A strong Pacific system moved through the South Washington and North Oregon Coast this morning and continued into the afternoon. The strongest winds were reported after a warm frontal passage.
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 PQR wrote it up.
A strong Pacific system moved through the South Washington and North Oregon Coast this morning and continued into the afternoon. The strongest winds were reported after a warm frontal passage.
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 Portland, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 26, 7:41 AM PST, 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
841 AM PDT MON SEP 26 2011
.SYNOPSIS...ANOTHER STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL MOVE INLAND TODAY
BRINGING STRONG WINDS TO THE COAST AND BREEZY CONDITIONS
INLAND...WITH DECENT RAINS IN MOST PLACES...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE
COAST RANGE...WILLAPA HILLS...AND S WA CASCADES. AN UPPER LEVEL
RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO BRING DRIER WEATHER MID WEEK WITH MORNING FOR ON
WEDNESDAY. LATE IN THE WEEK OR NEXT WEEKEND ANOTHER TROUGH OF LOW
PRESSURE MAY MOVE ACROSS THE REGION.
&&
.SHORT TERM...INITIAL BAND OF WARM FRONTAL PRECIPITATION WILL
CONTINUE TO SHIFT NORTH AND EAST...WITH LITTLE EXPECTED SOUTH OF
SALEM. VERY STRONG ISENTROPIC LIFT DEPICTED ON THE 295K SURFACE IS
FORECAST TO SHIFT INLAND AS THE WARM FRONT MOVES NORTH OF OUR AREA.
THE TRAILING COLD FRONT WILL BE SLOW MOVING AS THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW
IS SOMEWHAT PARALLEL TO THE LOW LEVEL FRONTAL BOUNDARY. WITH PLENTY
OF RADAR ACTIVITY...WELL DEPICTED ON THE COASTAL WA RADAR
KLGX...EXPECT PRECIPITATION TO CONTINUE ALONG THE COAST AND COAST
RANGE...WITH AREAS SOUTH AND EAST MISSING OUT FOR A BIT...AS
ISENTROPIC LIFT REMAINS FOCUSED NORTH. BETTER DYNAMICS CONTINUE TO
THE NORTH...BUT STILL EXPECT A GOOD SWATH OF OROGRAPHICALLY ENHANCED
RAIN ALONG THE N COAST RANGE AND WILLAPA HILLS...WITH ADDITIONAL
ENHANCEMENT ALONG THE S WA CASCADES...WHERE THE VEERING LOW LEVEL
WINDS WILL ENABLE PRECIP TO CONTINUE ALL DAY.
STRONG WINDS ARE NOT QUITE SURFACING YET AT THE COAST YET...AS THE
GRADIENT HAS NOT QUITE OPENED UP YET TO FEEL THE IMPACTS OF THE
STRONG LOW LEVEL WINDS...SOME 60 KT OR SO AT 925 MB...CONFIRMED
VELOCITY DATA ON KLGX DEPICTING 60-65 KT ALONG THE SOUTH WA COAST AT
2800-3000 FT. A SHIP REPORT OFFSHORE OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER BAR HAS
BEEN REPORTING 55 KT WINDS THIS MORNING. EXPECT AS LOW LEVEL WINDS
VEER AND THE NEAR SURFACE STABLE LAYER WEAKENS THAT STRONG GUSTS
SHOULD QUICKLY MOVE INTO THE COAST...AND DO NOT PLAN ON MAKING ANY
CHANGES TO THE HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE HEADLANDS. BEST BET ON THE
S WA COAST.
THIS IS A FAIRLY JUICY TROPICAL MOISTURE LADEN SYSTEM WITH
PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF 1.5 INCHES EXTENDING INTO THE N OR AND S
WA COAST. OUR NORTHERN ZONES MAY SEE SOME DECENT
RAINFALL...ESPECIALLY AT THE COAST AND NORTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER.
THE WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH ALONG THE NORTH COAST ZONES THIS
MORNING...WITH WHICH WE COULD
SEE SOME HIGH WINDS ALONG THE SOUTH WASHINGTON AND NORTH OREGON
COASTS. THE SURFACE GRADIENT IS STRONGER WITH THIS SYSTEM...AS WELL
AS THE LOW LEVEL JET AS EVIDENCED BY WINDS AT 975 MB...925 MB...AND
850 MB. LOOKING FOR GUSTS IN THE 60S ALONG THE HEADLANDS AND
BEACHES...AND 50 TO 55 MPH IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES. A HIGH WIND
WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTH WASHINGTON AND NORTH OREGON
COASTS TODAY. WINDS ON THE CENTRAL COAST ARE EXPECTED TO BE JUST
UNDER HIGH WIND CRITERIA.
THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL BEGIN TO SAG SOUTH ACROSS THE ENTIRE
AREA TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY. THIS WILL LIKELY BE THE WETTEST
PERIOD FOR MOST PEOPLE IN OUR AREA. WINDS WILL BE QUITE A BIT LIGHTER
AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH.
TUESDAY WILL SEE THE PRECIPITATION WANE AS THE FRONT WEAKENS AND
MOVES OUT OF OUR AREA...THOUGH A FEW SHOWERS MAY PERSIST THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON. KMD
.LONG TERM...NO CHANGES. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS...CONSISTENT
WITH PREVIOUS DAYS...MODELS HAVE STRUGGLED WITH BASIC PATTERNS AFTER
ABOUT DAY 4. TODAY...TIMING ISSUES CROP UP AS EARLY AS WED WITH THE
TROUGH COMING IN FROM THE PAC WITH GFS TENDING TO BE THE SLOWEST AT
ALLOWING THE FRONTAL SYSTEM TO APPROACH THE COAST. OVERALL...MODELS
TENDING TO BRING SOME WEAK TROUGHS THROUGH AT THE END OF THE WEEK OR
OVER THE WEEKEND...SO FEEL THAT A FORECAST APPROACHING CLIMATOLOGY
WORKS BEST FRI THROUGH SUN. FOR THU...WILL DO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A
MODEL BLEND WHILE LEANING ON PERSISTENCE. FOR NOW WILL TRY TO KEEP
MOST OF THE AREA DRY THU...EXCEPT WILL ADD IN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN
FOR THE N COAST.
&&
.AVIATION...A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA
TODAY BRINGING RAIN AND WIND TO THE AREA. CIGS/VSBYS ARE CURRENTLY
VFR/LOCAL MVFR. CONDITIONS WILL DIMINISH TO MVFR ALONG THE COAST AND
OCNL MVFR INLAND IN RAIN BY EARLY AFTERNOON. EXPECT WINDS TO EASE
THIS AFTERNOON.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...VFR TODAY WITH OCNL MVFR CONDITIONS IN RAIN
THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
&&
.MARINE...A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS TRACKING NORTHWARD OUTSIDE
OF 130W TODAY. THE ASSOCIATED FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE WATERS
TODAY BRINGING STORM FORCE GUSTS TO THE WATERS THROUGH THIS
AFTERNOON. THIS MAY BE A DECENT SYSTEM FOR COASTAL BARRIER JET
DEVELOPMENT.
THIS STORM WILL ALSO BRING ELEVATED SEAS. THE WIND MAY CREATE
COMBINED SEAS APPROACHING 20 FT LATER THIS AFTERNOON...THEN SUBSIDE
FAIRLY QUICKLY INTO THE MID TEENS BY THIS EVENING. HOWEVER SWELL
GENERATED FURTHER OFFSHORE WILL ARRIVE TUE MORNING WITH WESTERLY
SWELL AROUND 20 FEET FOR THE OUTER WATER AND MID TO UPPER TEENS FOR
THE NEAR SHORE WATERS.
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 2 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR NORTH
OREGON COAST.
WA...NONE.
PZ...STORM WARNING UNTIL 2 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR COASTAL
WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO FLORENCE OR OUT 60 NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH COLUMBIA RIVER BAR UNTIL 11 AM
PDT TUESDAY MORNING.
&&
MORE WEATHER INFORMATION ONLINE AT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/PORTLAND
THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON FROM
THE CASCADE CREST TO 60 NAUTICAL MILES OFFSHORE. THE AREA IS COMMONLY
REFERRED TO AS THE FORECAST AREA.HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR 631 AM PDT MON SEP 26 2011 ORZ002>014-PZZ255-275-WAZ019-020-022-023-039-040-271645- CENTRAL OREGON COAST-COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON- CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-LOWER COLUMBIA- GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA-CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY- SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY-WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE- NORTHERN OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES- CASCADE FOOTHILLS IN LANE COUNTY-CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY- UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY- COASTAL WATERS FROM CASCADE HEAD TO FLORENCE OR OUT 10 NM- WATERS FROM CASCADE HEAD TO FLORENCE OR FROM 10 TO 60 NM- SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES-WILLAPA HILLS-I- 5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY-GREATER VANCOUVER AREA- SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS- 631 AM PDT MON SEP 26 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON...NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON COASTAL WATERS AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT LIKELY BE NEEDED TODAY. PZZ210-250-270-271645- COLUMBIA RIVER BAR- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO CASCADE HEAD OR OUT 10 NM- WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO CASCADE HEAD OR FROM 10 TO 60 NM- 631 AM PDT MON SEP 26 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM PDT EARLY THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ORZ001-WAZ021-271645- NORTH OREGON COAST-SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST- 631 AM PDT MON SEP 26 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON NEAR BEACHES AND HEADLANDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong winds were reported at Clatsop Spit with sustained winds of 44 kts and gusts to 56 kts. Strong winds were also reported at Garibaldi NWS with sustained winds of 43 kts and gusts to 56 kts, Cape meares with a gust to 53 kts, and at Garibaldi NOS with a gusts to 55 kts.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, September 2011
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: 340891.