Cold air behind a Pacific cold front brought widespread heavy snow to the South Washington Cascades.
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.
Cold air behind a Pacific cold front brought widespread heavy snow to the South Washington Cascades.
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 Feb 22, 3:15 AM PST, 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
315 AM PST FRI FEB 22 2013
.SYNOPSIS...A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL IMPACT THE REGION TODAY AND
TONIGHT. SHOWERS CONTINUE ON SATURDAY. THE CASCADES WILL RECEIVE
ABUNDANT SNOWFALL...WITH TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 30 INCHES.
THE COAST WILL GET GOOD DOSE OF RAIN. SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL TO NEAR
COAST RANGE PASSES FRIDAY NIGHT. A WARM FRONT WILL GRAZE THE
NORTHERN TIER LATE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY...THOUGH MANY
AREAS WILL DRY OUT. ANOTHER COLD SYSTEM IMPACTS THE FORECAST AREA
MONDAY...BRINGING YET ANOTHER THREAT FOR MOUNTAIN SNOW AND VALLEY
RAIN. &&
.SHORT TERM...SCANNING THE PACIFIC OCEAN THIS MORNING REVEALS A
FAIRLY HEALTHY MOISTURE PLUME EXTENDING ALL THE WAY BACK TO SOUTHERN
CHINA AND OFF THE SOUTHERN COAST OF JAPAN. PW VALUES OF ABOUT 1
INCHES EXTEND AS FAR NORTH AS 50 N. OUR ATTENTION IS ON THE STORM
SYSTEM ENTERING 135 W ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THIS MOISTURE PLUME...WITH
THE CORE OF THE UPPER LOW NEAR AROUND 55N. CYCLOGENESIS CONTINUES
WITH THIS SYSTEM WITH A 975 MB ANALYZED SURFACE LOW. 6Z SURFACE
ANALYSIS DEPICTED SOME OCCLUSION ALREADY BEGINNING TO OCCUR AS THIS
SYSTEM PUSHES TOWARDS THE B.C. COAST...THOUGH EXPECT SOME DEEPENING
TO CONTINUE FOR A SHORT TIME. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE COLD FRONT IS
AROUND BUOY 36 NEAR 48 N 134W...SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE AT THE N COAST BY
ABOUT 19Z...WITH PRECIP WELL OUT AHEAD OF IT.
CLOSER TO HOME...CURRENTLY THE SURFACE THE WARM FRONTAL FEATURE HANGS
OFFSHORE AND WITH STRONG MOISTURE TRANSPORT INTO THE FRONTAL
SURFACE...PRECIPITATION HAS ALREADY OCCURRED AT TIMES AT THE COAST
AND IS SPREADING INLAND ALONG THE NORTHERN TIER. IT WILL TAKE SOME
TIME TO GET INLAND SINCE THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM OFFSHORE IS STILL
DEEPENING. THIS WILL CAUSE WEAK HIGH PRESSURE TO KEEP THINGS AT BAY
FOR A LITTLE WHILE THIS MORNING...ESPECIALLY FOR AREAS SOUTH AND
EAST. A PRONOUNCED DRY SLOT ON THE RUC/NAM ALSO SUGGESTS THAT A GOOD
PORTION OF AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF THE MORNING AND THROUGH A
BETTER PORTION OF THE MORNING COMMUTE WILL BE DRY FOR THESE AREAS
THAT DO NOT GET IN ON AS MUCH OF THE WARM ADVECTION PRECIPITATION.
BECAUSE OF THIS...EXPECT THE SOUTH WASHINGTON AND NORTH OREGON COAST
AND ADJACENT COASTAL MOUNTAINS TO SEE THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS
AS MOISTURE TRANSPORT IS MAXIMIZED AND LASTS THE LONGEST IN THESE
AREAS BEFORE THE COLD FRONT GAINS MOMENTUM. THE FRONT BLASTS THROUGH
THE VALLEYS AND REACHES THE CASCADES AROUND 03Z FRI.
NOW ONTO THE OTHER HIGHLIGHTS...
WIND...THOUGHTS HAVE NOT CHANGED ON THE HIGH WIND POTENTIAL FOR THE
COAST. STILL DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A FAVORABLE TRACK FOR WIDESPREAD HIGH
WIND. THERE WILL BE HIGH SURF HEADED TOWARD THE COAST...SO THIS IS
STILL NOT THE TIME TO BE HEADED TO THE BEACH. LOOKS LIKE THERE WILL
BE A BRIEF PERIOD OF GUSTY WINDS FOR THE VALLEY AHEAD OF THE COLD
FRONT. GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE...THOUGH NOT WIDESPREAD...LATER
THIS MORNING.
SNOW FOR THE CASCADES...NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED IN THE SNOWFALL TOTAL
FORECAST FOR THE OVERNIGHT PACKAGE...AT LEAST TO IMPACT THE CURRENT
HEADLINES IN PLACE. WILL MAKE SOME MINOR TIMING CHANGES TO THE
HEADLINES...AND THAT WILL BE FORTHCOMING IN THE WSW. THE WORST
CONDITIONS IN THE CASCADES WILL BE WITH THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON AND
EARLY EVENING...AS THIS IS THE TIME PERIOD WHEN BLOWING AND DRIFTING
OF SNOW WILL BE OCCURRING...AS SNOW LEVELS ARE FALLING. AFTER THIS
IT WILL JUST BE HEAVY MOUNTAIN SNOW OVERNIGHT INTO SATURDAY AS
IMPRESSIVE WLY 850 MB FLOW WILL SLAM INTO THE CASCADES FRI NIGHT AND
SAT MORNING ON THE ORDER OF 25-40 KT IN THE S WA AND N OREGON
CASCADES AND 15-25 KT IN THE CENTRAL CASCADES.EXPECT SNOWFALL WILL BE
CONTINUING SATURDAY AFTERNOON...WITH ROAD CONDITIONS LIKELY STILL
POOR...BUT THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL WILL BE EASING. EXPECT A GOOD FOOT
TO FOOT AND A HALF IN THE CASCADES BY EARLY SATURDAY...AND WHEN ALL
IS SAID AND DONE...15 TO 30 INCHES LOOK LIKE A GOOD BET AND WILL NOT
DEVIATE MUCH FROM THAT THINKING.
SNOW FOR THE FOOTHILLS AND COAST RANGE...CURRENT FORECAST ON TRACK
CASCADE FOOTHILLS WILL SEE 6 TO 12 INCHES FRI NIGH THROUGH SAT
MORNING...ESPECIALLY ABOVE 1500 FT. CURRENT WARNING LOOKS GOOD
THERE. THE COAST RANGE AND WILLAPA HILLS EXPECTED TO GET 3 TO 6
INCHES...GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET. LATEST NAM NOT QUITE AS COLD
COMPARED TO THE PAST COUPLE OF RUNS. THUS...LOOKING MORE UNLIKELY
THAT THE INTERIOR VALLEYS WILL SEE ANY SNOW. MAY BE A MINOR DUSTING
AROUND 1000 FEET LATE FRI NIGHT AND SAT MORNING...BUT THAT IS ABOUT
IT.
EXPECT QUITE A BIT OF RAIN SHADOWING FOR THE WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY
FOR THE SHOWER ACTIVITY IN STRONG WESTERLY FLOW TONIGHT...THOUGH IN
THESE SITUATIONS LIKELY A SHOWER WILL STILL PASS BY TO PICK UP
ACCUMULATION. SUSPECT A SIGNIFICANT WINDING DOWN IN THE SHOWER
ACTIVITY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AS UPPER LEVEL HEIGHTS RISE CONSIDERABLY
AND ONSHORE FLOW EASES. MODELS ALL KEEP SOME LIGHT QPF IN THE
CASCADES AND TO SOME DEGREE THE COAST RANGE AS WELL SAT NIGHT AS
WELL...SO WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY POPS THERE.
WEAK HIGH PRESSURE TRIES TO BUILD IN SAT NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. A WEAK
WARM FRONTAL FEATURE LOOKS TO MOVE THROUGH THE REGION ON SUN AHEAD OF
AN APPROACHING SYSTEM PROGGED FOR SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. RIDGING
PUSHING IN FROM THE SOUTH SHOULD KEEP THE BEST CHANCE FOR ANYTHING
VERY LIGHT IN THE NORTHERN TIER. THINGS QUIET DOWN SUN ELSEWHERE
BRIEFLY...AS THE NEXT COLD SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE IN MON. THIS
ONE WILL BE A FAIRLY QUICK HITTER WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF VALLEY RAIN
AND MOUNTAIN SNOW...DETAILS FOLLOW BELOW. KMD
.LONG TERM...NO CHANGES. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS...
SUN NIGHT THROUGH WED...FOLLOWING A DRY BREAK FOR MUCH OF
SUNDAY...THE NEXT FRONTAL SYSTEM IS PROGGED TO PUSH IN SOMETIME
SUN NIGHT OR EARLY MON. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS STILL SHOWING SOME
DIFFERENCES IN THE HANDLING OF THIS FEATURE. THE 12Z ECMWF IS DEEPER
WITH THE TROUGH...BRINGING A STRONGER AND SLOWER FRONT THROUGH THE
PAC NW ON MON MORNING. THE 12Z GFS IS GENERALLY WEAKER AND KEEPS THE
HEAVIEST PRECIP TO OUR NORTH. SNOW LEVELS LOOK TO REMAIN AT ABOUT
2500 FT WITH THE FRONT. HOWEVER...POST FRONTAL SHOWERS SHOULD
CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF MON...WITH SNOW LEVELS DROPPING DOWN INTO
THE FOOTHILLS AND COAST RANGE.
THE TREND IS TOWARD A BRIEF BREAK IN THE WEATHER MON NIGHT AND MUCH
OF TUE AS SHORTWAVE UPPER LEVEL RIDGING BUILDS OVER THE PAC NW.
HOWEVER...ANOTHER FRONT IS MODELED TO BRING INCREASING PRECIP
CHANCES TUE NIGHT. MODEL DIFFERENCES BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED BY
MIDWEEK. BUT BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF ARE SHOWING THE POTENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT OF AN ATMOSPHERIC RIVER AIMED AT THE PAC NW FROM WED
THROUGH FRI. AT THIS POINT...THE FOCUS OF THE EVENT LOOKS TO BE OVER
THE OLYMPICS OF WA AND SOUTHERN BC COAST...WITH ONLY A GLANCING BLOW
TO OUR FCST AREA. HOWEVER...UNCERTAINTY REMAINS HIGH AT THIS TIME.
PYLE
&&
.AVIATION...GENERALLY A MIX OF MVFR AND VFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE
DISTRICT THIS MORNING. SOUTH WIND WILL INCREASE AND BECOME RATHER
GUSTY AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT AS THIS MORNING PROGRESSES. THE
FRONT WILL ARRIVE WITH A STRONG BURST OF WIND...HEAVY RAIN AND
MVFR OR IFR CONDITIONS. BEST ESTIMATE ON TIMING...KAST 17Z...KPDX-
KONP 18Z-19Z...KEUG 19Z-20Z. SQUALLY GUSTS TO 35 KT WILL BE
POSSIBLE WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE FRONT. WINDS VEER SW-W BEHIND THE
FRONT WITH A TRANSITION TO SHOWERS BY 00Z. GENERAL MVFR CONDITIONS
SHOULD IMPROVE A LITTLE BY THIS EVENING.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...MAINLY VFR WITH INCREASING SOUTH WIND EARLY
THIS MORNING. A POTENT COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE PDX METRO
17Z-19Z WITH GUSTS 25-35 KT AND A SHARP WIND SHIFT TO W-SW. HEAVY
RAIN WITH THE FRONT WILL PROBABLY LOWER CIGS/VSBYS TO MVFR OR
EVEN IFR BRIEFLY. AFTER 19Z...EXPECT SHOWERY CONDITIONS WITH
GENERAL MVFR CIGS WITH INCREASING PERIODS OF VFR BY EVENING.
WEAGLE
&&
.MARINE...CURRENT FORECAST LOOKS VERY MUCH ON TRACK. WINDS ARE
INCREASING AT BUOYS 46089 AND 46029...WITH GALES LIKELY WITHIN THE
NEXT COUPLE HOURS. BUOY 46050 IS LAGGING BEHIND A BIT...ABOUT TWO
HOURS...AS EXPECTED SINCE THE FRONT IS COMING FROM THE NW.
THE COLD FRONT WILL LIKELY ENTER OUR NW WATERS AROUND 7 AM...
REACHING THE COLUMBIA BAR AROUND 8-9 AM...AND SHOULD BE
COMPLETELY ONSHORE BY MIDDAY. EXPECT SOLID GALES AHEAD OF THE
FRONT WITH A FEW STORM FORCE GUSTS TO 50 KT POSSIBLE WITH THE
FRONT ITSELF. STRONG COLD ADVECTION BEHIND THE FRONT WILL KEEP
SQUALLY...GUSTY CONDITIONS WITH FREQUENT GALE GUSTS TONIGHT INTO
SAT MORNING.
THIS SYSTEM HAS ALREADY GENERATED A DECENT SWELL...WITH 22 FT
REPORTED IN THE PAST HOUR AT BUOY 46004 JUST BEHIND THE FRONT NEAR
51N/136W. THE BULK OF THE SWELL REMAINS BEHIND THE FRONT WITH
30-31 FT SEAS RECENTLY REPORTED AT CANADIAN BUOY 48400 NEAR
50N/145W. GIVEN THE NICE DYNAMIC FETCH OF THIS SYSTEM THERE IS THE
POSSIBILITY SEAS WILL EXCEED OUR CURRENT FCST MAX OF 24-27 FT SAT
MORNING...SO WILL NEED TO WATCH BUOYS CLOSELY. A HIGH SURF
ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR OUR COAST DUE TO THE LARGE AND LONG
PERIOD SWELL. SWELL WILL BEGIN TO SUBSIDE LATER SAT...FALLING
BELOW 15 FT BY SUN MORNING. WEAGLE
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST SATURDAY FOR CASCADES IN
LANE COUNTY-NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 PM PST
SATURDAY FOR CASCADE FOOTHILLS IN LANE COUNTY-NORTHERN
OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 PM PST
SATURDAY FOR CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-COAST
RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM PST SATURDAY
FOR CENTRAL OREGON COAST-NORTH OREGON COAST.
WA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR
SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST SATURDAY FOR SOUTH
WASHINGTON CASCADES.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 PM PST
SATURDAY FOR SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 PM PST
SATURDAY FOR WILLAPA HILLS.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM PST SATURDAY
FOR SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST.
PZ...GALE WARNING UNTIL 10 AM PST SATURDAY FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM
CAPE SHOALWATER TO FLORENCE OUT 60 NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH COLUMBIA RIVER BAR THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
&&
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...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR 535 AM PST THU FEB 21 2013 ORZ001-002-PZZ210-250-255-270-275-WAZ021-221345- NORTH OREGON COAST-CENTRAL OREGON COAST-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- SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST- 535 AM PST THU FEB 21 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON...NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON COASTAL WATERS AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BRING HEAVY RAIN...STRONG WINDS AND HIGH SURF TO THE COAST ON FRIDAY. WIND GUSTS TO 55 MPH ARE POSSIBLE ALONG BEACHES AND EXPOSED HEADLANDS ON FRIDAY...WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH IN THE COASTAL COMMUNITIES. HIGH SURF WILL DEVELOP FRIDAY NIGHT AND PEAK ON SATURDAY. WAVES MAY REACH 25-30 FT ALONG THE COAST...CREATING DANGEROUS SURF ZONE CONDITIONS WITH LOCALIZED COASTAL FLOODING POSSIBLE. ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ORZ003-004-010>013-WAZ019-020-040-221345- COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON- CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON- NORTHERN OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES- CASCADE FOOTHILLS IN LANE COUNTY-CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY- SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES-WILLAPA HILLS- SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS- 535 AM PST THU FEB 21 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT PASS ELEVATIONS WILL RECEIVE A SHOT OF STICKING SNOW TODAY. ACCUMULATIONS WILL LIKELY REMAIN UNDER 6 INCHES...EXCEPT IN THE SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES WHERE LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY LOW SNOW LEVELS AND AN INCREASINGLY ACTIVE PACIFIC STORM TRACK WILL BRING THE POSSIBILITY OF HEAVIER SNOW AND STRONGER WINDS TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON ON FRIDAY. A POTENT WINTER STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING VERY HEAVY SNOW TO THE CASCADES. LOCALIZED BLIZZARD CONDITIONS APPEAR POSSIBLE FOR FRIDAY DOWN TO ELEVATIONS AS LOW AS THE CASCADE PASSES. SNOWFALL WILL ALSO AFFECT THE COAST RANGE AND THE FOOTHILL ELEVATIONS WITH ACCUMULATING SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE ON SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ORZ005>009-014-WAZ022-023-039-221345- LOWER COLUMBIA-GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA- CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY-SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY- WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY-I- 5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY-GREATER VANCOUVER AREA- 535 AM PST THU FEB 21 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Lone Pine SNOTEL measured 18 inches of new snow. Sheep Canyon SNOTEL and June Lake SNOTEL also received 18 inches of new snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, February 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: 436699.