An early season snowstorm brought winter weather to northwest Oregon. Much of the snow fell in the Coast Range, Cascades, and the Cascade foothills.
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 PQR wrote it up.
An early season snowstorm brought winter weather to northwest Oregon. Much of the snow fell in the Coast Range, Cascades, and the Cascade foothills. However, snow did make it down to the valley floor, with significant amounts seen in and near the western Columbia River Gorge.
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 Portland, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 27, 2:30 PM PST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
230 PM PST MON NOV 27 2006
.SYNOPSIS...COLD UPPER LOW OVER NORTHWEST WASHINGTON MOVES INTO
EASTERN WASHINGTON TONIGHT. MOIST SOUTHWEST ONSHORE FLOW OVER AREA
SHIFTS TO THE WEST THIS EVENING WITH DECREASING MOISTURE LATER
TONIGHT. REMAINS OF ARCTIC FRONT OVER NORTH PART OF AREA EARLY
TUESDAY SLIDES SOUTH THROUGH AREA DURING TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE
BUILDING INTO EASTERN WASHINGTON AND IDAHO TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY
GIVES OFFSHORE FLOW TO AREA. NEXT PACIFIC FRONT MOVES INTO AREA EARLY
THURSDAY AND THROUGH THE AREA THURSDAY MORNING. OVERRUNNING MOISTURE
AHEAD OF SYSTEM WILL GIVE THREAT OF WINTER PRECIPITATION TO INLAND
AREAS THURSDAY MORNING BEFORE FLOW SHIFTS ONSHORE THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO AREA ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY BRINGING DRIER
PATTERN TO AREA. NEXT PACIFIC SYSTEM FLATTENS RIDGE SOME ON SUNDAY
BEFORE REBUILDING ON MONDAY.
&&
.SHORT TERM...W TO NW OROGRAPHIC FLOW CONTINUES OVER AREA. LAST MAJOR
SHORT WAVE MOVES OVER AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVE THEN E OF
CASCADES AROUND 06Z. FLOW THEN TURNS MORE W GIVING BEST PRECIPITATION
THREAT TO CASCADES AFTER 06Z. REMAINS OF ARCTIC FRONT NOW OVER SW WA
MOVES TO NEAR KAST BY 12Z. REMAINS OF FRONT THEN SLIDE THROUGH AREA
TUE MORNING. THIS KEEPS LIKELY POPS S PART UNTIL FRONT MOVES THROUGH
WITH ONLY CHANCE N. BY TUE AFTERNOON PRECIPITATION THREAT LIMITED TO
NEAR CASCADES AND FAR S PART OF AREA. HIGH PRES BUILDS INTO EASTERN
WA TUE NIGHT AND EXTENDS INTO IDA FOR WED. A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS
CASCADES EARLY TUE EVE BEFORE OFFSHORE FLOW CLEARS MOST OF THE
CLOUDS. MOSTLY SUNNY COLD DAY TUE WITH OFFSHORE FLOW. NEXT PAC FRONT
APPROACHES LATER WED NIGHT. LOW LEVEL AMS STILL COLD AND FLOW REMAINS
OFFSHORE INLAND AREAS. TEMPS PROFILES SHOW 850MB TEMPS RISING ABOVE
FREEZING AHEAD SYSTEM EXCEPT E END OF GORGE. THIS WILL GIVE FREEZING
RAIN THREAT TO INLAND VALLEYS WITH SNOW CONFINED TO E GORGE. THREAT
CONTINUES THU MORNING UNTIL FRONT PASSES AND FLOW TURNS ONSHORE.
FRONT LOOKS TO MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH AREA WITH PRIMARY THREAT LATE WED
NIGHT INT THU MORNING TIL AROUND 18Z. LINGERING RAIN SHOWERS BEHIND
SYSTEM THU AFTERNOON. KOSOVITZ
.LONG TERM...MODELS UNDERGO A CHANGE IN THE PATTERN FOR THE PACNW...
AS A LONGWAVE UPPER TROUGH DIGS IN OVER THE CENTRAL U.S. AND SOME
RIDGING TAKES PLACE OFFSHORE. SPAGHETTI CHARTS AND INTER MODELS
COMPARISON INDICATE GOOD AGREEABILITY INTO SAT BEFORE SOME
DISCREPANCIES CROP UP. THEREFORE RELATIVELY GOOD CONFIDENCE IN
MODELS INTO SAT...SO WILL KEEP A CHANCE OF SHOWERS FOR THE POST
FRONTAL AIR THU NIGHT...THEN GO WITH A DRY FORECAST FRI THROUGH SAT
AS LOW LEVEL FLOW GOES OFFSHORE. WILL TRY TO INDICATE SOME WARMING
TO AIR MASS CENTERED AROUND SAT. FOR SUN AND MON DETAILS BECOME MORE
QUESTIONABLE...ALTHOUGH GENERAL TREND OF MODELS IS TO KEEP A RIDGE
JUST OFFSHORE. FOR NOW WILL FOLLOW 12Z RUN OF GFS IN INDICATING THE
POSSIBILITY OF A SYSTEM CROSSING THE TOP OF THE RIDGE...AND LEAVE IN
A CHANCE OF SHOWERS ACROSS THE N AND OVER THE CASCADES SUN AND MON.
&&
.AVIATION...MIXTURE OF VFR TO LOCAL MVFR OR EVEN A FEW IFR CIGS THIS
CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON DUE TO SNOW MIXING DOWN TO VALLEY FLOORS.
CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE MUCH OF THE NIGHT TONIGHT...THOUGH SHOWERS
EASE AS ONSHORE FLOW EASES LATE TONIGHT. DRYING FROM THE NORTH
EXPECTED TUESDAY WITH CONDITIONS BECOMING VFR EXCEPT OVER THE
CASCADES AS A REMNANT ARCTIC BOUNDARY SLOWLY MOVES SOUTH THROUGH THE
AREA. TOLLESON
&&
.MARINE...LOW PRESSURE CONTINUED JUST SOUTH OF THE B.C. COAST INTO
NORTHWEST WASHINGTON WITH COLD ONSHORE NORTHWEST FLOW INTO THE
SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON COASTAL WATERS. STRONG
NORTHWEST FETCH OF WIND UPSTREAM OF OUR COASTAL WATERS WITH GALES
OUT NEAR BUOY 5. WILL ALLOW A FEW GUSTS TO 35 MPH IN THE NORTH
WATERS. OTHERWISE WILL HAVE SMALL CRAFT NORTHWEST WINDS INTO
TUESDAY...WITH SEAS JUST UNDER 20 FEET ADVECTING IN FROM THIS
UPSTREAM FETCH. WINDS LIGHTEN AND TURN MORE EASTERLY EXCEPT PERHAPS
NEAR COASTAL GAPS BY TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. SEAS MAY DROP
BELOW 10 FEET BY WEDNESDAY. SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY THAT SHIFTS THE WINDS MORE SOUTHERLY
CLOSE TO SMALL CRAFT CONDITIONS AGAIN. TOLLESON
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR/WA....SNOW ADVISORY CASCADES AND FOOTHILLS TONIGHT.
SNOW ADVISORY COAST RANGE AND WILLAPA HILLS TONIGHT.
SNOW ADVISORY FOR LOWER COLUMBIA AND I-5 CORRIDOR...THE
NORTH...CENTRAL AND SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY...AND THE
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE FOR TONIGHT.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS FROM CAPE
SHOALWATER TO FLORENCE THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR WINDS FROM CAPE
SHOALWATER TO FLORENCE THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR A ROUGH COLUMBIA BAR THROUGH
TONIGHT.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT POPS...
AST 731178 PDX 631048 SLE 741048 EUG +61038
&&
MORE WEATHER INFORMATION ONLINE AT...
http://weather.gov/portland
THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON FROM
THE CASCADE CREST TO 60 NAUTICAL MILES OFFSHORE. THE AREA IS COMMONLY
REFERRED TO AS THE FORECAST AREA.HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR 602 AM PST MON NOV 27 2006 ORZ005>009-WAZ022-023-039-281415- LOWER COLUMBIA-GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA- CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY-SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY- WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-I-5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY- GREATER VANCOUVER AREA- 602 AM PST MON NOV 27 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SNOW SHOWERS WILL BRING AREAS OF ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL THROUGH TONIGHT. SNOW ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... TOTAL SNOWFALL REPORTS ARE REQUESTED. INCLUDE 12 HOUR OR STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS. ORZ003-004-010>013-WAZ019-020-040-281415- COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON- CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON- NORTHERN OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES- CASCADE FOOTHILLS IN LANE COUNTY-CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY- SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES-WILLAPA HILLS- SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS- 602 AM PST MON NOV 27 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT HEAVY SNOW WARNINGS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY. SNOW SHOWERS WILL INCREASE TODAY...WITH SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... TOTAL SNOWFALL REPORTS ARE REQUESTED. INCLUDE 12 HOUR OR STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS. ORZ001-002-PZZ210-WAZ021-281415- NORTH OREGON COAST-CENTRAL OREGON COAST-COLUMBIA RIVER BAR- SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST- 602 AM PST MON NOV 27 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON...NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON COASTAL WATERS AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS...MIXED WITH OR AS SNOW AT TIMES...WILL CONTINUE TODAY INTO TONIGHT. LOCAL ACCUMULATIONS MAY REACH 1 INCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... TOTAL SNOWFALL REPORTS ARE REQUESTED. INCLUDE 12 HOUR OR STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS. PZZ250-255-270-275-281415- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO CASCADE HEAD OR OUT 20 NM-COASTAL WATERS FROM CASCADE HEAD TO FLORENCE OR OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO CASCADE HEAD OR FROM 20 TO 60 NM-WATERS FROM CASCADE HEAD TO FLORENCE OR FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 602 AM PST MON NOV 27 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NO ACTION NEEDED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR 1007 AM PST MON NOV 27 2006 WAZ019-040-281815- SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES-SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...COLDWATER RIDGE VISITORS CENTER... MOUNT ST. HELENS...TOUTLE...ARIEL...COUGAR 1007 AM PST MON NOV 27 2006 ...WIND FORECAST FOR MOUNT ST HELENS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES... .SYNOPSIS...UPPER LOW OVER WESTERN WASHINGTON MOVES TO EASTERN WASHINGTON BY EARLY TUESDAY AND MOVES INTO IDAHO TUESDAY AFTERNOON. NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT BECOMES NORTHERLY AS LOW MOVES EAST OF AREA TONIGHT. NORTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES THROUGH WEDNESDAY. WEST LOW LEVEL FLOW TODAY BECOMES NORTH TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. LOW LEVEL FLOW TURNS EASTERLY TUESDAY HIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO IDAHO. ================================================================= KEY TO DECODING THE WIND DATA... FORMAT... 168025 WHERE FIRST THREE DIGITS ARE THE WIND DIRECTION AND THE LAST THREE DIGITS ARE THE WIND SPEED. IN THIS EXAMPLE, WIND IS FROM 168 (SOUTH) AT 25 MPH. ***** ALL WIND DATA ARE IN MILES PER HOUR ***** ================================================================== SALEM OBSERVED BALLOON SOUNDING WINDS AT 0400 PST ON 11/27/06 200 FT 180014 (MPH) 2000 FT 280018 (MPH) 3000 FT 280021 (MPH) 4000 FT 285025 (MPH) 4400 FT 285025 (MPH) 6000 FT 275028 (MPH) 7000 FT 265029 (MPH) 8000 FT 255032 (MPH) 9000 FT 250036 (MPH) 9300 FT 250036 (MPH) 12000 FT 260040 (MPH) 14000 FT 265040 (MPH) 16000 FT 275043 (MPH) 17300 FT 285044 (MPH) 18000 FT 285044 (MPH) 20000 FT 295052 (MPH) 22300 FT 305063 (MPH) 25000 FT 315077 (MPH) 28700 FT 315102 (MPH) 29000 FT 315102 (MPH) 30000 FT 315096 (MPH) 32000 FT 315074 (MPH) 32700 FT 315074 (MPH) 35000 FT 310073 (MPH) 36000 FT 315070 (MPH) 37500 FT 310071 (MPH) 43000 FT 295064 (MPH) 43600 FT 300070 (MPH) 49000 FT 315051 (MPH) 50000 FT 315046 (MPH) 52000 FT 305038 (MPH) 52200 FT 305038 (MPH) FORECAST WIND FOR MOUNT ST HELENS ELEV. 11/27 0400PST 11/27 1600PST 11/28 0400PST 11/28 1600PST 3000 260015 280016 299006 342003 6000 269025 277026 290009 031003 9000 253028 256029 302012 349017 12000 249033 254029 327022 342037 15000 259047 278032 330040 343067 18000 272047 297037 332047 346100 21000 283042 308050 335057 349124 24000 292042 314063 336074 349144 27000 296050 317072 335088 347158 30000 298058 318077 335094 347162 33000 301062 318077 334094 349155 36000 302057 318070 331089 342123 39000 303054 317068 329084 336101 42000 304051 316067 326078 331088 45000 304049 317066 324075 326079 48000 303047 319066 321074 322074 51000 302046 320066 318072 317069
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
201 PM PST MON NOV 27 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0159 PM SNOW LAUREL MOUNTAIN 44.91N 123.54W
11/27/2006 M9.0 INCH POLK OR OTHER FEDERAL
9 INCHES IN LAST 24 HOURS. 30 INCHES ON GROUND.
&&
RNELSONPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
303 PM PST MON NOV 27 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0301 PM SNOW BUXTON 45.68N 123.20W
11/27/2006 M6.0 INCH WASHINGTON OR TRAINED SPOTTER
6 INCHES OF NEW SNOW SINCE LAST NIGHT. 9 INCHES ON THE
GROUND. EL 2100 FEET.
&&
RNELSON18 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Twenty-three inches accumulated snowfall reported at Mount Hood Meadows.
Twenty-three inches accumulated snowfall reported at Santiam Pass.
Twenty-three inches accumulated snowfall reported at Willamette Pass.
Twenty inches accumulated snowfall reported at Blue Box Pass.
Eighteen inches accumulated snowfall reported at Timberline.
Eighteen inches accumulated snowfall reported at Tombstone Summit.
Twelve inches accumulated snowfall reported at Sunset Summit.
Twelve inches accumulated snowfall reported at Wilson River Summit.
Nine inches accumulated snowfall reported at Buxton.
Nine inches accumulated snowfall reported at Buxton.
Eight inches accumulated snowfall reported at Blodgett.
Eleven inches accumulated snowfall reported at Seine Creek.
Seven inches accumulated snowfall reported at South Fork RAWS.
Six inches accumulated snowfall reported at McKenzie Bridge.
Ten inches accumulated snowfall reported at North Fork SNOTEL.
Six inches accumulated snowfall reported at South Fork Bull Run SNOTEL.
Six inches accumulated snowfall reported at Hood River.
Four inches accumulated snowfall reported at Cascade Locks.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, November 2006
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: 6050, 6051, 6052, 6053, 6056, 6057, 6058, 6059, 6060, 6061, 6062, 6063, 6064, 6065, 6066, 6067, 6068, 6069.