Persistent heavy rains led to flooding on the Coquille River.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 MFR wrote it up.
Persistent heavy rains led to flooding on the Coquille River.
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 22, 9:43 AM PST, 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
943 AM PST SAT DEC 22 2012
.DISCUSSION...A FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COQUILLE RIVER
AT COQUILLE WITH MINOR FLOODING TO DEVELOP TODAY AND LIKELY
PERSIST AT LEAST INTO TUESDAY. THERE ARE NO OTHER MAJOR CHANGES TO
THE CURRENT FORECAST. THE PRIMARY ITEM OF INTEREST THIS MORNING IS
THE SNOWFALL FORECAST FOR TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING AND THE
APPROPRIATE HEADLINES...WHICH WILL SOON BE UPDATED. SHOWERS AND
SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE NUMEROUS TODAY BUT AMOUNTS WILL VARY ACROSS
THE AREA DUE TO THE SHOWERY NATURE. THE INTENSITY OF THE SHOWERS
WILL MAINLY BE LIGHT BUT THIS WILL VARY AS WELL. THE SNOW LEVEL
WILL REMAIN GENERALLY NEAR 2500 FEET WITH GENERALLY LESS THAN AN
INCH BUT UP TO 3 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN THE CASCADES AND MT SHASTA
AREA. SOME OF THE MORE INTENSE SHOWERS COULD BRING SNOWFALL DOWN
TO AROUND 1500 FEET IN JOSEPHINE COUNTY.
CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE TONIGHT WITH A LOW POISED TO TRACK
EAST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS OUR AREA THROUGH THE DAY ON SUNDAY. THE
HEAVIEST PRECIPITATON WILL OCCUR SUNDAY MORNING WITH A SNOW LEVEL
AROUND 2000 FEET. PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER TO SHOWERS AND SNOW
SHOWERS SUNDAY NIGHT.
THE 12Z GFS MODEL IS CONSISTENT IN SHOWING A BREAK BETWEEN WEATHER
SYSTEMS MONDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER STORM
TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT.
&&
.AVIATION...SNOW LEVELS ARE GENERALLY 2500 FEET ACROSS THE
AREA WITH SHOWERS AND SNOW SHOWERS PRODUCING PERIODS OF MVFR CEILINGS
AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS. THE NEXT STORM WILL BRING MVFR AND LOCAL
IFR TO THE COAST BY 06Z TONIGHT...SPREADING INLAND OVERNIGHT AND
PERSISTING THROUGH SUNDAY.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 300 AM PST SAT DEC 22 2012/
DISCUSSION...A LARGE UPPER LOW CONTINUES TO SPIN OVER THE EASTERN
PACIFIC WITH A SERIES OF SHORTWAVES MOVING INTO THE FORECAST AREA
THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. THE FIRST HAS REACHED THE OREGON COAST AND
THIS HAS PRODUCED SEVERAL LIGHTNING STRIKES ALONG OUR COASTAL WATERS
AND ADJACENT INLAND AREAS. THIS EVENT WILL BRING MODERATE TO HEAVY
PRECIPITATION ALONG THE COAST AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH THIS
MORNING. AREAS AROUND MT SHASTA CITY...DUNSMUIR AND SISKIYOU SUMMIT
WILL CONTINUE TO GET HAMMERED WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW THIS
MORNING AND TRAVEL WILL CONTINUE TO BE IMPACTED FROM THIS.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE'LL CATCH A RELATIVE BREAK IN THE WEATHER
THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FOR THE MOUNT SHASTA REGION. THIS
RESULTING IN DECREASING IMPACTS TO ROADS AND TRAVEL.
THE BAD NEWS IS THAT ANOTHER STRONG SYSTEM WILL IMPACT THE AREA WITH
ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY SNOW STARTING EARLY SUNDAY MORNING AND
LASTING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING FOR THE MOUNT SHASTA
REGION...SISKIYOU SUMMIT AND LAKE OF THE WOODS. EXPECT ANOTHER TWO
TO THREE FEET AROUND MOUNT SHASTA AND UP TO A FOOT NEAR SISKIYOU
SUMMIT SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. IF SNOW WAS NOT ENOUGH
OF AN ISSUE...GUSTY WINDS WILL ADD TO AN ALREADY PROBLEMATIC
SITUATION IN THAT IT WILL CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING AND REDUCED
VISIBILITIES. THEREFORE HAZARDOUS TRAVELING CONDITIONS ARE CERTAIN
ALONG INTERSTATE 5 BETWEEN ASHLAND AND DUNSMUIR AND HIGHWAYS 140 AND
66. IT IS STRONGLY ADVISED THAT TRAVELERS FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES TO
DELAY THEIR TRAVEL PLANS...ESPECIALLY THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND.
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH SUNDAY'S STORM WILL ALSO AFFECT MUCH OF THE
EASTSIDE WITH SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW EXPECTED ALONG WITH GUSTY WINDS
RESULTING IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES
SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. THEREFORE THE WINTER STORM
WATCH HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A WARNING.
WEST OF THE CASCADES WILL BE TRICKY AND MUCH WILL DEPEND ON THE SNOW
LEVELS. AT THIS TIME WERE EXPECTING MOST ACCUMULATING SNOW TO BE
ABOVE 2000 FEET IN JACKSON AND JOSEPHINE COUNTY. THE HIGHER TERRAIN
IN JOSEPHINE COUNTY ARE LIKELY TO GET UP TO A FOOT OF SNOW WITH
ACCUMULATING SNOW LIKELY NEAR SEXTON HAYS HILL SUMMITS.
WEATHER FINALLY STARTS TO IMPROVE SUNDAY NIGHT AS THE UPPER TROUGH
KICKS EAST AND SHORTWAVE RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE AREA EARLY MONDAY.
PRECIPITATION SHOULD END FOR MOST AREAS SUNDAY NIGHT WITH SOME
CLEARING POSSIBLE. DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF
CLEARING...TEMPERATURES IN AREAS WHERE IS FRESH SNOWPACK WILL TAKE A
DIVE WITH COLD READING POSSIBLE MONDAY MORNING.
WE'LL CATCH A DRY DAY MONDAY...THEN THE MODELS SHOW A WARM FRONT
APPROACHING THE FORECAST AREA LATE MONDAY NIGHT OR TUESDAY MORNING.
THIS COULD PRESENT SOME PROBLEMS IF IT COMES IN EARLIER DUE TO COLD
AIR BEING TRAPPED IN THE VALLEYS. THE GFS AND EC ARE IN SIMILAR
AGREEMENT WITH THE ONSET OF PRECIPITATION. THE NAM SPREADS
PRECIPITATION FASTER AND FARTHER INLAND...BUT SUSPECT THIS MAY BE
OVERDONE AND FORECAST WILL BE LEANING TOWARDS THE EC AND GFS
SOLUTION.
&&
.MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR
ORZ029>031.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 AM TO 10 PM PST SUNDAY FOR
ORZ029>031.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR ORZ024.
WINTER STORM WATCH FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING
ABOVE 2000 FEET FOR FOR ORZ024.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING ABOVE 2000
FEET FOR FOR ORZ023-025-026.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR
ORZ027-028.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 AM TO 10 PM PST SUNDAY FOR ORZ028.
CA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR CAZ084.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST SUNDAY FOR CAZ082-083.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST SUNDAY FOR CAZ080.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR CAZ081.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 AM TO 10 PM PST SUNDAY FOR
CAZ084-085.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
CAZ085.
PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST SUNDAY FOR
PZZ350-356-370-376.
HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST SUNDAY FOR
PZZ350-356-370-376.
DW/TW/TWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
757 AM PST SAT DEC 22 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0743 AM SNOW N TENNANT 41.59N 121.91W
12/22/2012 M12.0 INCH SISKIYOU CA TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR AMOUNT...SNOW DEPTH 22 INCHES
&&
BUNKERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
800 AM PST SAT DEC 22 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0743 AM HEAVY RAIN 5 NW APPLEGATE 42.32N 123.23W
12/22/2012 M0.74 INCH JOSEPHINE OR TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR AMOUNT
&&
BUNKERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
810 AM PST SAT DEC 22 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0810 AM NON-TSTM WND GST WSW SILVER LAKE 43.13N 121.05W
12/22/2012 E35 MPH LAKE OR TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
BUNKERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
815 AM PST SAT DEC 22 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0810 AM SNOW SSW SILVER LAKE 43.13N 121.05W
12/22/2012 M2.0 INCH LAKE OR TRAINED SPOTTER
1 HOUR AMOUNT...BLIZZARD CONDITIONS OBSERVED
&&
BUNKERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
907 AM PST SAT DEC 22 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0904 AM SNOW MOUNT SHASTA 41.32N 122.32W
12/22/2012 M5.0 INCH SISKIYOU CA CO-OP OBSERVER
OVERNIGHT AMOUNT...STORM TOTAL 40 INCHES
&&
BUNKERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
955 AM PST SAT DEC 22 2012
...TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
...DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 PM HEAVY RAIN 4 NNE TAKILMA 42.11N 123.58W
12/21/2012 M1.64 INCH JOSEPHINE OR TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR RAINFALL ENDING AT 4 PM.
&&
IRIS SYSTEMThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Coquille River remained above flood state during this interval. The river crested at 22.89 feet at 23/2245 PST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, December 2012
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: 422674.