483, -118.950

Deer Creek at Roseburg.

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oregon in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Oregon, December 2005

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: 5482200.