Tight surface gradients and strong winds aloft combined to produce damaging winds across central and south-east Washington. Wind gusts in mph include Goldendale (80), Pasco (60), 10 miles north northeast of Yakima (76), Umtanum Ridge (71).
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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.
Tight surface gradients and strong winds aloft combined to produce damaging winds across central and south-east Washington. Wind gusts in mph include Goldendale (80), Pasco (60), 10 miles north northeast of Yakima (76), Umtanum Ridge (71). Damage included power lines down near Cliffdel and Tieton, trees down near Ellensburg, and buildings damaged in Kennewick.
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 Jan 6, 2:34 PM PST, 5 hours 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR 234 PM PST TUE JAN 6 2009 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...THE AREA CONTINUES TO SEE A MOIST NORTHWEST FLOW AS DISTURBANCES RIDE OVER A RIDGE IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC. TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON HAVE BEEN ON THE RISE AND NEARLY ALL LOCATIONS HAVE FINALLY RISEN ABOVE FREEZING. HAVE ALREADY ENDED THE FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN THE YAKIMA VALLEY AND THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON. TEMPERATURES IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS ARE IN THE MID 30S SO WILL ALLOW THE WINTER STORM WARNING TO EXPIRE AT 3 PM PST. WITH WARMER AIR STREAMING IN...TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT SHOULD STAY ABOVE FREEZING IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S TONIGHT. THUS THE AREA WILL SEE RAIN TONIGHT WITH A TENTH OF AN INCH OR SO IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND UP TO AN INCH ALONG THE CASCADE CREST AND UP TO A HALF INCH IN THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS. WINDY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAIN AND RIDGE TOP LOCATIONS. THE EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES WILL SEE VERY STRONG WINDS AT TIMES. A FEW RIDGE TOP LOCATIONS ARE REPORTING GUSTS TO OVER 70 MPH THIS AFTERNOON AND EXPECT THIS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING. WHILE WINDS THIS STRONG ARE NOT EXPECTED LOWER DOWN...MAY NEED TO ISSUE A WIND ADVISORY LATER ON AS WINDS AT GOLDENDALE ARE APPROACHING 30 MPH. TOMORROW WILL SEE THE FLOW TURN MORE WESTERLY THEN SOUTHWESTERLY TOMORROW NIGHT AS THE RIDGE GETS FLATTENED AND MOVES ASHORE. THE WARM TEMPERATURES AND RAIN WILL CONTINUE WITH CONTINUED GENEROUS AMOUNTS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND LIGHTER AMOUNTS IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. THE COMBINATION OF RAIN ON MELTING SNOW WILL RAISE SMALLER STREAMS AND RIVERS IN THE AREA AND A FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED STARTING TOMORROW EVENING FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA. BREEZY WINDS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE AREA. ON THURSDAY A TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA AND THIS WILL GIVE US ANOTHER SHOT OF RAIN BUT IT WILL ALSO SHOVE THE RIDGE EASTWARD AND CUT OFF THE MOISTURE TAP WITH ITS PASSAGE. COOLER AIR WILL MOVE IN THURSDAY NIGHT AND PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF TO SHOWERS WITH RAIN IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS. PERRY .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER PATTERN WILL TAKE PLACE FRIDAY AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ALONG THE WEST COAST. THIS WILL PLACE THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST UNDER A FAIRLY DRY NORTHWEST FLOW THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD AND LIKELY BEYOND. THERE WILL BE ONE WEAK SYSTEM CLIPPING THE REGION ON SUNDAY THAT COULD BRING A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS TO THE WASHINGTON CASCADES AND CLIP NORTHEAST OREGON...BUT OTHER THAN THAT THE FORECAST AREA LOOKS DRY THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD. LIKELY TO SEE INCREASING INVERSIONS DURING THIS TIME PERIOD WHICH MEANS DEVELOPMENT OF FOG IS A POTENTIAL AND COLD AIR BEING TRAPPED IN THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN. && .AVIATION...00Z TAFS. A WARM FRONT STRETCHES FROM NORTHWEST WASHINGTON TO SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON. ANY PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT WILL BE RAIN WITH BEST CHANCES OCCURRING AT KALW. CIGS AND VSBYS WILL MAINLY BE VFR CONDITIONS WITH BRIEF MVFR CONDITIONS FROM PASSING SHOWERS MAINLY AFFECTING KALW KPDT AND KPSC TAF SITES. WINDS 10-25G35KT OVERNIGHT. && .HYDROLOGY...THE VERY WET SYSTEM IS MOVING ONSHORE WITH HEAVY RAIN TO OVERSPREAD THE REGION. THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CASCADES SHOULD SEE CONTINUOUS RAIN...WHILE THE WEST FACING SLOPES OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS SEE ONE ROUND OF HEAVY RAIN TONIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY AND ANOTHER ROUND WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND WITH THE COLD FRONT ON THURSDAY. RAIN AMOUNTS COULD BE 5 TO 10 INCHES ALONG THE CREST OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES...WITH 2 TO 4 INCHES EASTWARD IN THE CLE ELUM AND EASTON AREAS. OVER THE BLUE MOUNTAINS...AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE. THE MODELS ARE QUITE DIFFERENT IN THE PLACEMENT OF THE PRECIPITATION BULLSEYE OVER SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON. THIS WILL AFFECT THE BASINS INVOLVED AND MAY CAUSE THE HIGHER FLOWS IN THE COPPEI AND TOUCHET RIVER BASINS VS THE MAINSTEM WALLA WALLA. SUBSTANTIAL SNOWPACK IS ON THE GROUND IN UNION AND WALLOWA COUNTIES AND THIS AREA COULD SEE AROUND 1 INCH OF RAIN. THIS MAY CAUSE DRAINAGE AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD CONCERNS. A FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED AREA AND WILL CONTINUE THURSDAY EVENING. ML && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... PDT 39 51 41 50 / 20 30 40 50 ALW 38 49 40 49 / 30 40 50 60 PSC 37 49 39 48 / 20 30 40 30 YKM 30 43 33 42 / 20 30 40 30 HRI 39 50 39 49 / 20 30 40 30 ELN 34 42 33 42 / 40 40 50 40 RDM 34 52 34 47 / 20 30 30 40 LGD 36 44 37 41 / 40 50 50 60 GCD 35 47 36 43 / 40 40 40 60 DLS 40 52 41 49 / 30 40 40 40 && .PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR ORZ049-050-501-502. WA...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR WAZ029-030-501-502. && TI:GYY FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT... WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PENDLETON 83/91/91/93
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
735 PM PST TUE JAN 6 2009
UPDATED TO ADD HIGH WIND WARNING KITTITAS VALLEY AND WIND ADVISORY
YAKIMA VALLEY
ORZ041>044-049-050-501>506-WAZ024-026>030-501-502-071415-
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-
735 PM PST TUE JAN 6 2009
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON
AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT
FLOODING
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, EAST SLOPES
OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE
MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS, GRANDE
RONDE VALLEY, WALLOWA COUNTY, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE
MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON
STRONG WIND
EAST SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, LOWER
COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
OF WASHINGTON, NORTH CENTRAL OREGON, CENTRAL OREGON, LOWER
COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
OF OREGON, NORTHERN WHEELER AND SOUTHERN GILLIAM COUNTIES,
YAKIMA VALLEY, KITTITAS VALLEY
A WARM FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT BRING GENEROUS AMOUNTS
OF RAIN TO THE MOUNTAINS...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE CASCADE CREST.
LESSER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED AT THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. RISING SNOW
LEVELS AND CONTINUING PRECIPITATION WILL RESULT IN INCREASED RUNOFF
INTO STREAMS AND RIVERS SO A FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE
AREAS LISTED ABOVE. SEE LATEST FFAPDT FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.
STRONG WINDS ALOFT ARE MIXING TO THE SURFACE OVER EASTERN WASHINGTON
AND NORTHEAST OREGON. HIGH WIND WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THE
EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES AND FOR THE KITTITAS VALLEY
FOR WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 70 MPH. STRONGEST WINDS WILL
BE ON EXPOSED RIDGETOPS. IN ADDITION WINDY WEST WINDS WILL OCCUR
OVER CENTRAL OREGON...NORTH CENTRAL OREGON...LOWER COLUMBIA
BASIN...YAKIMA VALLEY...AND THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF
OREGON AND WASHINGTON TONIGHT WITH SUSTAINED WINDS BETWEEN 30 TO 40
MPH AND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. SEE PRODUCT PDXNPWPDT FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY
FLOODING WEDNESDAY
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, EAST SLOPES
OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE
MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS, GRANDE
RONDE VALLEY, WALLOWA COUNTY, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
OF OREGON, NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED FOR STRONG WINDS TONIGHT AND
POSSIBLE FLOODING.
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.PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
522 PM PST TUE JAN 06 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0510 PM HIGH SUST WINDS 3 ENE GOLDENDALE 45.84N 120.76W
01/06/2009 M52 MPH KLICKITAT WA TRAINED SPOTTER
SUSTAINED 52 MPH WINDS. ELEVATION 2190 FEET.
&&
VPAPOLThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, January 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: 141601, 141600, 141599, 141598, 141602.