Heavy Snow in Oregon, February 22 to 23, 2013

Name: Heavy Snow in Oregon, February 22 to 23, 2013
Start: 2013-02-22T12:00
End: 2013-02-23T12:00
Location: Oregon

February 22 to 23, 2013 · NWS PDT · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A strong pacific storm system moved across the interior Pacific Northwest over the weekend of the 22nd and provided several inches of snow over a 24-48 hour period, mainly above 4000ft. Snowfall amounts in inches include: (11) 5 miles W of Elgin, (17) two day storm total from Milk Shakes SNOTEL 9 miles SW of Ski Bluewood, (9) 6 miles SE of Greenhorn, (8) 24 hour total 18 miles SSE of Prairie…

Where it happened

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.

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: 2

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 PDT wrote it up.

A strong pacific storm system moved across the interior Pacific Northwest over the weekend of the 22nd and provided several inches of snow over a 24-48 hour period, mainly above 4000ft.

Snowfall amounts in inches include: (11) 5 miles W of Elgin, (17) two day storm total from Milk Shakes SNOTEL 9 miles SW of Ski Bluewood, (9) 6 miles SE of Greenhorn, (8) 24 hour total 18 miles SSE of Prairie City, (8) in 24 hours just SSE of Granite, (16) in 48 hours at High Ridge SNOTEL 5 miles SSW of Spout Springs, and (20) in 48 hours at Spout Springs Ski Resort.

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 Pendleton, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 22, 9:55 AM PST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 22, 9:55 AM PST, 2 hours 5 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
955 AM PST FRI FEB 22 2013

.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY...UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER THE
AREA TODAY WITH A WARM FRONT BRINGING SOME LIGHT PRECIPITATION. THE
RIDGE IS GIVING WAY TO AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH DROPPING OUT OF THE
GULF OF ALASKA. THIS WILL ALLOW A COLD FRONT TO PUSH INTO THE REGION
THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT. THE COLD FRONT WILL BRING INCREASING
PRECIPITATION AND WIND ASSOCIATED WITH IT TO THE FORECAST AREA.
NUMEROUS WINTER STORM AND WIND HIGHLIGHTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED NOW
THROUGH SATURDAY. SEE LATEST PRODUCTS PDXWSWPDT AND PDXNPWPDT FOR
THE LATEST DETAILS. MORNING FORECAST WAS UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE
OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS IN THE WINTER HIGHLIGHTS.

&&

.AVIATION...18Z TAFS...A STRONG WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BRING RAIN AND
MOUNTAIN SNOW TO THE REGION THROUGH THIS EVENING. CEILINGS WILL BE
PRIMARILY VFR THOUGH SOME MVFR CEILINGS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE
HEAVIER SHOWERS. THIS EVENING SHOWERS WILL WIND DOWN AT KYKM, KDLS
AND KPSC BUT WILL LINGER ON AT KALW AND KPDT THROUGH 12Z AND AT KRDM
AND KBDN AS SNOW SHOWERS AFTER 08Z. WINDS WILL INCREASE STEADILY
THIS MORNING TO 15 TO 25 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 35 KTS. THE FRONT PASSAGE
THIS AFTERNOON FROM 22Z TO 03Z WILL HAVE WINDS OF 20 TO 30 KTS WITH
GUSTS TO 40 KTS. AFTER 03Z, WINDS WILL DECREASE, DROPPING BELOW 15
KTS AFTER 06Z, EXCEPT AT KPSC, KALW AND KPDT WHICH WILL REMAIN AT 10
TO 20 WITH GUSTS TO 25 KTS. WINDS WILL BEGIN INCREASING AGAIN AFTER
15Z TOMORROW MORNING. PERRY

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 338 AM PST FRI FEB 22 2013/

SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM IS APPROACHING THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. A WARM FRONT
OUT AHEAD OF THE LOW HAS PRODUCED A LARGE AREA OF ENHANCED CLOUDS
AND PRECIPITATION INTO SOUTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA AND NORTHWESTERN
WASHINGTON EARLY THIS MORNING. THIS FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE
REGION TODAY. RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW WILL INCREASE LATER THIS
MORNING AND BECOME WIDESPREAD THIS AFTERNOON. SOME LOCATIONS WILL
LIKELY HAVE A PERIOD OF MODERATE PRECIPITATION THIS AFTERNOON AS THE
MOISTURE FIELD AND LIFT ARE SIGNIFICANT. THE AIRMASS WILL BE FAIRLY
WARM ALOFT WHICH WILL INCREASE SNOW LEVELS FOR A WHILE TODAY. HIGH
TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE 40S TO LOWER 50S. SURFACE GRADIENTS AND
INCREASING WINDS ALOFT WILL RESULT IN BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS
DEVELOPING BY AFTERNOON. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL THEN MOVE THROUGH
THE REGION LATE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. THIS WILL ALSO RESULT IN
ADDITIONAL MODERATE PRECIPITATION ALONG WITH LOWERING SNOW LEVELS.
EXPECT A PERIOD OF STRONGER WINDS AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH. THE
STEADY PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE OVER TO SHOWERS IN MANY AREAS
BEHIND THE FRONT. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE THE CASCADES AND NORTHEAST
OREGON MOUNTAINS WHERE STRONG UPSLOPE FLOW WILL RESULT IN CONTINUED
STEADY SNOW THROUGH THE NIGHT. BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS WILL ALSO
CONTINUE WITH THE COLD ADVECTION PATTERN. ON SATURDAY THE SNOW IN
THE MOUNTAINS WILL START TO DIMINISH IN THE AFTERNOON. THE REMAINDER
OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL HAVE SCATTERED OR ISOLATED SHOWERS.
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN WILL KEEP THE WESTERLY WINDS GOING
THROUGH THE DAY BEFORE DECREASING IN THE EVENING. NUMEROUS SNOW
ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE MOUNTAINS TODAY
THROUGH SATURDAY AS SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED. ALSO
WIND ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT LATER TODAY INTO SATURDAY
FOR THE STRONG WESTERLY WINDS THAT WILL ACCOMPANY THIS SYSTEM. 94

LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...A RIDGE WILL BUILD
NEAR THE COAST WITH DRIER NORTHWEST FLOW OVER EASTERN WASHINGTON.
THIS WILL BRING A DECREASE IN PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY
NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING. A FEW SHOWERS MAY LINGER IN THE MOUNTAINS.
THE NEXT DISTURBANCE WILL IMPACT THE AREA SUNDAY AFTERNOON WITH A
WEAK WARM FRONT FOLLOWED BY A COLD FRONT MONDAY. THIS SYSTEM IS
EXPECTED TO HAVE LESS PRECIPITATION THAN THE SYSTEM DURING THE EARLY
WEEKEND...BUT WITH LOW SNOW LEVELS...SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE
ABOVE 2500 FEET. AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL MOVE OVER WASHINGTON AND
OREGON TUESDAY WITH DRIER CONDITIONS. THE NEXT SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO
THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY...BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE OF SHOWERS TO THE
AREA. SNOW LEVELS WILL BEGIN TO RISE WITH THIS SYSTEM WITH CHANCES
OF RAIN IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS. THURSDAY
ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH A WEAK RIDGE OVER WASHINGTON AND
OREGON WITH MORE RAIN AND SNOW. COONFIELD

AVIATION...12Z TAFS.  CONDITIONS WILL PREDOMINANTLY REMAIN VFR FOR
THE NEXT 24 HOURS...ALTHOUGH THERE COULD BE BRIEF PERIODS OF MVFR
CONDITIONS DUE TO RAIN SHOWERS CIGS WILL DECREASE TO 3500-6000 FEET
ARE FORECAST THIS AFTERNOON. THERE WILL BE DECREASING CLOUDS BEHIND
THE COLD FRONT. THE MAIN AVIATION CONCERN WILL BE WINDS. WINDS WILL
INCREASE DURING THE MORNING. AFTER 20Z...SUSTAINED WINDS OF 15-30
KNOTS WITH GUSTS 35-45 KNOTS ARE EXPECTED. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL
BE AT KPSC, KALW, AND KPDT.  76

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT  51  36  48  30 / 100  80  20  10
ALW  49  35  49  33 / 100  80  20  10
PSC  52  36  55  30 /  80  40  10  10
YKM  49  33  51  28 /  70  20  10  10
HRI  53  36  54  28 /  90  60  10  10
ELN  45  34  47  28 /  70  30  20  10
RDM  49  28  41  21 /  70  50  20  10
LGD  40  31  39  28 /  90  90  40  20
GCD  43  30  38  25 /  90  90  40  20
DLS  51  36  51  31 /  90  50  20  10

&&

.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM PST SATURDAY ORZ049-050.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST SATURDAY ABOVE 4000 FEET
     FOR THE ORZ502-503.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM PST
     SATURDAY ORZ506.

     WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 AM PST SATURDAY
     ORZ041-042.

     HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 11 PM PST THIS
     EVENING ORZ044.

     WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM PST SATURDAY
     ORZ044.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST SATURDAY ORZ509.

     WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 PM PST SATURDAY
     ORZ507-508.

WA...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST SATURDAY ABOVE 4000 FEET
     FOR THE WAZ030.

     WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 AM PST SATURDAY
     WAZ024-026-027-521.

     HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 11 PM PST THIS
     EVENING WAZ028.

     WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM PST SATURDAY
     WAZ028.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST SATURDAY WAZ520.

     WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 PM PST SATURDAY
     WAZ029.

&&

THREAT INDEX
TODAY : RED
SATURDAY : RED
SUNDAY : 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

91/76/76

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 22, 9:10 AM PST, 2 hours 50 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
910 AM PST FRI FEB 22 2013

UPDATED TO INCLUDE NEW WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY

ORZ041-042-044-049-050-502-503-505>509-WAZ024-026>030-520-521-
231415-
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-
910 AM PST FRI FEB 22 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON
AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SNOW
     EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES, NORTHWEST BLUE
     MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, EAST SLOPES OF THE OREGON
     CASCADES, GRANDE RONDE VALLEY, WALLOWA COUNTY, NORTHERN BLUE
     MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON,
     OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS

STRONG WIND
     SIMCOE HIGHLANDS, EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF WASHINGTON,
     KITTITAS VALLEY, YAKIMA VALLEY, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF
     WASHINGTON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON,
     EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF OREGON, NORTH CENTRAL OREGON,
     LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON, FOOTHILLS OF THE NORTHERN BLUE
     MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, FOOTHILLS OF THE SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS
     OF OREGON

A STORM MOVING ACROSS THE REGION WILL PRODUCE HEAVY SNOW IN THE
MOUNTAINS TODAY AND TONIGHT. WINDS WILL INCREASE BECOMING STRONG
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

SNOW SATURDAY
     EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES, NORTHWEST BLUE
     MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, EAST SLOPES OF THE OREGON CASCADES,
     GRANDE RONDE VALLEY, WALLOWA COUNTY, NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS
     OF OREGON, SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON

STRONG WIND SATURDAY
     SIMCOE HIGHLANDS, EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF WASHINGTON,
     KITTITAS VALLEY, YAKIMA VALLEY, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF
     WASHINGTON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON,
     EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF OREGON, NORTH CENTRAL OREGON,
     LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON, FOOTHILLS OF THE NORTHERN BLUE
     MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, FOOTHILLS OF THE SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS
     OF OREGON

SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY
SATURDAY AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM EXITS THE REGION.

.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 radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Northern Blue Mountains

When: February 22, 12:00 PM PST to February 23, 12:00 PM PST
Where: Northern Blue Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.494, -117.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southern Blue Mountains

When: February 23, 2:00 AM PST to 12:00 PM PST
Where: Southern Blue Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.153, -119.262 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Oregon in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in Oregon, February 2013

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: 426283, 426252.