A surge of moisture from the south brought heavy snowfall to much of the area from LaPine north to near The Dalles. 6), and 9 miles northwest of Terrebonne (9).
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 surge of moisture from the south brought heavy snowfall to much of the area from LaPine north to near The Dalles. Snowfall reported in inches included Camp Sherman (9), 5 miles north northwest of LaPine (8), Sunriver (8), 3 miles southwest of Rowena (6), 9 miles northwest of Tumalo (7), 5 mles north northwest of Bend (6), 4 miles west northwest of LaPine (6), Redmond (8), 7 miles northwest of Madras (6.6), 5 miles south southwest of Chenowith (5.5), LaPine (6), Three Rivers (12), 5 miles north northwest of Redmond (7.6), and 9 miles northwest of Terrebonne (9).
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 Dec 17, 4:30 PM PST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
430 PM PST FRI DEC 17 2010
UPDATED TO EXPAND COVERAGE OF WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES
.SHORT TERM...HAVE COMPLETED AN EARLY SHIFT ZONE UPDATE TO INCLUDE 3
MORE ZONES UNDER THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES. THESE ZONES ARE THE
JOHN DAY VALLEY...THE EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE AND THE LOWER
COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON. ALL OTHER ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 242 PM PST FRI DEC 17 2010/
SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY. A LARGE LOW SPINNING OFF THE
EASTERN PACIFIC WILL SEND SURGES OF ENERGY AND MOISTURE ACROSS THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST. EACH WAVE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BRING MODERATE TO
HEAVY SNOW...AND THE BIGGEST FORECAST CHALLENGE HAS BEEN DETERMINING
NOT ONLY HOW MUCH SNOW WILL FALL WITH EACH WAVE BUT ALSO THE TIMING
OF EACH DISTURBANCE. IN THE SHORT TERM...A WAVE MOVING ACROSS SW
OREGON THIS EVENING WILL TRACK NORTHEAST ACROSS OREGON AND
WASHINGTON TONIGHT AND SATURDAY. A LOW LEVEL EASTERLY FLOW AND A
MOIST SW FLOW ALOFT WILL BRING DECENT OROGRAPHIC LIFT TO ENHANCE
SNOWFALL...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CASCADES OF
OREGON AND CENTRAL OREGON. THIS IS THE AREA THAT WILL SEE ADVISORY
AMOUNTS BUT COULD BE PUSHING HEAVY SNOW WARNING CRITERIA. THERE
SHOULD BE A BRIEF WARM SURGE OVER CENTRAL OREGON SATURDAY AFTERNOON
WITH SNOW CHANGING TO A WET MIX OF SNOW AND RAIN. THE INCREASING
SNOW LEVELS WILL RESULT IN SNOW CHANGING TO RAIN AT ELEVATIONS
BELOW 3500 FEET IN JOHN DAY AREA...THUS WILL CANCEL THE WATCH FOR
THE JOHN DAY BASIN. THE EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE WAS A TRICKY
FORECAST...AS AREAS FROM MOSIER WESTWARD WILL LIKELY SEE SNOW
THROUGH THE DAY BUT MORE THAN HALF OF THE ZONE WILL HAVE RAIN OR A
RAIN/SNOW MIX WITH LITTLE OR NO ACCUMULATION. WILL CANCEL THE WATCH
THERE AS WELL. THE EASTERLY SURFACE GRADIENT WILL KEEP THE LOWER
COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON COLD ENOUGH TO SEE ALL SNOW SATURDAY.
SNOW AMOUNTS OF 1-3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED THERE AS WELL AS THE
KITTITAS AND YAKIMA VALLEYS AND WILL ISSUE AN ADVISORY FOR THESE
ZONES. WHILE MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL HAVE A BREAK IN
PRECIPITATION OR JUST SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS SATURDAY NIGHT...THE
BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS
THROUGH THE NIGHT. HOWEVER...IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE SIGNIFICANT
ENOUGH FOR A WARNING BUT ENOUGH FOR AN ADVISORY.
THE FORECAST AREA WILL BRIEFLY LIE BETWEEN TWO SYSTEMS ON SUNDAY AS
THE FIRST WAVE EXITS THE REGION AND ANOTHER ONE QUICKLY FOLLOWS FOR
ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOW LATE SUNDAY. JOHNSON
LONG TERM...SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MODELS ARE IN
SOMEWHAT OF AN AGREEMENT ON MOVING ONE LAST WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE
ACROSS THE REGION SUNDAY NIGHT FOR A PERIOD OF SNOW...BEFORE THE
FOCUS OF ENERGY SHIFTS SOUTHWARD INTO CALIFORNIA FOR MUCH OF NEXT
WEEK. IN SPITE OF THE RELATIVE AGREEMENT ON THE LARGER SCALE
FEATURES...THERE ARE VAST DIFFERENCES IN THE PLACEMENT OF THE
PRECIPITATION FEATURES AMONG THE MODELS AND WITHIN EACH MODEL FROM
ONE RUN TO THE NEXT. THIS PROVIDES LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN THE SNOWFALL
FORECAST FOR SUNDAY NIGHT. HAVE DECIDED FOR NOW TO PUT LIKELY POPS
AREAWIDE FOR LATER FINE TUNING AND WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF AN
ADVISORY OR TWO MIGHT BE NEEDED FOR SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY MORNING.
FROM LATER MONDAY THROUGH MID WEEK...A SOMEWHAT DRIER PATTERN WILL
EVOLVE WITH JUST LOW CHANCES FOR RAIN/SNOW EACH DAY. TEMPERATURES
WILL BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. 78
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. UPPER LOW REMAINS OFFSHORE WITH A SOUTHWEST
FLOW ALOFT OVER THE REGION. MODELS KEEP THE HEAVY PRECIPITATION
ALONG THE COAST DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. WILL CONTINUE WITH MOSTLY
CLOUDY AND A CHANCE OF RAIN/SNOW. HIGH TEMPERATURES STAY IN THE 30S
FOR THE MOST PART WITH LOWS IN THE 20S.
AVIATION...00Z TAFS...FOG HAS LINGERED AROUND KALW THIS AFTERNOON
AND AFTER A POSSIBLE BRIEF PERIOD OF IMPROVEMENT LATE THIS AFTERNOON
EXPECT CONDITIONS TO TRANSITION BACK TO LIFR TONIGHT. ALSO EXPECT
SOME FOG AT KDLS...KYKM AND KRDM. OTHERWISE EXPECT CLOUDS TO LOWER
AND THICKEN WITH -SN/-RASN TO DEVELOP FROM SOUTH TO NORTH BEGINNING
AT 09Z IN DESCHUTES COUNTY...AND REACHING THE REST OF THE TAF SITES
BY AROUND 15Z. IFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH THE PRECIPITATION. 78
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 28 34 26 32 / 10 80 50 50
ALW 27 35 27 34 / 10 80 50 50
PSC 27 32 25 35 / 10 90 40 30
YKM 25 30 21 30 / 10 90 50 50
HRI 26 33 26 33 / 10 80 50 50
ELN 24 29 20 29 / 10 90 60 60
RDM 27 37 23 38 / 90 90 60 60
LGD 27 34 25 38 / 10 90 60 50
GCD 26 36 29 36 / 70 90 60 60
DLS 30 33 31 35 / 70 100 70 60
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 PM PST
SATURDAY ABOVE 4000 FEET FOR THE ORZ506.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 AM SATURDAY TO 4 AM PST SUNDAY
ORZ502-503.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 PM PST
SATURDAY ORZ042-508.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 PM PST
SATURDAY ORZ509.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 AM TO 3 PM PST SATURDAY
ORZ041-044.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL NOON PST SATURDAY ORZ049.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 PM PST
SATURDAY ORZ505.
WA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 AM TO 3 PM PST SATURDAY
WAZ026>028-520-521.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 AM TO 3 PM PST SATURDAY WAZ024.
&&
THREAT INDEX
SATURDAY : RED
SUNDAY : GREEN
MONDAY : 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
91/76/76HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
437 PM PST FRI DEC 17 2010
UPDATED TO INCLUDE MORE ZONES UNDER A WINTER WEATEHR ADVISORY
ORZ041-042-044-049-050-502-503-505>509-WAZ024-026>030-520-521-
181415-
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF OREGON-NORTH CENTRAL OREGON-
LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON-GRANDE RONDE VALLEY-WALLOWA COUNTY-
NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-JOHN DAY BASIN-OCHOCO-
JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS-
FOOTHILLS OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
FOOTHILLS OF THE SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
EAST SLOPES OF THE OREGON CASCADES-
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 OF WASHINGTON-
EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES-SIMCOE HIGHLANDS-
437 PM PST FRI DEC 17 2010
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON
AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT
SNOW
NORTH CENTRAL OREGON, EAST SLOPES OF THE OREGON CASCADES,
FOOTHILLS OF THE SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, JOHN DAY
BASIN, OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS
STRONG WIND
GRANDE RONDE VALLEY
LOW PRESSURE OFF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST WILL STREAM MOISTURE
INTO THE REGION OVERNIGHT. SNOW WILL DEVELOP LATE THIS EVENING OVER
CENTRAL OREGON AND SPREAD NORTHEASTWARD LATE TONIGHT. NUMEROUS
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR SNOW. PLEASE REFER TO
PDXWSWPDT FOR MORE DETAILS.
IN ADDITION...PRESSURE GRADIENTS WILL TIGHTEN ACROSS THE GRANDE
RONDE VALLEY. THIS WILL RESULT IN STRENGTHENING SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST
SURFACE WINDS LATE TONIGHT. A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED WHICH
INCLUDES I-84 THROUGH LADD CANYON. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST
PDXNPWPDT FOR MORE DETAILS.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
SNOW SATURDAY
EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES, SIMCOE HIGHLANDS,
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF WASHINGTON, KITTITAS VALLEY,
YAKIMA VALLEY, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON, EASTERN
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF OREGON, NORTH CENTRAL OREGON, EAST
SLOPES OF THE OREGON CASCADES, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON,
NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF
OREGON, FOOTHILLS OF THE SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON,
JOHN DAY BASIN, OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS
STRONG WIND SATURDAY
GRANDE RONDE VALLEY
SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY SPREADING NORTHWARD AND EASTWARD
THROUGH THE DAY. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE STRONG IN THE GRANDE
RONDE VALLEY DURING THE MORNING. THE SNOW AND WIND ARE COVERED IN
MORE DETAIL IN THE LATEST PDXWSWPDT AND PDXNPWPDT RESPECTIVELY.
SNOW SUNDAY
EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES, SIMCOE 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
OF WASHINGTON, EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF OREGON, NORTH
CENTRAL OREGON, EAST SLOPES OF THE OREGON CASCADES, LOWER
COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON, GRANDE RONDE VALLEY, WALLOWA COUNTY,
FOOTHILLS OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, NORTHERN
BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON,
FOOTHILLS OF THE SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, JOHN DAY
BASIN, OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS
ANOTHER WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION SUNDAY
NIGHT BRINGING A PERIOD OF SNOWFALL TO MUCH OF THE AREA. SOME
ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE.
.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.The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, December 2010
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: 265169, 265172.