A moist southwest flow ahead of an upper level low pressure brought heavy snowfall to the areas just east of the Cascade Mountains and to the Blue Mountains. 5), and Sunriver (8).
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 PDT wrote it up.
A moist southwest flow ahead of an upper level low pressure brought heavy snowfall to the areas just east of the Cascade Mountains and to the Blue Mountains. Snowfall amounts reported in inches included 2 miles south southwest of Camp Sherman (12), Clear Lake SnoTel (21), 8 miles northeast of Warm Springs (4.5), 9 miles west northwest of Culver (7.5), 1 mile south of Black Butte Ranch (10), High Ridge SnoTel (12), Milk Shakes SnoTel (20), 5 miles north of LaPine (8), 1 mile west of Three Rivers (8), 4 miles west northwest of LaPine (8), Milkshakes SnoTel (18), 1 mile southeast of Flora (8), 10 miles south southeast of Maupin (5.5), and Sunriver (8).
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 19, 9:25 PM PST, 2 hours 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
1025 PM PDT MON MAR 19 2012
UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION
.SHORT TERM...A WARM FRONT CONTINUES TO BUILD OFF THE COAST THAT
WILL BEGIN TO MOVE INLAND OVERNIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY. EXPECT SOME
PRECIPITATION TO SPREAD OVER THE CASCADES OVERNIGHT THEN REACHING
FAR EASTERN ZONES BY MORNING. SNOW LEVELS WILL START OUT LOW BUT
RISE OVERNIGHT AND TUESDAY. WILL SEE SOME ACCUMULATING SNOWS AND
HAVE ISSUED SOME ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS FOR ZONES WHERE EXPECTING
CRITERIA TO BE REACHED. WILL ALSO SEE SOME INCREASING WINDS LATE
TONIGHT AND TUESDAY AND AGAIN HAVE ISSUED SOME WIND ADVISORIES FOR
ZONES WHERE EXPECTING WINDS TO REACH CRITERIA. MINOR CHANGES MADE TO
THE FORECAST IN AN EVENING UPDATE.
.AVIATION...06Z TAFS...A WARM FRONT WILL BE MOVING THROUGH THE
REGION WITH RAIN MOVING INTO THE AREA OVERNIGHT WHICH COULD DROP
CONDITIONS TO MVFR. THE LOWER CEILINGS AND WINDS WILL SPREAD ACROSS
REGION TO KPDT...KALW AND KPSC BY EARLY TUESDAY MORNING WITH THE MVFR
DUE TO CEILINGS LASTING THROUGH 18-20Z TUESDAY. WINDS WILL INCREASE
TO 20 TO 25 KTS AFTER 18Z ON TUESDAY AND CEILINGS BEGIN TO IMPROVE.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 300 PM PDT MON MAR 19 2012/
SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...A STRONG AND MOIST
WARM FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY.
THIS SYSTEM WILL CAUSE SNOW LEVELS TO RISE SOME DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS, THEN THE LEVELS WILL REMAIN STEADY AT THOSE HEIGHTS TUESDAY
NIGHT. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE OVER OUR SOUTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON ZONES
WHERE THE LEVELS WILL LOWER TUESDAY NIGHT. THE MAIN PRECIP SHIELD
WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION FROM AROUND MIDNIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING. MOUNTAIN LOCATIONS WILL SEE SNOW, WHILE LOWER ELEVATIONS
AREAS WILL SEE RAIN OR SNOW CHANGING TO RAIN. UPSLOPE EAST FLOW
AHEAD OF THE WARM FRONT WILL ENHANCE PRECIP INTO THE WASHINGTON
CASCADE EAST SLOPES AND THE KITTITAS VALLEY AND EXPECT ADVISORY
LEVEL SNOWS THERE LATE TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. SNOW LEVELS
ALONG THE OREGON CASCADE EAST SLOPES MAY RISE QUICK ENOUGH TO LIMIT
SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THERE, BUT THIS AREA WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED THIS
EVENING FOR CHANGES. ACCUMULATING SNOWS OVER THE BLUE MOUNTAINS,
WALLOWA COUNTY AND THE GRANDE RONDE VALLEY WILL BEGIN TOWARDS
DAYBREAK TUESDAY. THE GRANDE RONDE VALLEY AND WALLOWA COUNTY WILL BE
WIND TUESDAY AND BLOWING SNOW IS EXPECTED. WINDS IN THE SOUTH END OF
THE GRANDE RONDE VALLEY WILL REACH ADVISORY LEVELS. SNOW AMOUNTS IN
THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS WILL REACH UPWARDS OF 10 OR MORE INCHES
ABOVE 5000 FEET TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT DUE TO UPSLOPE SNOWS
PERSISTING BEHIND THE WARM FRONT. THE SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS WILL
NOT SEE MUCH OF THIS UPSLOPE AFFECT SNOW TUESDAY NIGHT. WINDS ALONG
THE EAST SLOPES OF THE OREGON CASCADES WILL BE WINDY WITH THE
POTENTIAL FOR STRONG GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. 90
LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. FLOW WILL BE SHIFTING
SOUTHWEST ACROSS THE REGION WITH A RIDGE BUILDING IN AHEAD OF NEXT
LOW THAT IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO GULF OF ALASKA. THIS LOW IS
FORECAST TO REMAIN OFFSHORE THROUGH THE MIDDLE PART OF THE FORECAST
PERIOD. THIS WILL ALLOW A MORE SOUTHERLY FLOW TO SET UP WITH THE LOW
OUT NEAR 130W. THERE CONTINUES TO BE SOME CHANCE OF SHOWERS AS
SEVERAL WEAK PIECES OF ENERGY RIDE NORTH ALONG THE BACKSIDE OF THE
RIDGE WITH THE BEST CHANCES OVER THE MOUNTAINS. TEMPERATURES WILL
REMAIN SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL. 93
SUNDAY AND MONDAY. MODELS TAKE THE OFFSHORE UPPER LOW AND MOVE IT
ACROSS THE REGION SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. THIS WILL KEEP SKIES MOSTLY
CLOUDY WITH PERIODS OF RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW. HIGH TEMPERATURES
SHOULD BE A LITTLE BELOW WHAT GUIDANCE IS SUGGESTING AS THEY ARE
SHADING TOWARD CLIMO AND THIS PATTERN OF A COLD UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM
OVER THE AREA WOULD NOT SUPPORT THAT. 94
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 35 54 38 54 / 50 90 50 60
ALW 39 54 41 52 / 50 90 60 70
PSC 39 58 40 51 / 60 70 40 60
YKM 33 54 32 48 / 80 50 30 60
HRI 37 58 38 53 / 60 70 40 60
ELN 32 50 32 48 / 90 50 40 60
RDM 33 53 34 58 / 80 60 40 40
LGD 34 47 37 55 / 40 90 50 50
GCD 31 50 34 56 / 60 90 50 20
DLS 37 54 38 50 / 80 60 40 60
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 5 AM TUESDAY TO 5 AM PDT WEDNESDAY
ABOVE 4000 FEET FOR THE ORZ502.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 AM TUESDAY TO 5 AM PDT WEDNESDAY
ABOVE 4000 FEET FOR THE ORZ503.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 AM TO 11 AM PDT TUESDAY ORZ049.
WIND ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 11 AM PDT TUESDAY FOR
LADD AND PYLES CANYONS IN THE ORZ049.
WIND ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 5 PM PDT TUESDAY ORZ509.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 AM TO 5 PM PDT TUESDAY ABOVE 3500
FEET FOR THE ORZ050.
WA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM PDT TUESDAY ABOVE 2000 FEET
FOR THE WAZ520.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 5 AM TUESDAY TO 5 AM PDT WEDNESDAY
ABOVE 4000 FEET FOR THE WAZ030.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM PDT
TUESDAY WAZ026.
&&
THREAT INDEX
TUESDAY : RED
WEDNESDAY : GREEN
THURSDAY : 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
91/76/76HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
405 PM PDT MON MAR 19 2012
UPDATED TO INCLUDE CURRENT HIGHLIGHTS
ORZ041-042-044-049-050-502-503-505>509-WAZ024-026>030-520-521-
201415-
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-
405 PM PDT MON MAR 19 2012
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON
AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT
SNOW
EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES, KITTITAS VALLEY
A WARM FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION OVERNIGHT BRINGING
PRECIPITATION MAINLY IN THE FORM OF RAIN IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND
SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS. SOME WINTER HIGHLIGHTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED UNDER
PRODUCT CODE PDXWSWPDT.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY
SNOW TUESDAY
EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES, KITTITAS VALLEY,
NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, WALLOWA COUNTY,
NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF
OREGON
STRONG WIND TUESDAY
EAST SLOPES OF THE OREGON CASCADES, GRANDE RONDE VALLEY
A COLD FRONT WILL ARRIVE LATE TUESDAY THAT WILL BEGIN TO LOWER SNOW
LEVELS. WINDS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WILL ALSO INCREASE. SOME WIND
HIGHLIGHTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED UNDER PRODUCT PDXNPWPDT.
AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN POSITIONED OFF THE
COAST THROUGH THE WEEK WHICH WILL OCCASIONALLY SEND WEATHER SYSTEMS
THROUGH THE REGION AS RAIN IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND POSSIBLE SNOW
IN THE MOUNTAINS.
.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.
3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
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, March 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: 361618, 361626, 361619.