A strong pacific frontal system brought high winds to the Coast and coast range of Northwest Oregon.
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 frontal system brought high winds to the Coast and coast range of Northwest Oregon.
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 Nov 18, 4:53 PM PST, 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
453 PM PST SUN NOV 18 2012
UPDATED MARINE/AVIATION SECTION AND HEADLINES
.SYNOPSIS...A FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVING INTO THE PACIFIC NW SUN EVENING
WILL LINGER INTO MIDWEEK...BRINGING AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF STORMY
WEATHER. A MOIST AND MILD AIR MASS EARLY IN THE WEEK WILL EVENTUALLY
BE REPLACED BY A COOLER MORE SHOWERY AIR MASS AFTER MIDWEEK. AFTER A
BRIEF BREAK IN THE STORMY PATTERN...A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS
WILL RETURN A MORE ACTIVE PATTERN TOWARDS THE END OF THE WEEK.
&&
.SHORT TERM...AN OCCLUDED FRONT WAS RAPIDLY APPROACHING THE COAST
SUN AFTERNOON. WINDS ALONG THE COAST HAVE BEEN INCREASING AHEAD OF
THIS FRONT AS PRESSURE GRADIENTS HAVE TIGHTENED...AND IN LINE WITH
PREVIOUS MODEL DEPICTIONS...SO THE WIND WARNING FOR THE COAST LOOKS
ON TRACK FOR EARLY THIS EVENING. WHILE THE OCCLUDED FRONT MOVES
ONSHORE THIS EVENING ACROSS THE N...MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT
THE FRONT TRAILS OFFSHORE OVER THE CENTRAL OREGON COAST. LOW LEVEL
PRESSURE GRADIENTS CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OVERNIGHT...WITH WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 80KT DESCENDING BELOW 925 MB OFF THE OREGON COAST BY MON
MORNING. WARM FRONT LIFTS UP THE OREGON COAST AND INLAND MON...BUT
IN GENERAL ALL MODELS HALT THE NORTHWARD PROGRESS OF THE FRONT S OF
THE COLUMBIA RIVER. THIS IMPLIES THE HIGH WIND THREAT MON WILL NOT
INCLUDE SW WA. OVERALL THOUGH...STILL POTENTIAL FOR SOME VERY STRONG
WINDS ON THE OREGON COAST MON. THE STRONG WIND FIELD WILL ALSO BEEF
UP MOISTURE FLUX VALUES BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME HEAVY RAINFALL
RATES THROUGH MON NIGHT. WHILE NOT EXACT...MODELS IN GENERAL HAVE
SETTLED IN ON HANGING UP THE COLD FRONT OVER EXTREME NW OREGON AND
SW WA FROM LATE TONIGHT INTO MON AFTERNOON. THE FRONT EVENTUALLY
SAGS SE THROUGH THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA MON NIGHT AND EARLY
TUE. STILL A LITTLE EARLY TO GET TOO SPECIFIC ON RIVER THREATS...BUT
GIVEN THE INITIAL LOW FLOWS IN THE RIVERS THE MAIN FLOOD THREAT WILL
BE ON THE SMALLEST OF THE LOCAL RIVERS. AS FOR SNOW IN THE
CASCADES...IT WILL BE A RACE OF HOW MUCH PRECIPITATION FALLS BEFORE
THE SNOW LEVELS RISE TOO HIGH FOR HEADLINES. S WA CASCADES MOST
SUSCEPTIBLE TO SNOW AS PRECIPITATION INTENSIFIES OVERNIGHT IN THE
SSW FLOW...AND SNOW LEVELS RISE FROM S TO N. HIGH END SNOW ADVISORY
LOOKS REASONABLE FOR THE S WA CASCADES AS IT LOOKS LIKE SNOW LEVELS
ARE LIKELY TO REACH 6K FT BY MON MORNING.
WHILE THE MAIN FRONT FINALLY MOVES S OF THE FORECAST AREA TUE...
SEVERAL MORE WAVES ROTATING AROUND THE UPPER TROUGH WILL KEEP POPS
HIGH THROUGH TUE NIGHT. SNOW LEVELS WILL WORK THEIR WAY BACK DOWN
TUE NIGHT AND WED AS ANOTHER SHOT OF COOLER AIR PUSHES IN. A
MODERATELY STRONG ONSHORE FLOW WILL BRING SNOW BACK BELOW PASS
LEVELS...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR AT LEAST ADVISORY LEVEL SNOWS IN THE
CASCADES TUE NIGHT AND WED.
.LONG TERM...WED EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY...A BROAD TROUGH OVER
WESTERN CANADA CONTINUES WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT OVER THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST. BROAD UPPER RIDGING TO THE SOUTH AROUND MIDWEEK BUMPS THE
STRONGEST FLOW ALOFT NORTHWARD BY EARLY FRIDAY. MODEL SOLUTIONS
DIVERGE SOMEWHAT HERE. THE GFS...ECMWF AND CANADIAN ALL SHOW MOIST
SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW PUSHING INTO THE NORTHWEST...WITH THE FOCUS OF
THE MOISTURE MOVING INTO WESTERN WASHINGTON INITIALLY. THE GFS TENDS
TO DROP MOISTURE FARTHER SOUTH INTO WESTERN OREGON FASTER...WHILE
ECMWF HOLDS MUCH OF THE MOISTURE IN WASHINGTON THROUGH SAT NIGHT.
LEANED TOWARD THE DRIER ECMWF IN PREPARING THE EXTENDED FORECAST.
EVENTUALLY THE FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE PLUME OF MOISTURE ROTATES
TO A MORE NORTHEAST-SOUTHWEST ORIENTATION BY SUNDAY THEN FINALLY
PROGRESSES EASTWARD. KWELSON
&&
.AVIATION...NOT MUCH CHANGE THIS EVENING. VFR INLAND...WITH MIX OF
MVFR AND VFR ON COAST. AFTER 08Z TONIGHT...INCREASING MVFR INLAND
AS WELL...WITH EVEN POCKETS OF IFR IN HEAVY RAIN OVER COASTAL
AREAS. MTN OBSCURATIONS DUE TO CLOUDS CONTINUES. GUSTY S WINDS ON
COAST...AND OVER HIGHER TERRAIN TONIGHT. EXPECT SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN THE SOUTHERLY WIND BETWEEN 12Z AND 16Z ACROSS REGION
AS FRONT OFFSHORE APPROACHES.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...VFR THIS EVENING...BUT INCREASING MVFR AFTER
MIDNIGHT AS RAIN INCREASES. GRADIENT SUCH THAT E WINDS CONTINUE
AT KPDX...SO NO SIGNIFICANT WIND UNTIL AFTER 15Z MON. AFTER 15Z
MON...WIND TURNS S AND INCREASES QUICKLY WITH GUSTS 30 TO 35KT.
&&
.MARINE...STRONG WARM FRONT NOW LIFTING ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS.
THIS GIVING STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS ON THE WATERS...WITH SEAS
RUNNING AT 18 TO 22 FT. WIND AND SEAS LET UP A BIT AFTER
MIDNIGHT. HAVE RAISED STORM WARNING FOR THE WATERS FOR TONIGHT
AS WINDS HAVE BEEN GUSTING 45 TO 50 KT AT THE BUOYS.
THERE WILL LIKELY BE BRIEF LET UP IN WINDS LATER TONIGHT...MORE SO
FOR THE NORTH OREGON AND SOUTH WASHINGTON COASTAL WATERS. THEN...A
VIGOROUS COLD FRONT WILL BARREL ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS ON MONDAY.
WINDS WILL DRAMATICALLY INCREASE EARLY MON AM...WITH STORM FORCE
WINDS. GUSTS OF 60 TO 65 KT EXPECTED...BUT ON WASHINGTON COASTAL
WATERS WINDS A BIT LESS WITH GUSTS 45 TO 50 KT. WITH THE WIND
BLOWING FOR QUITE SOME TIME FROM THE SOUTH...EXPECT VERY CHOPPY AND
CHAOTIC SEAS...BUILDING TO NEAR 30 FT ON MONDAY.
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...FLOOD WATCH FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY FOR MUCH OF
NW OREGON.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING FOR
NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM THIS EVENING FOR N OREGON COAST.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 8 PM MONDAY FOR CENTRAL OREGON COAST.
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM 10 PM PST THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY
EVENING FOR CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-COAST
RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON.
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM 2 AM PST MONDAY THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTH OREGON COAST.
WA...FLOOD WATCH FROM MIDNIGHT PST TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING
FOR MUCH OF SW WASHINGTON.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM MONDAY FOR THE SOUTH
WASHINGTON CASCADES.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM THIS EVENING FOR S WASHINGTON COAST.
PZ...STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST MONDAY FOR ALL COASTAL WATERS FROM
CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO FLORENCE OR OUT 60 NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH COLUMBIA BAR THROUGH MON NIGHT.
&&
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 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR 619 AM PST SUN NOV 18 2012 ORZ001-WAZ021-191600- NORTH OREGON COAST-SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST- 619 AM PST SUN NOV 18 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST AND NORTH OREGON COAST. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT HIGH WIND WARNING THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...LOOK ONLINE AT WEATHER.GOV OR SEE PDXNPWPQR FOR FURTHER DETAILS. RAIN WILL INCREASE TODAY...BECOMING HEAVY AT TIMES BY TONIGHT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY BE ENOUGH TO CAUSE FLOODING ON SOME DRAINAGES...ESPECIALLY SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS EVENING THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT. LOOK ONLINE OR SEE PDXFFAPQR FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY STRONG WINDS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE INTO MONDAY...AND MAY EVEN BE STRONGER THAN THOSE EXPERIENCED TODAY. HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE INTO MONDAY...WITH SOME FLOODING POSSIBLE. LOOK ONLINE AT WEATHER.GOV FOR THE LATEST BULLETINS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ORZ002-004-191600- CENTRAL OREGON COAST-CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON- 619 AM PST SUN NOV 18 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL OREGON COAST AND COAST RANGE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG WINDS WILL BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON...AND A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COAST. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THESE STRONGER WINDS WILL AFFECT THE COAST RANGE AS WELL. SEE PDXNPWPQR OR LOOK ONLINE FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY STRONG AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED MONDAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES ONSHORE. LOOK ONLINE OR SEE PDXNPWPQR FOR THE LATEST WATCHES AND WARNINGS. RAIN WILL BECOME HEAVY MONDAY AND MAY CAUSE FLOODING ON SOME AREA DRAINAGES. A FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED...LOOK ONLINE OR SEE PDXFFAPQR FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ORZ003-005-006-WAZ020-022-039-040-191600- COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON-LOWER COLUMBIA- GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA-WILLAPA HILLS-I- 5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY-GREATER VANCOUVER AREA- SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS- 619 AM PST SUN NOV 18 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR TONIGHT...AS RAIN IS EXPECTED TO BECOME HEAVY ACROSS THE AREA. LOOK ONLINE OR SEE PDXFFAPQR FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THE FLOOD WATCH EXTENDS INTO MONDAY AS HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE. LOOK ONLINE OR SEE PDXFFAPQR FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ORZ007>014-WAZ019-023-191600- 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- SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES- 619 AM PST SUN NOV 18 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE CASCADES OF SOUTHERN WASHINGTON AND NORTHERN OREGON. SNOW WILL AFFECT MOST CASCADE PASSES THIS MORNING...BUT SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE ABOVE THE PASSES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LOOK ONLINE OR SEE PDXWSWPQR FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY AS HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CAUSE THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING ON AREA RIVERS. LOOK ONLINE OR SEE PDXFFAPQR FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. PZZ210-250-255-270-275-191600- COLUMBIA RIVER BAR- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO CASCADE HEAD OR OUT 10 NM-COASTAL WATERS FROM CASCADE HEAD TO FLORENCE OR OUT 10 NM- WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO CASCADE HEAD OR FROM 10 TO 60 NM-WATERS FROM CASCADE HEAD TO FLORENCE OR FROM 10 TO 60 NM- 619 AM PST SUN NOV 18 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT GALE FORCE WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY STORM FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE MONDAY. ACTIVE WEATHER WILL CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF THE UPCOMING WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PORTLAND
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong winds were reported at Garibaldi with sustained winds of 59 kts with gusts to 83 kts. Strong winds were also reported at Pacific City and Clatsop spit with wind gusts to 68 kts.
Strong winds ripped across the central Oregon Coast with wind gusts of 85 kts at Newport. Other notable wind gusts included 74 kts at Lincoln City.
Strong winds were reported at Rockhouse RAWS with gusts to 52 mph.
Strong winds were reported at Cedar RAWS and Tidewater RAWS with gusts to 56 kts.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Wind, Coast Range of Nw Oregon | 2012-11-19 | Male | Under Tree | Direct |
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, November 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: 420738, 420741, 420743, 420748.