A deep low pressure system tracking across the Cascade Mountains and lower Columbia Basin produced a tight pressure gradient and strong downslope winds. Wind gusts in mph were Hot Lake (63) and 5 miles west northwest of Union (59).
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.
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 PDT wrote it up.
A deep low pressure system tracking across the Cascade Mountains and lower Columbia Basin produced a tight pressure gradient and strong downslope winds. Wind gusts in mph were Hot Lake (63) and 5 miles west northwest of Union (59). Trees were knocked down blocking the road in Wasco County 5 miles west of Pine Grove and 15 miles west of Pine Grove.
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 Nov 22, 2:59 AM PST, 16 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
259 AM PST SUN NOV 22 2009
.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH MONDAY...A VIGOROUS STORM SYSTEM
CONTINUES TO MOVE ONSHORE THIS MORNING. THE SURFACE LOW IS NOW OVER
SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON...FAIRLY CLOSE TO THE NAM FORECAST POSITION. A
WARM FRONT...EXTENDING FROM THE TRIPLE POINT NEAR STAMPEDE PASS
SOUTHEAST INTO EAST-CENTRAL OREGON...IS SWINGING NORTHEAST AND EAST.
EXPECT THIS FRONT TO EXIT OUR AREA IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.
MEANWHILE THE COLD FRONT HAS STARTED TO JUMP THE CASCADE CREST AND
SHOULD BE THROUGH A GOOD PORTION OF OUR AREA BY DAYBREAK. WILL
CONTINUE ALL CURRENT WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES AS THEY ARE...BUT DID
HAVE TO ADD A SNOW ADVISORY FOR THE CENTRAL OREGON ZONE EARLIER AS
AREAS ABOVE 3500 FEET WERE GETTING A GOOD DUMP OF SNOW. SNOW IS
FALLING AT YAKIMA AND ELLENSBURG. AT THIS TIME IT LOOKS THAT THEY
WILL SEE UP TO 2 INCHES...BUT THE COLD FRONT SHOULD BE THROUGH THESE
TWO LOCATIONS BY 5 AM (POSSIBLY EARLIER). THIS WILL TURN FLOW
WESTERLY AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE PRECIP AND MAY ALSO MIX OUT
TRAPPED COLD AIR AND RAISE THE SNOW LEVELS.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION TONIGHT RESULTING IN WIND
DOWN IN POST SYSTEM SHOWERS. IT WILL ALSO ALLOW FOR SOME CLEARING OF
THE SKIES FOR COOLER OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPS. A WEAK WAVE WILL RIDE OVER
THE UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE OVER THE AREA MONDAY. THIS WAVE
MAY SPREAD SOME LIGHT SNOW OR RAIN INTO THE WASHINGTON CASCADE EAST
SLOPE AREAS. ELSEWHERE CONDITIONS WILL BE DRY. 90
.LONG TERM...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT SATURDAY...AN UPPER RIDGE
WILL BEGIN TO BUILD OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST MONDAY NIGHT AND
TUESDAY. THIS WILL CAUSE MOST OF THE MOISTURE WITH ANY WEATHER
SYSTEMS TO BE PUSHED NORTHWARD NORTH OF THE UPPER JET STREAM INTO
FAR NORTHWEST WASHINGTON AND SOUTHWEST CANADA. THIS WILL SPARE THE
FORECAST AREA FROM ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EVENTS THROUGH MOST OF
THE WEEK AS THE UPPER RIDGE STRENGTHENS. HOWEVER WITH THE UPPER
RIDGE DEVELOPING AND THE PRESENCE OF THE RECENT PRECIPITATION PATCHY
VALLEY FOG AND FREEZING FOG WILL DEVELOP OVER THE LOWER COLUMBIA
BASIN AND ADJACENT VALLEYS. IT WILL FORM MAINLY ALONG THE LARGE
RIVERS AND STREAMS AT FIRST AND THEN GRADUALLY EXPAND IN COVERAGE BY
WEDNESDAY AND WILL PERSIST THROUGH THURSDAY. AND PRECIPITATION WILL
BE MAINLY LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE MOUNTAINS. A COLD
FRONT WITH A WEATHER SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE CWA LATE THURSDAY INTO
FRIDAY BRINGING THE NEXT BETTER CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION TO THE
FORECAST AREA BY FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR TO
ABOVE NORMAL IN HIGHER TERRAIN AND NEAR TO BELOW NORMAL IN THE LOWER
TERRAIN THAT IS CAUGHT UNDER TEMPERATURE INVERSIONS AND/OR WITH
FOG/LOW CLOUDS. 88
&&
.AVIATION...PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...06Z TAFS...A PACIFIC WEATHER
SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA BRINGING RAIN AND SNOW LATER
TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING BEFORE TAPERING OFF IN THE AFTERNOON.
VFR CONDITIONS WITH BROKEN MID AND HIGH CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH
22/09Z THEN AS THE RAIN AND SNOW MOVES IN...MVFR CEILINGS ARE
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN AND NEAR THE CASCADES AND IN THE EASTERN
MOUNTAINS AFFECTING KDLS...KRDM AND KYKM AT TIMES THROUGH 22/20Z.
MVFR VISIBILITIES ARE POSSIBLE NEAR THE HEAVIER SNOW SHOWERS AT KYKM
AND KRDM. KPSC...KPDT AND KALW WILL GENERALLY STAY AT LOW VFR
CEILINGS THOUGH STRONGER SHOWERS COULD HAVE BRIEF PERIODS OF MVFR
CEILINGS. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE TO VFR LEVELS AT ALL TAF LOCATIONS
AFTER 22/20Z. WINDS AT KDLS...KRDM...KYKM AND KPSC WILL INCREASE
LATER TONIGHT TO 10 TO 20 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 30 KTS AT ALL TAF
LOCATIONS THROUGH 23/00Z THEN DECREASE TO BELOW 15 KTS AFTER THAT.
KPDT AND KALW WILL SEE 10 TO 20 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 30 KTS THROUGH
22/12Z...INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 40 KTS THROUGH
23/02Z THE DECREASE BACK TO 10 TO 20 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 25 KTS AFTER
THAT.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 47 32 46 37 / 70 10 10 10
ALW 48 34 47 36 / 80 10 10 20
PSC 53 29 45 35 / 60 10 10 20
YKM 48 23 42 31 / 40 10 10 20
HRI 52 28 45 32 / 60 10 10 10
ELN 44 27 40 27 / 70 10 20 30
RDM 45 20 46 25 / 50 10 10 10
LGD 42 25 40 30 / 80 20 10 10
GCD 42 21 44 25 / 60 10 10 10
DLS 49 33 45 35 / 40 20 10 40
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR ORZ049-050.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR ORZ502.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ORZ042.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON PST TODAY FOR ORZ043.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ORZ043.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR ORZ501-504.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR ORZ503.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ORZ041-044.
WA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR WAZ501-
502.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR WAZ030.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR WAZ029.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR WAZ024-028.
&&
THREAT INDEX
TODAY : RED
MONDAY : GREEN
TUESDAY : GREEN
GREEN: NONE OR LIMITED NEED FOR WATCHES, WARNINGS, OR ADVISORIES.
YELLOW: A FEW WATCHES, WARNINGS, OR ADVISORIES POSSIBLE OR IN EFFECT.
RED: NUMEROUS WATCHES, WARNINGS, OR ADVISORIES POSSIBLE OR IN EFFECT.
FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT...
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PENDLETON
90/88/88HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
345 PM PST SAT NOV 21 2009
UPDATED FOR WIND AND WINTER WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES
ORZ041>044-049-050-501>506-WAZ024-026>030-501-502-221415-
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF OREGON-NORTH CENTRAL OREGON-
CENTRAL OREGON-LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON-GRANDE RONDE VALLEY-
WALLOWA COUNTY-FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
NORTHERN WHEELER AND SOUTHERN GILLIAM COUNTIES-JOHN DAY BASIN-
OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS-
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF WASHINGTON-KITTITAS VALLEY-
YAKIMA VALLEY-LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON-
FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON-
NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS-
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON-
EAST SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON-
345 PM PST SAT NOV 21 2009
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON
AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT
SNOW
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, EAST SLOPES
OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, NORTHWEST BLUE
MOUNTAINS, NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, SOUTHERN BLUE
MOUNTAINS OF OREGON
STRONG WIND
FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, NORTH CENTRAL
OREGON, CENTRAL OREGON, GRANDE RONDE VALLEY, WALLOWA COUNTY,
FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, NORTHERN WHEELER
AND SOUTHERN GILLIAM COUNTIES
A VIGOROUS STORM DEVELOPING OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC WILL MOVE
ONSHORE TONIGHT. A SURFACE LOW WILL DEVELOP OFF THE NORTHWEST
OREGON COAST...THEN MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON LATE TONIGHT.
THIS LOW WILL CREATE STRONG WINDS TO DEVELOP OVER PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON...AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON. A
HIGH WIND WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM PST
SUNDAY FOR THE GRANDE RONDE VALLEY AND WALLOWA COUNTY. A HIGH WIND
WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTH CENTRAL OREGON 1 AM TO 4 PM PST
SUNDAY. A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE FOOTHILLS OF THE
BLUES FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM PST SUNDAY. A WIND ADVISORY
HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CENTRAL OREGON FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM
PST SUNDAY. FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE SEE PRODUCT PDXNPWPDT.
THIS SYSTEM WILL ALSO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A DECENT AMOUNT OF
PRECIPITATION. THE COMBINATION OF SNOW FALL WITH THE MAIN STORM
SYSTEM AND DUE TO UPSLOPE FLOW BEHIND THE STORM WILL RESULT IN
SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
TONIGHT...LASTING INTO SUNDAY. A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW
AND BLOWING SNOW HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF
OREGON AND THE NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS FROM 10 PM PST THIS EVENING
THROUGH 7 PM PST SUNDAY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND
BLOWING SNOW HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON FROM 7 PM PST THIS EVENING THROUGH 4
PM PST SUNDAY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW
HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON FROM 10 PM
PST THIS EVENING THROUGH 7 PM PST SUNDAY. FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE
SEE PRODUCT PDXWSWPDT.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
SNOW SUNDAY
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, EAST SLOPES
OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, NORTHWEST BLUE
MOUNTAINS, NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, SOUTHERN BLUE
MOUNTAINS OF OREGON
STRONG WIND SUNDAY
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF WASHINGTON, LOWER COLUMBIA
BASIN OF WASHINGTON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF
WASHINGTON, EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF OREGON, NORTH
CENTRAL OREGON, CENTRAL OREGON, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF
OREGON, GRANDE RONDE VALLEY, WALLOWA COUNTY, FOOTHILLS OF THE
BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, NORTHERN WHEELER AND SOUTHERN
GILLIAM COUNTIES
A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN AND
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE FROM FROM 4 AM PST TO 4 PM PST SUNDAY. SEE
NPWPDT FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS. THE STORM THAT DEVELOPS TONIGHT IS
EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST SUNDAY MORNING. THE
SYSTEM WILL THEN BE FOLLOWED BY BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE SUNDAY
AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM SUNDAY...PLEASE SEE
PRODUCT PDXNPWPDT. PRECIPITATION WILL DIMINISH AT MOST LOCATIONS
SUNDAY AFTERNOON...EXCEPT IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS WHERE SNOW SHOULD
DIMINISH DURING THE EVENING.
UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE MAY BRING A BRIEF DRY SPELL LATE TUESDAY
INTO WEDNESDAY. OTHERWISE UNSETTLED CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
MUCH OF NEXT WEEK.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.
WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
GRAPHICAL FORECASTS OF WEATHER HAZARDS OUT TO SEVEN DAYS
ARE DISPLAYED ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT:
WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/PDT/CURRENTHAZARDS/HWO.HTML
ALL LETTERS IN THE ABOVE URL ARE LOWER CASE...EXCEPT THE H IN
CURRENTHAZARDS.The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, November 2009
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: 198602, 198601.