An historically cold air mass moved into Oregon December 6-7, and this led to low level snows and very cold temperatures. A Freeze Warning was issued for the coast continuously from 07/0307 PST until 08/1000 PST as the forecast indicated that temperatures in some areas would not rise above freezing during that interval.
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 MFR wrote it up.
An historically cold air mass moved into Oregon December 6-7, and this led to low level snows and very cold temperatures. A Freeze Warning was issued for the coast continuously from 07/0307 PST until 08/1000 PST as the forecast indicated that temperatures in some areas would not rise above freezing during that interval.
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 7, 2:41 AM PST, 26 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
241 AM PST SAT DEC 7 2013
.DISCUSSION...A COLD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS CENTERED OVER EASTERN
OREGON THIS MORNING AND MOVING OFF RAPIDLY TO THE EAST. AN UPPER
LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED ALONG 140W PUTS A NORTHERLY
FLOW OVER THE AREA. THIS FLOW HAS LOST THE OVER WATER PATH SO IT IS
MUCH DRIER. THERE WILL BE A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH
THE EXITING TROUGH, MAINLY EAST OF THE CASCADES, UNTIL ABOUT MID DAY
TODAY. THEN THE COLD, DRY AIR MOVES IN. CLOUD COVER WILL RAPIDLY
CLEAR TODAY. THE CLEARING SKIES COMBINED WITH THE FRESH SNOW COVER
ON MOST AREAS WILL ALLOW A GREAT DEAL OF LONGWAVE RADIATION TO SPACE
TONIGHT. THIS WILL MAKE THE OVERNIGHT LOWS PLUMMET TO THE LOWEST
LEVELS IN MANY YEARS. TEMPERATURES IN KLAMATH, LAKE AND MODOC
COUNTIES WILL BE BITTERLY COLD, WELL BELOW ZERO. IN THE LATE
AFTERNOON TODAY AND INTO THE EARLY EVENING, MUCH OF LAKE COUNTY WILL
SEE NORTH WINDS OF 10 TO 15 MPH THAT WILL CREATE A WIND CHILL AS LOW
AS -31 DEGREES. TEMPERATURES ON THE COAST WILL REMAIN BELOW FREEZING
UNTIL MID DAY SUNDAY.
TEMPERATURES WILL MODERATE EARLY NEXT WEEK AS THE UPPER FLOW TURNS
MORE NORTHWESTERLY. ON LATE TUESDAY, A WEAK SYSTEM WILL BRUSH BY TO
THE NORTH TO BE FOLLOWED BY A STRONGER SYSTEM LATE WEDNESDAY AND
INTO THURSDAY. SNOW LEVELS WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE AROUND 5000
FEET. LOVEGROVE
&&
.AVIATION...MOSTLY MVFR CONDITIONS WITH ISOLATED IFR CONDITIONS...
ALONG WITH WIDESPREAD MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION...WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING. IFR CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY BECOME MORE
PREVALENT AROUND SUNRISE WITH FREEZING FOG EXPECTED TO FORM IN
WEST SIDE VALLEYS. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT THE COAST LATER
THIS MORNING...AND AT LEAST PARTIAL CLEARING WILL OCCUR FROM WEST
TO EAST DURING THE DAY AS A DRIER AIR MASS MOVES IN...WITH
MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION DECREASING THIS AFTERNOON. SOME REDUCTION TO
VISIBILITY IS POSSIBLE EAST OF THE CASCADES IN BLOWING SNOW.
FREEZING LEVELS WILL REMAIN AT THE SURFACE FOR MOST LOCATIONS
TODAY AND TONIGHT IN A VERY COLD AIR MASS. SK
&&
.MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR
ORZ029>031.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR
ORZ029>031.
WIND CHILL WARNING FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 11 PM PST THIS
EVENING FOR ORZ030-031.
FREEZE WARNING UNTIL 10 AM PST SUNDAY FOR ORZ021-022.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR
ORZ024-026.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR
ORZ025.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR
ORZ027-028.
CA...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR
CAZ080-081.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR
CAZ082-083.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR
CAZ084-085.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR
CAZ083>085.
PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR WINDS UNTIL 7 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR
PZZ350-356.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR PZZ356.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS
MORNING FOR PZZ350.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR WINDS UNTIL 1 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
PZZ370-376.
HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR
PZZ370-376.PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
921 PM PST FRI DEC 6 2013
...TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
...DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0748 PM SNOW 2 E SCOTTSBURG 43.66N 123.78W
12/06/2013 M5.5 INCH DOUGLAS OR TRAINED SPOTTER
SNOW DURATION 24 HOURS OBSERVER LOCATION ON
UMPQUA RIVER
0750 PM SNOW SHADY COVE 42.61N 122.82W
12/06/2013 M4.5 INCH JACKSON OR TRAINED SPOTTER
SNOW DURATION 24 HOURS OBSERVER LOCATION
SOUTH END OF SHADY COVE ON RIVER
0920 PM SNOW 6 SW SHADY COVE 42.56N 122.90W
12/06/2013 M3.5 INCH JACKSON OR TRAINED SPOTTER
5 INCHES ON GROUND SNOW DURATION 6 HOURS
OBSERVER LOCATION 2 MILES FROM BEAGEL AIR
STRIP
&&
NWS MEDFORD OR
IRIS SYSTEMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1003 PM PST FRI DEC 6 2013
...TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
...DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1002 PM SNOW 3 SSE MOUNT SHASTA 41.28N 122.30W
12/06/2013 M7.0 INCH SISKIYOU CA TRAINED SPOTTER
SNOW DURATION 6 HOURS OBSERVER LOCATION 2
MI. S OF MT. SHASTA CITY
&&
NWS MEDFORD OR
IRIS SYSTEMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1036 PM PST FRI DEC 6 2013
...TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
...DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1012 PM SNOW HAPPY CAMP 41.79N 123.38W
12/06/2013 E10.0 INCH SISKIYOU CA PUBLIC
SNOW DURATION 24 HOURS
1023 PM SNOW EAGLE POINT 42.47N 122.80W
12/06/2013 E7.0 INCH JACKSON OR PUBLIC
SNOW DURATION 24 HOURS
1014 PM SNOW 4 NW GOLD HILL 42.48N 123.11W
12/06/2013 E7.0 INCH JACKSON OR PUBLIC
SNOW DURATION 24 HOURS
1024 PM SNOW WHITE CITY 42.43N 122.83W
12/06/2013 E5.0 INCH JACKSON OR PUBLIC
SNOW DURATION 24 HOURS
1027 PM SNOW KLAMATH FALLS 42.22N 121.77W
12/06/2013 E5.0 INCH KLAMATH OR PUBLIC
SNOW DURATION 24 HOURS
1025 PM SNOW RUCH 42.24N 123.04W
12/06/2013 E4.0 INCH JACKSON OR PUBLIC
SNOW DURATION 24 HOURS
&&
NWS MEDFORD OR
IRIS SYSTEMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1051 PM PST FRI DEC 6 2013
...TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
...DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1051 PM SNOW KLAMATH FALLS 42.22N 121.77W
12/06/2013 E5.0 INCH KLAMATH OR PUBLIC
SNOW DURATION 24 HOURS
&&
NWS MEDFORD OR
IRIS SYSTEMThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 frost/freeze. Local standard time, as filed.
Reported low temperatures on 12/7 ranged from 19 to 30 degrees. All reporting stations recorded above freezing highs on 12/7. Reported low temperatures on 12/8 ranged from 18 to 23 degrees.
Reported low temperatures on 12/7 ranged from 29 to 32 degrees. All reporting stations recorded above freezing highs on 12/7. Reported low temperatures on 12/8 ranged from 26 to 30 degrees.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, December 2013
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: 480461, 480462.