Heavy rainfall on deep snowpack created minor flooding on the Walla Walla River.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
Heavy rainfall on deep snowpack created minor flooding on the Walla Walla River.
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 8, 9:35 AM PST, 3 hours 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
935 AM PST THU JAN 8 2009
UPDATED SHORT TERM AND AVIATION DISCUSSION AND HEADLINE SECTION
.SHORT TERM...A COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY SWEEPING EAST OF THE
CASCADES WITH THE BACK EDGE OF THE FRONT EXTENDING NEAR SPOKANE DOWN
ALONG THE BLUE MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS THEN WEST OF BURNS. SNOW LEVELS
ARE STARTING TO LOWER WITH LIGHT SNOW OBSERVED AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE
5500 FEET. LIGHT TO MODERATE PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN OBSERVED ALONG
THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CASCADES AND OVER THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS WITH
PRECIPITATION RATES BETWEEN A FEW HUNDREDTHS TO A TENTH PER HOUR.
CURRENT HYDROLOGIC PRODUCTS ARE ON TRACK (MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND
IN THE HYDROLOGIC SECTION). WINDS ARE CLOSE TO ADVISORY ALONG THE
BLUE MTN FOOTHILLS AND THE WASHINGTON PORTION OF THE LOWER COLUMBIA
BASIN. THE OTHER ZONES UNDER A WIND ADVISORY ARE OBSERVING ONLY
BREEZY WINDS. WINDS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO INCREASE...THUS WILL CANCEL
THE WIND ADVISORY IN ALL ZONES. JOHNSON
&&
.HYDROLOGY...MINOR TO MODERATE FLOODING HAS BEEN OBSERVED THIS
MORNING IN OUR FORECAST AREA WITH THE BIGGEST AREAL COVERAGE OF
FLOODING IN UNION COUNTY AS WELL AS KITTITAS AND WESTERN YAKIMA
COUNTIES. SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION OVER THE WA CASCADES HAVE
DRIVEN THE YAKIMA RIVER QUITE HIGH WITH MINOR TO MODERATE FLOODING
EXPECTED ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE RIVER. MINOR TO MODERATE FLOODING
IS ALSO A CONCERN ALONG THE NACHES RIVER NEAR NACHES. THE FLOOD
WATCH FOR THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
THIS AFTERNOON BUT WILL LIKELY BE DROPPED AS SNOW LEVELS CONTINUE TO
FALL. JOHNSON
&&
.AVIATION...18Z TAFS...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL AT ALL TAF SITES
FOR 24 HOURS. GUSTY WINDS WILL PERSIST AT PSC PDT AND ALW UNTIL THIS
EVENING THEN DECREASE OVERNIGHT AS PRESSURE GRADIENTS BEGIN TO
RELAX. 76
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 300 AM PST THU JAN 8 2009/
SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...THE UPPER FLOW LOOKS TO
QUICKLY TURN NORTHWEST TONIGHT AS AN UPPER RIDGE BUILDS BACK INTO
THE PACNW. AS A RESULT WILL SEE SOME LINGERING SHOWERS
OVERNIGHT...PRIMARILY ALONG THE NORTHWEST FACING SLOPES OF THE
INTERIOR MOUNTAINS AND NEAR THE CASCADE CREST. THE OVERALL TREND IN
SHOWER COVERAGE WILL BE TO DECREASE THROUGH THE NIGHT THOUGH AS THE
AIR MASS DRIES OUT. BY FRIDAY THE UPPER RIDGE WILL BE OVER THE
REGION FOR MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS WITH COOLER... THOUGH
SEASONAL...TEMPERATURES. WITH THE CUT OFF OF PRECIP AND LOWERING
SNOW LEVELS TO END SNOW MELT...RIVER LEVELS SHOULD BEGIN TO FALL
OVERNIGHT INTO FRIDAY. 90
LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...WEAK RIDGING IN THE
UPPER LEVEL PATTERN WILL BRING MILD CONDITIONS WITH MAINLY JUST
PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES FOR FRIDAY NIGHT. A WEATHER DISTURBANCE WILL
THEN BEGIN TO MOVE ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST ON SATURDAY WITH
TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENTS. THIS WILL MEAN INCREASING WINDS WITH
MILD TEMPERATURES. THERE MAY BE SOME LIGHT RAIN OR SPRINKLES OVER
THE MOUNTAINS...BUT MOST AREAS WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY PRECIPITATION.
WINDS WILL INCREASE MAINLY IN THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN...BLUE
MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS AND THE EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE INTO NORTH
CENTRAL OREGON DURING THE DAY ON SATURDAY WITH WIND SPEEDS EXPECTED
TO REMAIN BELOW WIND ADVISORY LEVELS. ANOTHER WEAK DISTURBANCE WILL
MOVE ACROSS THE AREA AGAIN ON SUNDAY WITH A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS. AFTER
SUNDAY A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM ALOFT WILL DEVELOP AND BRING
MILD AND DRY CONDITIONS WHICH WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF
THE LONG TERM PERIOD. THERE MAY BE SOME PATCHY TO AREAS OF VALLEY
AND LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN FOG DURING THAT TIME AS WOULD BE TYPICAL
FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR UNDER STRONG HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT. 88
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 55 32 41 25 / 70 20 10 0
ALW 54 34 41 25 / 80 30 10 0
PSC 58 32 42 29 / 50 10 10 0
YKM 50 23 38 22 / 50 10 0 0
HRI 57 32 43 31 / 50 10 0 0
ELN 46 26 37 20 / 50 10 0 0
RDM 50 18 43 21 / 50 20 0 0
LGD 46 26 35 22 / 70 30 10 0
GCD 49 26 38 20 / 60 30 0 0
DLS 55 36 43 26 / 70 20 0 0
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR ORZ050-501-502.
AREAL FLOOD WARNING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR ORZ049.
WA...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR WAZ029-030.
AREAL FLOOD WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR WAZ501-026 AND
NORTHERN PORTIONS OF WAZ502.
RIVER FLOOD WARNING FOR WAZ501-026-027-029 THROUGH FRIDAY.
&&
TI:YGG
FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT...
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PENDLETON
85/76HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
1115 AM PST THU JAN 8 2009
UPDATED TO REMOVE WIND ADVISORY INFORMATION
ORZ041>044-049-050-501>506-WAZ024-026>030-501-502-091415-
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-
1115 AM PST THU JAN 8 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, KITTITAS
VALLEY, YAKIMA VALLEY, GRANDE RONDE VALLEY
RECENT RAIN FALL AND SNOW MELT RUNOFF HAS RESULTED IN MINOR TO
MODERATE FLOODING ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL WASHINGTON
CASCADES, THE KITTITAS AND YAKIMA VALLEYS, AND THE GRANDE RONDE
VALLEY. THE YAKIMA RIVER AND THE NACHES RIVER ARE TWO OF THE
MAINSTEM RIVERS THAT ARE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE. FLOOD WARNING PRODUCTS
FOR AREAL FLOODING AND MAINSTEM RIVER FLOODING CAN BE FOUND UNDER
THE PRODUCT...PDXFLSPDT.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE REGION FRIDAY AND CONTINUE INTO
NEXT WEEK. A WEAK WAVE MAY MOVE THROUGH THE RIDGE SUNDAY AND CAUSE A
FEW SHOWERS OVER THE BLUE AND WALLOWA MOUNTAINS. OTHERWISE THIS HIGH
PRESSURE WILL BRING FAIR CONDITIONS...THOUGH FOG MAY DEVELOP ACROSS
PORTIONS OF THE COLUMBIA BASIN.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED DUE TO FLOODING TODAY AND TONIGHT.
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
912 AM PST THU JAN 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM FLOOD 6 NW CLE ELUM 47.26N 121.02W
01/08/2009 KITTITAS WA PUBLIC
MAIN BRIDGE INTO ELK MEADOWS SUBDIVISION ON MCELROY
STREET HAS BEEN WASHED OUT.
0830 AM FLOOD UNION 45.21N 117.87W
01/08/2009 UNION OR EMERGENCY MNGR
LITTLE CREEK IN THE TOWN OF UNION HAS JUMPED ITS BANKS.
SANDBAGGING IS BEING REQUESTED.
0830 AM FLOOD ELGIN 45.56N 117.92W
01/08/2009 UNION OR EMERGENCY MNGR
DRAINAGE DITCH OVERFLOWED...SENDING WATER INTO SEVERAL
HOMES.
&&
MLOHMANNPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
1203 PM PST THU JAN 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1200 PM FLOOD YAKIMA 46.59N 120.53W
01/08/2009 YAKIMA WA PUBLIC
FLOOD WATERS COVERING PARTS OF THE YAKIMA ELKS GOLF
COURSE ALONG THE YAKIMA RIVER ON THE NORTH SIDE OF
YAKIMA.
&&
MLOHMANNThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Walla Walla River at Touchet crested at 1.87 feet above flood stage.
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: 141624.