High Wind in Oregon, December 16 to 17, 2012

Name: High Wind in Oregon, December 16 to 17, 2012
Start: 2012-12-16T12:39
End: 2012-12-17T04:03
Location: Oregon

December 16 to 17, 2012 · NWS MFR · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

After a lull in storm activity, a strong cold front brought high winds back to portions of southern Oregon.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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: 4

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 MFR wrote it up.

After a lull in storm activity, a strong cold front brought high winds back to portions of southern Oregon.

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 Medford, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 16, 9:11 AM PST, 3 hours 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 16, 9:11 AM PST, 3 hours 28 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
911 AM PST SUN DEC 16 2012

.DISCUSSION...CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGE SHOWS THE NEXT STORM
STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE NEAR 47N/136W. WINDS ALONG THE COAST ARE
ALREADY PICKING UP AND WILL ONLY GET STRONGER THE REST OF THE
MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON. PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN LIGHT FOR THE
MOST PART...BUT IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON AND
CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. THE MAIN FOCUS AHEAD IS FINE TUNING THE
CURRENT HEADLINES AND ADDING A SNOW ADVISORY HEADLINE FOR THE
WESTSIDE AND POSSIBLY THE COAST. A PRELIMINARY LOOK AT SOME DATA
SUGGEST WE COULD SEE SNOW LEVELS GETTING DOWN TO THE VALLEY FLOOR
OVERNIGHT MONDAY AND REMAINING THERE THROUGH TUESDAY. -PETRUCELLI

&&

.AVIATION...MVFR WITH LOCAL IFR CEILINGS WILL BE WIDESPREAD ACROSS
THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT ALONG WITH MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS.
VISIBILITY WILL ALSO BE LIMITED WITH IFR OVER THE EAST SIDE AT TIMES
IN -SN. EXPECT LIGHT PRECIPITATION THIS MORNING TO INCREASE THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES TOWARD THE COAST. STRONG
WINDS ALOFT WILL ALSO CAUSE TURBULENCE FOR APPROACHES AND
DEPARTURES...ESPECIALLY LATER THIS MORNING INTO TONIGHT. THIS WILL
ALSO INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW-LEVEL WIND SHEAR IN SOME OF THE
WEST SIDE VALLEYS, WHERE WINDS WILL HAVE A MORE DIFFICULT TIME
MIXING DOWN TO THE SURFACE. GUSTS TO 40-50 KT ARE LIKELY ALONG THE
COAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 417 AM PST SUN DEC 16 2012/

DISCUSSION...THE FORECAST FOR AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN CONTINUES
TO LOOK ON TRACK...WITH NUMEROUS SYSTEMS FORECAST TO MOVE ONSHORE
OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. SNOW AND WIND IMPACTS ARE THE PRIMARY
CONCERN WITH THIS PATTERN. HAVE KEPT PREVIOUS HEADLINES
INTACT...AND ADDED A FEW ADDITIONAL WIND AND WINTER HEADLINES AS
NECESSARY AS PER LATEST MODEL RUNS. THE IMPACTS FROM THESE SYSTEMS
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED SERIOUS AND ANYONE PLANNING TO TRAVEL OR
PARTICIPATE IN OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES SHOULD STAY TUNED
FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND PREPARE FOR HAZARDOUS WEATHER
CONDITIONS.

A DEEPENING LOW WILL APPROACH THE REGION TODAY...AND THE RESULTING
TIGHTENED GRADIENT WILL PRODUCE STRONG WINDS FIRST AT THE COAST
BEGINNING THIS MORNING...THEN TO THE THE SHASTA VALLEY AND EAST SIDE
BY THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS AT THE COAST SHOULD BE STRONGEST DURING
THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON...BEFORE DECREASING THROUGH
THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. WINDS IN THE SHASTA VALLEY...OVER THE
CASCADES...AND OVER THE EAST SIDE WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON AND PEAK TONIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF FALLING SNOW AND
WINDS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...AND
COULD CAUSE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITIES. BRIEF PERIODS OF
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS CAN NOT BE RULED OUT. CONDITIONS SHOULD BEGIN TO
IMPROVE OVERNIGHT AND INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS MONDAY AS THE LOW
MOVES ONSHORE AND WEAKENS.

SNOW WILL ALSO BE A MAJOR CONCERN. SNOW LEVELS WILL RISE
SIGNIFICANTLY THIS AFTERNOON...AND LOWER AGAIN TONIGHT INTO
MONDAY. HOWEVER...SNOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN LOW ENOUGH THROUGHOUT
THE EVENT TO ALLOW SNOW AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS ON THE WEST
SIDE...AND WILL REMAIN BELOW GROUND LEVEL WITHIN THE CASCADES AND
POINTS EAST. MODELS DEPICT FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF VAPOR
TRANSPORT INTO THE REGION WITH THIS LOW...AND THUS SNOW AMOUNTS IN
THE CASCADES AND SISKIYOUS SHOULD EASILY APPROACH 1 TO 2 FEET BY
MONDAY MORNING...AND SNOWFALL RATES OF UP TO AN INCH OR MORE PER
HOUR FROM THIS AFTERNOON INTO TOMORROW MORNING. MODERATE TO HEAVY
SNOW IS ALSO A CONCERN FOR AREAS NEAR CHILOQUIN AND HIGHER TERRAIN
IN NORTHERN KLAMATH COUNTY. MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WILL ALSO
IMPACT THE MOUNT SHASTA AREA INCLUDING I-5 NEAR DUNSMUIR...STATE
HIGHWAY 89 AND US HIGHWAY 97 NEAR MOUNT HERON. SNOWFALL
ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED TO BE LESS AROUND KLAMATH FALLS...HOWEVER
THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND WIND WILL RESULT IN BLOWING AND
DRIFTING SNOW AND OCCASIONAL REDUCTION IN VISIBILITY.

ALTHOUGH THIS SYSTEM PUSHES OUT OF THE AREA TOMORROW NIGHT...SHOWERY
PRECIPITATION AND LOW SNOW LEVELS WILL CONTINUE TO PRESIDE OVER THE
AREA THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SNOW LEVELS MAY REMAIN LOW ENOUGH BOTH
MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY NIGHT TO ALLOW SNOW TO REACH THE VALLEY
FLOORS ON THE WEST SIDE. WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS
POSSIBILITY...AS SHOULD ANY OF THE FEATURES STRENGTHEN...SNOW
AMOUNTS MAY APPROACH ADVISORY CRITERIA. OTHERWISE...VARIOUS
SHORTWAVES WILL PUSH THROUGH THE AREA...EACH KEEPING POPS WELL ABOVE
CLIMO. SNOW LEVELS SHOULD HOVER BETWEEN 2000 AND 3500 FEET THROUGH
THE REST OF THE WEEK.

BY LATE IN THE WEEK...ANOTHER LARGE LOW IS FORECAST TO DROP OUT OF
THE GULF OF ALASKA AND TAKE UP RESIDENCE WEST OF VANCOUVER ISLAND.
THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST TERM...NUMEROUS WAVES OF
ENERGY ORBITING THIS LOW WILL PUSH ONSHORE...EACH INCREASING THE
CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION AND GUSTY WINDS. THE STRONGEST OF THESE IS
FORECAST TO OCCUR OVER THE WEEKEND AND MAY PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT
PRECIPITATION AND WIND..ALTHOUGH CONFIDENCE THE FEATURE IS LOW AT
THIS TIME. BPN

MARINE...CONDITIONS WILL BE CHANGING RAPIDLY OVER THE MARINE
WATERS TODAY AS A WARM FRONT MOVES THROUGH...THEN IS FOLLOWED BY A
VERY STRONG COLD FRONT THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. EXPECT A RAMP
UP IN SOUTH WINDS THIS MORNING AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS
IN RESPONSE TO A STRONG LOW DEVELOPING NEAR 47 NORTH AND 140 WEST.
THIS LOW WILL MOVE INSIDE 130 WEST THIS EVENING AS IT HEADS DUE
EAST TOWARD WESTERN WASHINGTON AND VANCOUVER ISLAND. CONFIDENCE IS
HIGH THAT STORM FORCE WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONTAL PASSAGE AS
A COASTAL BARRIER JET SETS UP FROM 21Z SUN-06Z MON. THIS WILL
PRODUCE WINDS OF 45 KT WITH STRONGEST GUSTS OF 60-65 KT. IN
ADDITION, WILDLY CHAOTIC SEAS ARE EXPECTED...FIRST DOMINATED WITH
VERY STEEP WINDS WAVES OF 15 TO 20 FEET. AFTER THE FRONT MOVES
ONSHORE BETWEEN 06-12Z MON, WIND SEAS SHOULD EASE, BUT WILL
TRANSITION TO A VERY LARGE WEST TO NORTHWEST SWELL. PEAK WAVE
HEIGHTS WILL REACH 25 FEET MONDAY. IT IS STRONGLY URGED THAT
MARINERS SEEK SHELTER OR REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL STORM CONDITIONS
SUBSIDE LATER TONIGHT/MONDAY. SPILDE

&&

.MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM PST MONDAY
     FOR ORZ030-031.
     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST MONDAY FOR ORZ030.
     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 AM PST MONDAY FOR ORZ030.
     HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 1 AM PST MONDAY FOR ORZ021-022.
     HIGH SURF WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR ORZ021-022.
     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR ORZ027.
     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 AM PST MONDAY FOR ORZ027-028.
     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST MONDAY FOR ORZ029.
     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR ORZ028.

CA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST MONDAY FOR CAZ084.
     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
     CAZ082.
     WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM PST
     MONDAY FOR CAZ082-083.
     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST MONDAY ABOVE 3000 FEET
     FOR FOR CAZ080.
     HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 AM PST MONDAY
     FOR CAZ081.
     WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM PST MONDAY FOR
     CAZ084-085.
     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM PST
     MONDAY FOR CAZ083.

PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR
     PZZ350-356-370-376.
     GALE WARNING UNTIL NOON PST TODAY FOR PZZ350-356-370-376.
     HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING UNTIL 7 PM PST MONDAY FOR
     PZZ350-356-370-376.

MAP/MAP/MAP

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 16, 7:14 AM PST, 5 hours 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
714 AM PST SUN DEC 16 2012

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

0714 AM     HEAVY RAIN       NE BROOKINGS            42.06N 124.29W
12/16/2012  M0.74 INCH       CURRY              OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR ACCUMULATION

&&

BUNKER

Local storm report, Dec 16, 9:08 AM PST, 3 hours 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
908 AM PST SUN DEC 16 2012

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

0900 AM     SNOW             10 SSE SPRAGUE RIVER    42.32N 121.44W
12/16/2012  M1.5 INCH        KLAMATH            OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            9AM TO 9AM. 3 INCHES ON THE GROUND.

&&

GLASER

Local storm report, Dec 16, 11:33 AM PST, 1 hour 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1133 AM PST SUN DEC 16 2012

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

1130 AM     SNOW             2 WSW SISKIYOU SUMMIT   42.05N 122.60W
12/16/2012  M3.0 INCH        JACKSON            OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            6PM TO 1130AM. 4 INCHES ON THE GROUND.

&&

GLASER

Local storm report, Dec 16, 12:30 PM PST, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1230 PM PST SUN DEC 16 2012

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

1200 PM     SNOW             SSE MOUNT SHASTA        41.32N 122.31W
12/16/2012  M1.0 INCH        SISKIYOU           CA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            6 HOUR AMOUNT.

&&

DW

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Siskiyou Mountains & Southern Oregon Cascades

When: December 16, 12:39 PM PST to December 17, 2:39 AM PST
Where: Siskiyou Mountains & Southern Oregon Cascades forecast zone
Measured: 83 kt (96 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 42.495, -122.645 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Squaw Peak RAWS recorded several gusts exceeding 74 mph during this interval. The peak gust was 96 mph recorded at 16/1939 PST. The ZIM RAWS reported a gust to 85 mph at 16/2339 and 17/0039 PST, as well as a gust to 76 mph at 17/0239 PST.

High Wind, Central & Eastern Lake County

When: December 16, 2:38 PM PST to December 17, 4:03 AM PST
Where: Central & Eastern Lake County forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 42.793, -120.387 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several RAWS recorded gusts exceeding 57 mph during this interval. The peak gust at Rock Creek RAWS was 64 mph at 17/0127 PST. The peak gust at Summer Lake RAWS was 62 mph recorded at 16/1538 PST. He peak gust at Summit RAWS was 65 mph at 17/0203 PST.

High Wind, South Central Oregon Coast

When: December 16, 2:42 PM PST to December 17, 12:13 AM PST
Where: South Central Oregon Coast forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 42.979, -123.829 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Port Orford platform recorded numerous gusts exceeding 57 mph during this interval. The peak gust was 64 mph at 16/1812 PST. The Long Prairie RAWS recorded many gusts exceeding 57 mph during this interval. The peak gust was 70 mph at 03/2113 PST. The North Bend airport recorded a gust to 60 mph at 16/1935 PST.

High Wind, Curry County Coast

When: December 16, 4:13 PM PST to 6:39 PM PST
Where: Curry County Coast forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 42.467, -124.215 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Flynn Prairie RAWS recorded gusts to 62 mph at 16/1713 PST and 63 mph at 16/1813 PST. The Gold Beach ASOS reported a gust to 62 mph at 16/1839 PST.

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oregon in 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Oregon, December 2012

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: 422643, 422647, 422626, 422636.