Flash Flood and Heavy Snow in Oregon, June 1 to 2, 2011

Name: Flash Flood and Heavy Snow in Oregon, June 1 to 2, 2011
Start: 2011-06-01T22:00
End: 2011-06-02T10:00
Location: Oregon

June 1 to 2, 2011 · NWS PDT · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Persistent showers with heavy rainfall of 1 to 2 inches produced flooding on Willow and Hinton Creeks. 5), Arbuckle Snotel (10), Madison Butte Snotel (6).

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: $70,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

Persistent showers with heavy rainfall of 1 to 2 inches produced flooding on Willow and Hinton Creeks. Snowfall amounts in inches include 15 miles southeast of Heppner (6.5), Arbuckle Snotel (10), Madison Butte Snotel (6).

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 Jun 1, 9:50 PM PST, 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 1, 9:50 PM PST, 10 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
1050 PM PDT WED JUN 1 2011

.UPDATE...SHOWERS THIS EVENING PRODUCED OVER A HALF INCH OF RAIN
ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS FOOTHILLS AND EVEN MORE IN THE
MOUNTAINS. THE LATEST RADAR WAS SHOWING THE AREA OF SHOWERS SLOWLY
DECREASING IN AREAL COVERAGE AND INTENSITY. THUS THE ZONES WERE
UPDATED TO TREND THE CHANCES OF RAIN SLIGHTLY DOWNWARD. OTHERWISE
THE PRESENT SHORT TERM FORECAST APPEARS ON TRACK FOR NOW.

&&

.AVIATION...AREAS OF MVFR CEILINGS WILL PERSIST ACROSS ALL TAF SITES
IN SHOWERS TONIGHT. AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE AREA
THE MVFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH TOMORROW.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 720 PM PDT WED JUN 1 2011/

UPDATE...THE LATEST RADAR WAS SHOWING AN AREA OF SHOWERS OVER THE
CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE REGION. THESE SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE AND HAVE UPDATED THE RAIN CHANCES ACROSS THE WA/OR BASIN AS
WELL AS THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING. OTHERWISE
THE PRESENT SHORT TERM FORECAST APPEARS ON TRACK FOR NOW.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 200 PM PDT WED JUN 1 2011/

SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. A LARGE UPPER LEVEL LOW IS
MOVING INLAND TODAY. SATELLITE SHOWS A STRONG SHORT WAVE MOVING
THROUGH THE THE LOW...INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN OREGON.
THIS FEATURE IS ENHANCING THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SO EXPECT
INCREASING CONVECTIVE PRECIPITATION THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON INTO
EVENING. STORMS WILL LIKELY HAVE SMALL HAIL BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND
GUSTY WINDS. MODELS MOVE THIS SHORT WAVE ACROSS NORTHEAST OREGON
INTO IDAHO TONIGHT WITH AN AREA OF LIGHT TO MODERATE STRATIFORM
RAIN. HAVE INCREASED PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS FROM THE JOHN DAY
HIGHLANDS NORTHEAST TO THE BLUES AND WALLOWA MOUNTAINS AND ISSUED AN
AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. THE UPPER LOW WILL BE
MOVING EAST OF THE REGION LATER THURSDAY AND SHOULD RESULT IN A
DECREASING TREND IN PRECIPITATION. WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE
OVERNIGHT INTO THURSDAY WITH BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS THROUGH THE
COLUMBIA BASIN AND ADJACENT VALLEYS. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT
FOR THE KITTITAS VALLEY. A WEAK UPPER RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER THE AREA
FRIDAY WITH WARMER AND DRIER CONDITIONS. SOME CLOUDS WILL LINGER
OVER CENTRAL OREGON IN RESPONSE TO A LOW OFFSHORE...OTHERWISE MOST
OF THE FORECAST AREA SHOULD SEE MAINLY SUNNY SKIES. THE RIDGE WILL
BUILD A LITTLE STRONGER SATURDAY WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES AND MOSTLY
SUNNY SKIES.  94

LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...AN UPPER LEVEL LOW
OVER CALIFORNIA WILL HAVE SOME WRAP AROUND MOISTURE THAT MAY TRIGGER
A FEW SHOWERS IN CENTRAL OREGON SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AS THE
LOW OPENS UP AND MOVE INTO SOUTHERN IDAHO MONDAY AND TUESDAY THE
CHANCE OF SHOWERS WILL INCREASE IN EASTERN OREGON AND
WASHINGTON...PARTICULARLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WEDNESDAY
THE ECMWF HAS ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVING FROM THE GULF OF ALASKA
INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WHILE THE GFS HAS A RIDGE BUILDING INTO
THE AREA AS THE ORIGINAL LOW MOVES EAST. THE GFS ENSEMBLES HAVE WIDE
SPREAD BETWEEN THESE TWO SOLUTIONS...SO KEPT A CHANCE OF SHOWERS
OVER THE AREA WITH A DIURNAL INCREASE IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
COONFIELD

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT  47  64  43  71 /  40  30  30  10
ALW  49  64  47  71 /  40  30  30  10
PSC  50  69  45  77 /  30  30  30  10
YKM  45  68  40  73 /  30  30  30  10
HRI  49  67  44  74 /  30  30  30  10
ELN  46  64  43  71 /  40  30  30  10
RDM  36  61  31  66 /  60  30  30  10
LGD  45  56  39  67 /  70  70  50  10
GCD  41  60  37  68 /  70  70  40  10
DLS  48  64  46  75 /  40  30  30  10

&&

.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...NONE.
WA...WIND ADVISORY FROM 8 AM TO 8 PM PDT THURSDAY WAZ026.

&&

THREAT INDEX
THURSDAY : GREEN
FRIDAY : GREEN
SATURDAY : 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

97/97

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 1, 12:30 PM PST, 9 hours 30 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
130 PM PDT WED JUN 1 2011

UPDATE FOR WIND ADVISORY

ORZ041-042-044-049-050-502-503-505>509-WAZ024-026>030-520-521-
021415-
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-
130 PM PDT WED JUN 1 2011

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS
     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

AN UPPER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO BE LOCATED ALONG THE
OREGON/CALIFORNIA COAST TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE LOW HAS BROUGHT
COLDER AIR ALOFT TO THE REGION. THIS COLD AIR IN THE MID AND UPPER
LEVELS WILL HELP CREATE STEEP TEMPERATURE LAPSE RATES WHICH WILL
RESULT IN INSTABILITY AND RAIN SHOWERS THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
ADDITIONALLY...SURFACE HEATING LATER TODAY AND THIS EVENING THIS
WILL INCREASE THE INSTABILITY FURTHER AND CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE
CONDUCIVE TO THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT OVER ALL OF THE FORECAST AREA.
SOME OF THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE SMALL HAIL...GUSTY
WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL.

AN AREA OF STEADY RAIN WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHEASTERN OREGON THIS
EVENING AND TONIGHT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE HALF INCH OR MORE ARE
POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS. THIS WILL RESULT IN RISES ON
THE RIVERS AND STREAMS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

STRONG WIND THURSDAY
     KITTITAS VALLEY

NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE OVERNIGHT INTO THURSDAY IN THE
KITTITAS VALLEY. WINDS WILL BE 30 TO 40 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS FROM
LATE MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.

.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.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 1, 6:51 PM PST, 3 hours 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
751 PM PDT WED JUN 01 2011

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

0730 PM     HAIL             2 W TOUCHET             46.04N 118.71W
05/31/2011  E0.75 INCH       WALLA WALLA        WA   PUBLIC

            LARGEST HAIL WAS DIME SIZE. THE HAIL COVERED THE GROUND.

&&

VP

Local storm report, Jun 1, 7:12 PM PST, 2 hours 48 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
812 PM PDT WED JUN 01 2011

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

0730 PM     HAIL             3 SW TOUCHET            46.01N 118.72W
05/31/2011  E0.75 INCH       WALLA WALLA        WA   PUBLIC

            HAIL TO THE SIZE OF A DIME.

&&

VP

Local storm report, Jun 1, 7:29 PM PST, 2 hours 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
829 PM PDT WED JUN 01 2011

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

0730 PM     HAIL             3 SW TOUCHET            46.01N 118.72W
05/31/2011  E0.88 INCH       WALLA WALLA        WA   PUBLIC

            LARGEST HAIL WAS AROUND A NICKEL IN SIZE.

0730 PM     HAIL             3 SW TOUCHET            46.01N 118.72W
05/31/2011  E1.00 INCH       WALLA WALLA        WA   PUBLIC

            ALSO VERY HEAVY RAIN.

&&

VP

The radar

The Pendleton radar (KPDT), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 heavy snow, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Southern Blue Mountains

When: June 1, 10:00 PM PST to June 2, 9:00 AM PST
Where: Southern Blue Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 45.153, -119.262 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Morrow

When: June 2, 7:00 AM PST to 10:00 AM PST
Where: Morrow County, 1.14 mi SE of Heppner to 5.8 mi NNW of Heppner
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $70,000
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 45.337, -119.536

Flash flooding on Hinton and Willow Creeks damaged roads, bridges, and the Morrow County Fairgrounds. The Heppner elementary school was evacuated as a precaution.

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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, June 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: 312996, 312995.