Heavy rainfall on melting snowpack along the east slopes of the Washington Cascades caused flooding along numerous streams in western Kittitas and Yakima counties. 69 inches in Cle Elum.
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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 melting snowpack along the east slopes of the Washington Cascades caused flooding along numerous streams in western Kittitas and Yakima counties. Reported rainfall included 2.5 inches in Easton and .69 inches in Cle Elum.
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 Mar 31, 9:48 AM PST, 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR 1048 AM PDT THU MAR 31 2011 UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION .UPDATE...A BROAD UPPER LEVEL RIDGE IS OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THERE IS ENOUGH MOISTURE MOVING THROUGH THE RIDGE FOR CONSIDERABLE CLOUDINESS...BUT NOT ENOUGH LIFT FOR WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION. UPSLOPE CONDITIONS WILL CREATE SOME SHOWERS IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AND ALONG THE CASCADES. THE CORE OF THE JETSTREAM IS LOCATED IN CANADA...BUT IT IS STRONG ENOUGH THAT 250 MB WINDS OVER EASTERN WASHINGTON ARE 90-100 KTS. WINDS AT 700 MB ARE45-60 KT. SOME OF THESE HIGHER WINDS ALOFT ARE MIXING TO THE SURFACE IN THE TRI CITIES NORTH AND EASTWARD IN THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN. THERE WILL BE BORDERLINE WIND ADVISORY CONDITIONS IN THESE AREAS AT TIMES TODAY...BUT DO NOT EXPECT COVERAGE TO BE WIDESPREAD ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY AN ADVISORY. COONFIELD && .AVIATION...18Z TAFS...VFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY. MAIN CONCERN WILL BE THE WINDS THROUGH THIS EVENING. WEST-SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 35 KT WITH HIGHER GUSTS ARE EXPECTED AT ALL TAF SITES WITH HIGHER GUSTS THROUGH ABOUT 04Z. AFTER 04Z WINDS WILL SUBSIDE. FOR CLOUD COVER...EXPECT 5 KFT SCT-BKN AND 8-10 KFT BKN-OVC THROUGH THE FCST PERIOD. 78 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 440 AM PDT THU MAR 31 2011/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...A LOW AMPLITUDE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE IN THE MID/UPPER ATMOSPHERE WILL PERSIST OVER THE INTERIOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST THROUGH FRIDAY PRODUCING SUBSIDENCE AND DRY CONDITIONS...EXCEPT FOR A CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN OR RAIN SHOWERS IN THE HIGHER MOUNTAINS OF NORTHEAST OREGON/SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON AND ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON/OREGON. THE NEXT UPSTREAM MID/UPPER LEVEL PACIFIC TROUGH WILL BE MOVING EASTWARD REACHING 133W BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THE TROUGH AXIS WILL THEN APPROACH THE COAST FRIDAY EVENING AND THEN BE JUST OFFSHORE IN THE PREDAWN HOURS OF SATURDAY. THE TROUGH WILL PUSH A COLD FRONT INLAND AND TO THE CASCADES OVERNIGHT SO THE FRONT WILL BE POISED TO SWEEP INTO THE FORECAST AREA AROUND DAYBREAK SATURDAY MORNING. I HAVE INCREASED POPS IN THE 6 HOUR PERIOD FROM MIDNIGHT TO DAWN ON SATURDAY TO REFLECT INCREASING MOISTURE/CLOUDS AND DYNAMIC LIFT...PRECEDING THE COLD FRONT AND THE TROUGH...MOVING INTO THE FORECAST AREA. SNOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN RATHER HIGH GOING INTO FRIDAY EVENING...4000-5000 FEET ALONG THE WASHINGTON CASCADE EAST SLOPES...5000-7000 FEET ALONG THE OREGON CASCADE EAST SLOPES AND THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS OF OREGON AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON. SNOW LEVELS WILL LOWER OVERNIGHT TO 3000-4000 FEET ALONG THE WASHINGTON CASCADE EAST SLOPES...4000-5500 FEET ALONG THE OREGON CASCADE EAST SLOPES WITH THE MOUNTAINS IN EASTERN OREGON AND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS IN SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON STILL AT 6000-7000 FEET. POLAN LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. IT WILL REMAIN COOL AND UNSETTLED THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD. A DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WITH COLD AIR ALOFT WILL BRING BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS AND SHOWERS SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT. SNOW LEVELS WILL LOWER TO AROUND 2000 FEET SATURDAY NIGHT...AND THERE COULD BE LATE SEASON SNOW AMOUNTS THAT COULD MEET ADVISORY CRITERIA IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AND IN THE GRANDE RONDE AND WALLOWA VALLEYS. SNOW PELLET SHOWERS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AS COLD AIR ALOFT DESTABILIZES THE ATMOSPHERE. HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT WILL FOLLOW THE SYSTEM...AND DRIER AIR WILL SPREAD FROM THE WEST SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. IT WILL BE A DRY AND CHILLY SUNDAY NIGHT. THE UPPER RIDGE WILL FLATTEN ON MONDAY AND WILL ALLOW THE NEXT PACIFIC FRONT TO BRING RAIN AND HIGH ELEVATION SNOW LATE MONDAY AND TUESDAY FOLLOWED BY A COLD FRONT TUESDAY NIGHT. COOL SHOWERY CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY. OVERALL...MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE SYNOPTIC PATTERN THUS CONFIDENCE IS HIGH IN THE CURRENT FORECAST. JOHNSON HYDROLOGY...THERE HAVE BEEN SHARP RISES ALONG MANY OF THE RIVERS AND STREAMS IN THE FORECAST AREA...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES WHERE A PROLONGED PERIOD OF RAIN AND SNOW MELT HAVE INCREASED RUNOFF THE PAST 24 HOURS. AN AREAL FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN KITTITAS COUNTY. THE ELK MEADOWS SUBDIVISION LOCATED 6 MILES NW OF CLE ELUM IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO MINOR FLOODING UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NACHES RIVER NEAR NACHES. A HYDROLOGIC STATEMENT WAS ISSUED FOR THE NACHES RIVER NEAR CLIFFDELL AS WELL AS THE YAKIMA RIVER...THE GRANDE RONDE RIVER NEAR TROY...AND THE UMATILLA RIVER. JOHNSON AVIATION...12Z TAFS. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MID LEVEL CLOUDS WITH BASES AROUND 4-8000 FEET ARE EXPECTED. WINDS WILL PRIMARILY RANGE FROM 220-280 DEGREES AT 12-25 KNOTS THROUGH 04Z. GUSTS TO 40 KNOTS ARE POSSIBLE AT KPSC. WINDS WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT. JOHNSON && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... PDT 68 43 63 43 / 10 10 10 50 ALW 69 47 64 46 / 10 10 10 50 PSC 71 43 65 44 / 10 0 0 30 YKM 67 39 65 41 / 10 0 0 30 HRI 70 41 66 40 / 10 0 0 30 ELN 61 37 61 40 / 10 0 10 40 RDM 65 37 67 37 / 10 0 0 40 LGD 61 44 64 41 / 20 20 10 50 GCD 62 37 67 39 / 10 10 10 30 DLS 65 41 68 45 / 10 10 10 50 && .PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...NONE. WA...NONE. && THREAT INDEX TODAY : 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 76/78/78
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
1044 AM PDT THU MAR 31 2011
UPDATED TO ADD WIND ADVISORY FOR TODAY
ORZ041-042-044-049-050-502-503-505>509-WAZ024-026>030-520-521-
011415-
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-
1044 AM PDT THU MAR 31 2011
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON
AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.
.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
FLOODING
EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES, KITTITAS VALLEY
WIND
LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN IF WASHINGTON
RAIN ALONG THE CREST OF THE CASCADES AND MILD TEMPERATURES WILL
CONTINUE TO CAUSE INCREASED SNOWMELT AND RUNOFF WITH AREAS OF
FLOODING IN WESTERN KITTITAS COUNTY. SEE FLOOD WARNING PRODUCT
PDXFLWPDT FOR MORE INFORMATION.
A STRONG UPPER LEVEL JET STREAM ON THE NORTHERN FRINGES OF THE
FORECAST AREA AND TIGHT SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENTS WILL PRODUCE
WINDY CONDITIONS IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER TODAY. THE LOWER COLUMBIA
BASIN IN SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON AND ESPECIALLY THE AREA NORTH OF
RATTLESNAKE MOUNTAIN IN NORTHERN BENTON COUNTY WILL BE THE WINDIEST
TODAY. A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS AREA. OTHERWISE...A
LOW AMPLITUDE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE IN THE MID/UPPER ATMOSPHERE
WILL PERSIST OVER THE INTERIOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST THROUGH TONIGHT
PRODUCING SUBSIDENCE AND DRY CONDITIONS... EXCEPT FOR A CHANCE OF
LIGHT RAIN OR RAIN SHOWERS ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CASCADES AND
IN THE HIGHER MOUNTAINS OF NORTHEAST OREGON/SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
SNOW SATURDAY
NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, GRANDE RONDE VALLEY,
WALLOWA COUNTY, NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, SOUTHERN
BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON
A MID/UPPER LEVEL PACIFIC TROUGH WILL PUSH A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE
FORECAST AREA SATURDAY AND BRING RAIN AND SNOW TO THE FORECAST AREA.
SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP SATURDAY AFTERNOON AS THE COLD FRONT EXITS
INTO IDAHO WITH SNOW LEVELS LOWERING TO AROUND 3500-4000 FEET BY
LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND THEN CONTINUE TO LOWER SATURDAY NIGHT TO
AROUND 2000-2500 FEET IN THE MOUNTAINS OF EASTERN OREGON AND
SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON. THESE AREAS MAY RECEIVE LATE SEASON SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS OF 2-5 INCHES...WHICH WOULD MEET WINTER WEATHER
ADVISORY CRITERIA FOR SNOW IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AND IN THE GRANDE
RONDE AND WALLOWA VALLEYS.
.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.
4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flooding reported at Elk Meadows between Easton and Cle Elum. AT Easton, the river gage peaked 1 foot above flood stage at 1730 PDT.
The Yakima river at Umtanum crested at .6 feet above flood stage.
The Yakima River at Horlick crested at .5 feet above flood stage.
The Naches River at Naches crested .2 feet above normal.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, March 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: 292676, 292677, 292681, 292684.