Heavy Snow in Oregon, February 7 to 8, 2011

Name: Heavy Snow in Oregon, February 7 to 8, 2011
Start: 2011-02-07T09:45
End: 2011-02-08T09:15
Location: Oregon

February 7 to 8, 2011 · NWS PDT · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A moist northwest upslope flow brought heavy snowfall to the northern Blue Mountains. 2), Tollgate (13), and High Ridge SnoTel (12).

Where it happened

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.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS PDT wrote it up.

A moist northwest upslope flow brought heavy snowfall to the northern Blue Mountains. Snowfall amounts in inches included Meacham (10.2), Tollgate (13), and High Ridge SnoTel (12).

What forecasters said that day

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 Feb 7, 8:50 AM PST, 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 7, 8:50 AM PST, 55 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
850 AM PST MON FEB 7 2011

.UPDATE...THE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM THIS MORNING WILL
BE EXTENDED UNTIL 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON.  WINDS WILL BE DECREASING
THIS AFTERNOON BUT SHOULD REMAIN VERY WINDY FOR ANOTHER SEVERAL
HOURS.  A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING SOUTH ACROSS EASTERN WASHINGTON
WILL BRING SNOW TO THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AND WALLOWAS THIS AFTERNOON
AND TONIGHT. THERE WILL BE A STRONG NW FLOW ALOFT ENHANCING
OROGRAPHIC LIFT OVER THE BLUE MOUNTAINS...AND THE SNOW COULD BECOME
HEAVY AT TIMES. WILL BE ISSUING A SNOW ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN
BLUES FOR 6-9 INCHES FROM NOON TODAY THROUGH NOON TUESDAY.  THIS
STATEMENT WILL BE OUT SHORTLY.  JOHNSON

&&

.AVIATION...18Z TAFS...A DISTURBANCE DROPPING FROM THE NORTH WILL
BRING A FEW SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON TO THE REGION. MAY SEE BRIEF
PERIODS OF MVFR CEILINGS NEAR KDLS...KALW AND KPDT WITH THE HEAVIER
SHOWERS. CEILINGS WILL LIFT AND SCATTER AFTER 06Z TONIGHT AT ALL TAF
SITES...THOUGH WILL REMAIN CLOUDY NEAR THE BLUE MOUNTAINS WHERE SNOW
SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY MORNING. WINDS WILL BE
THE PRIMARY CONCERN FOR TODAY WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS CONTINUING
THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL THEN DIMINISH AFTER 00Z
AND DROP TO BELOW 15 KTS AFTER 03Z-06Z. DMH

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 406 AM PST MON FEB 7 2011/

LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY...MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT
IN HAVING A RIDGE CENTERED OFFSHORE THROUGH THE EARLY PART OF THE
LONG TERM PERIOD. THIS WILL ENSURE DRY WEATHER WEDNESDAY THROUGH
FRIDAY. A NORTHERLY FLOW WILL BE OVER THE AREA WEDNESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THIS WILL GIVE US HIGH TEMPERATURES NEAR NORMAL
IN THE LOWER TO MID 40S WITH 30S IN THE MOUNTAINS AND LOWS IN THE
LOWER TO MID 20S WITH 10 TO 20 IN THE MOUNTAINS. THURSDAY THROUGH
FRIDAY THE RIDGE WILL SLOWLY MOVE ASHORE AND OVER US WITH A MORE
NORTHWESTERLY FLOW. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM A COUPLE OF DEGREES EACH
DAY. FRIDAY NIGHT A SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE AREA AND SHOVE THE
RIDGE OFF TO OUR EAST. MODELS HAVE BEEN DELAYING THE ARRIVAL OF THE
SYSTEM THE LAST FEW RUNS UNTIL LATE FRIDAY NIGHT SO HAVE CUT BACK ON
POPS FRIDAY BUT LEFT A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE WASHINGTON
CASCADES. WITH CLOUD COVER MOVING OVER AND A SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW
DEVELOPING...TEMPERATURES WILL RISE FRIDAY NIGHT THEN ON SATURDAY
WILL BE GENERALLY IN THE UPPER 40S AS RAIN COVERS THE AREA. SATURDAY
NIGHT WILL SEE SOME TAPERING OFF OF THE RAIN TO SHOWERS BUT ANOTHER
DISTURBANCE WILL FOLLOW ON SUNDAY WITH MORE RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW.
MODELS SUGGEST A BREAK IN THE RAIN AND SNOW MONDAY BUT WITH WEAK
CONFIDENCE IN THE TIMING THAT FAR OUT...HAVE KEPT A CHANCE OF RAIN
AND SNOW SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY FOR NOW. PERRY

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT  50  31  39  26 /  40  40  20   0
ALW  49  31  41  26 /  50  40  20   0
PSC  53  30  42  25 /  20  10  10   0
YKM  52  27  40  24 /  20  10  10   0
HRI  52  33  42  25 /  20  20  10   0
ELN  48  26  38  22 /  20  10  10   0
RDM  48  25  43  22 /  20  20  20   0
LGD  42  26  36  21 /  40  40  30  10
GCD  41  25  37  21 /  20  50  30   0
DLS  53  34  46  27 /  30  20  20   0

&&

.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON
     ORZ041-042-044-507-508.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO NOON PST TUESDAY
     ORZ502.

WA...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON
     WAZ024-026>029-520-521.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO NOON PST TUESDAY
     WAZ030.

&&

THREAT INDEX
TODAY : YELLOW
TUESDAY : GREEN
WEDNESDAY : 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

85/85/85

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 7, 9:35 AM PST, 10 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
935 AM PST MON FEB 7 2011

UPDATED FOR WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND TO EXTEND THE WIND
ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON.

ORZ041-042-044-049-050-502-503-505>509-WAZ024-026>030-520-521-
081415-
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-
935 AM PST MON FEB 7 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON
AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SNOW
     NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, NORTHERN BLUE
     MOUNTAINS OF OREGON

STRONG WIND
     SIMCOE HIGHLANDS, EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF WASHINGTON,
     KITTITAS VALLEY, YAKIMA VALLEY, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF
     WASHINGTON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON,
     EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF OREGON, NORTH CENTRAL OREGON,
     LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON, FOOTHILLS OF THE NORTHERN BLUE
     MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, FOOTHILLS OF THE SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS
     OF OREGON

A COLD FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON
CREATING VERY WINDY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS BETWEEN 25 TO 35 MPH WITH
GUSTS NEARING 50 MPH. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM PST
THIS AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND UNDER THE
HEADER...PDXNPWPDT.

ALSO SNOW ACCUMULATIONS BETWEEN 2 TO 4 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE
BLUE MOUNTAINS TODAY WITH ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES
TONIGHT.  A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW (PDXWSWPDT) HAS BEEN
ISSUED FROM NOON TODAY THROUGH NOON TUESDAY FOR THE NORTHERN BLUE
MOUNTAINS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

SNOW TUESDAY
     NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, NORTHERN BLUE
     MOUNTAINS OF OREGON

SNOW WILL GRADUALLY TAPER OFF TUESDAY MORNING IN THE NORTHERN BLUE
MOUNTAINS.  DRY CONDITIONS WILL FOLLOW ON TUESDAY AND WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK.  SHOWERS WILL RETURN TO THE REGION
THIS WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED FOR WINDS TODAY AND SNOW IN THE
NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

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.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Feb 7, 6:50 AM PST, 2 hours 55 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
650 AM PST MON FEB 07 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0553 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST YAKIMA                  46.59N 120.53W
02/07/2011  M45 MPH          YAKIMA             WA   ASOS

            ASOS WIND GUST TO 45 MPH.

0504 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST PENDLETON               45.67N 118.82W
02/07/2011  M47 MPH          UMATILLA           OR   ASOS

0321 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST CITY OF THE DALLES      45.60N 121.18W
02/07/2011  M53 MPH          WASCO              OR   ASOS

            ASOS WIND GUST TO 53 MPH.

&&

VPAPOL

Local storm report, Feb 7, 7:01 AM PST, 2 hours 44 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
701 AM PST MON FEB 07 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0114 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 SW ROWENA             45.62N 121.34W
02/07/2011  M51.00 MPH       WASCO              OR   MESONET

            WASCO BUTTE RAWS STATION REPORTED A WIND GUST OF 51 MPH.

0348 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 8 NNW CLARNO            45.03N 120.54W
02/07/2011  M61.00 MPH       WASCO              OR   MESONET

            NORTH POLE RIDGE RAWS STATION REPORTED A WIND GUST OF 61
            MPH AT 348 AM PST. WINDS WERE SUSTAINED AT 33 TO 37 MPH
            WITH GUSTS OF 49 TO 61 MPH FOR FOUR HOURS.

&&

GP

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Northern Blue Mountains

When: February 7, 9:45 AM PST to February 8, 9:15 AM PST
Where: Northern Blue Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 45.494, -117.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oregon in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in Oregon, February 2011

Sources

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: 273343.