Cold air remained trapped in the Upper hood River Valley area as a front moved in and produced freezing rain.
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 remained trapped in the Upper hood River Valley area as a front moved in and produced freezing rain.
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 Dec 4, 3:34 AM PST, 2 hours 26 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
331 AM PST THU DEC 4 2014
.SYNOPSIS...LOW PRESSURE IS MOVING INTO WESTERN OREGON AND SPREADING
LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN ACROSS NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST
WASHINGTON. TEMPERATURES REMAIN BELOW FREEZING IN THE HOOD RIVER
VALLEY...SOME PORTIONS OF THE COLUMBIA GORGE...AND CASCADE VALLEYS
AND PASSES. LIGHT TO MODERATE ICING CAN BE EXPECTED IN THESE AREAS
NORTH OF SANTIAM PASS. THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE NORTHWARD
INTO WASHINGTON TONIGHT...WITH RAIN COMING TO AN END FOR MOST OF OUR
FORECAST AREA. FRIDAY SHOULD START OFF DRY...BUT ANOTHER POTENT UPPER
TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO BRING MORE RAIN FRIDAY NIGHT. SNOW LEVELS WILL
REMAIN HIGH...BUT SOME FREEZING RAIN IS STILL POSSIBLE IN THE HOOD
RIVER VALLEY WITH THIS SYSTEM AS WELL. THE WEEKEND SHOULD BE
DRIER...BUT MORE ACTIVE WEATHER IS EXPECTED AS A SERIES OF FRONTS
MOVE THROUGH LATE SUNDAY THROUGH NEXT WEEK.
&&
.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY...SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A
COMPLEX LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM JUST OFF THE OREGON COAST...WITH A NUMBER
OF VORTICITY MAXIMA ROTATING AROUND IT. ONE SUCH WAVE OF ENERGY IS
PRESENTLY MOVING NORTHWARD ACROSS NORTHWEST OREGON... SPREADING A
BAND OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN ACROSS THE DISTRICT. PRESENTLY THE
AXIS OF HEAVIER RAIN ASSOCIATED APPEARS TO BE BETWEEN LINCOLN CITY
AND SALEM. LOOKS LIKE THIS BAND IS BEING ENHANCED SOMEWHAT BY
INCREASED LOW-LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS DUE TO THE E-NE FLOW COMING OUT OF
THE COLUMBIA GORGE. SO FAR MOST LOCATIONS HAVE REPORTED 0.25 INCH OR
LESS FROM THIS RAIN BAND...LOOKS LIKE THIS WILL BE THE CASE AS THE
BAND PUSHES NORTHWARD ACROSS THE PORTLAND METRO AREA.
THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION APPEARS TO BE STAYING WEST OF THE
CASCADES...CLOSER TO THE PARENT LOW JUST OFFSHORE. THIS IS GOOD NEWS
FOR THE GORGE AND HOOD RIVER VALLEY WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW
FREEZING AT MANY LOCATIONS...ESPECIALLY EAST OF CASCADE LOCKS. THE
EASTSIDE COLD POOL HAS BEEN DEEP ENOUGH TO KEEP SUBFREEZING
TEMPERATURES THROUGH BLUE BOX PASS AND INTO GOVERNMENT CAMP...WHERE
ODOT REPORTS ICING ON HIGHWAY 26. THE ABOVE-MENTIONED BAND OF RAIN
WILL LIKELY AFFECT AREAS GOVERNMENT CAMP NORTHWARD THROUGHOUT THE
DAY. AS MUCH AS ONE QUARTER INCH OF ICE OR LOCALLY MORE IS POSSIBLE
IN AREAS WHICH REMAIN BELOW FREEZING THE LONGEST. AREAS THAT COME TO
MIND ARE PARKDALE...GOVERNMENT CAMP...THE WIND RIVER VALLEY...AND
TROUT LAKE. DECIDED EARLY ON IN THE SHIFT TO EXPAND THE FREEZING RAIN
ADVISORY INTO THE S WA/N OR CASCADES. IT MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED FOR
SOME AREAS DEPENDING ON HOW TEMPERATURES RESPOND TO THE INCREASING
SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.
AS IS OFTEN THE CASE ALONG I-84 AND WA-14...THE FREEZING RAIN THREAT
INCREASES THE FURTHER EAST ONE TRAVELS THROUGH THE COLUMBIA GORGE.
THE WEST GORGE APPEARS TO BE JUST ABOVE FREEZING ON THE GORGE FLOOR
BUT IT DOES APPEAR LOCATIONS ABOVE A FEW HUNDRED FEET ARE NEAR OR
BELOW FREEZING BASED ON AREA OBSERVATIONS. TEMPS AT THE GORGE FLOOR
ARE GENERALLY 31-32 DEG F AROUND HOOD RIVER...SO THERE MAY BE MORE
ICING ISSUES IN THAT AREA. DECIDED TO LEAVE THE CURRENT FREEZING RAIN
ADVISORIES ALONE...EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE PRETTY MARGINAL AT THE GORGE
FLOOR. FURTHER UP IN THE HOOD RIVER AND WIND RIVER VALLEYS IS WHERE
MORE SIGNIFICANT ICING ISSUES ARE EXPECTED TODAY.
THE MAIN UPPER TROUGH ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO LIFT
NORTH TOWARD VANCOUVER ISLAND...TAKING MOST OF THE RAIN NORTH OF OUR
FORECAST AREA TONIGHT. FRIDAY SHOULD START OFF DRY FOR MOST OF THE
DISTRICT UNDER SHORTWAVE RIDGING. HOWEVER ANOTHER POTENT SYSTEM IS
ALREADY NEARING 140W...AND WILL LIKELY START TO SPREAD MORE RAIN
ONSHORE LATER FRIDAY. COASTAL WINDS WILL BE STRONGER WITH THIS
SYSTEM...BUT MAINLY ON BEACHES AND HEADLANDS. THE 06Z NAM DEVELOPS
50 KT SOUTHERLY WINDS DOWN TO 950 MB NEAR THE COAST FRI AFTERNOON OR
EVENING. THIS IS PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH TO WARRANT HIGH WIND
WATCHES/WARNINGS ALONG THE COAST...NOT EVEN FOR THE BEACHES AND
HEADLANDS. HOWEVER GIVEN HOW HEALTHY THIS SYSTEM APPEARS TO BE
DEVELOPING...WE WILL NEED TO WATCH IT CLOSELY FOR THE POTENTIAL OF
STRONGER WINDS THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST.
FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY MORNING APPEAR TO BE WET...WITH STILL THE
POTENTIAL FOR SOME FREEZING RAIN IN THE HOOD RIVER VALLEY AS COLD AIR
REMAINS EAST OF THE CASCADES. HOWEVER MODELS SHOW GOOD AGREEMENT IN
DRIVING THE UPPER TROUGH AXIS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM ACROSS THE
CASCADES SAT AFTERNOON...WHICH SHOULD AT LEAST PARTIALLY DISRUPT THE
EASTSIDE COLD POOL AND EVENTUALLY ALLOW OUR EASTERN VALLEYS TO WARM
ABOVE FREEZING. AFTER SOME LINGERING SHOWERS SATURDAY...THE WEEKEND
MAY BE MOSTLY DRY GIVEN LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE. WEAGLE
.LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...SUNDAY APPEARS TO START OFF
MAINLY DRY AS ANOTHER TRANSITORY RIDGE MOVES ACROSS THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST. HOWEVER...FLOW ACROSS THE PACIFIC IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY
PROGRESSIVE AND SHOULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO AN ACTIVE PATTERN FOR THE
WEST COAST WELL INTO NEXT WEEK. THE ACTIVE PHASE OF THE MADDEN-JULIAN
OSCILLATION APPEARS TO BE GETTING INTO WESTERN PACIFIC...WHICH OFTEN
RESULTS IN A STRONGER AND MORE CONSOLIDATED JET STREAM ACROSS THE
PACIFIC. SURE ENOUGH THE 00Z ECMWF SHOWS THIS...WITH THE CORE OF THE
PACIFIC JET VARYING BETWEEN 150-200 KT AND VERY ZONAL NEXT WEEK. THIS
IS THE IDEAL SET UP FOR A PARADE OF ENERGETIC FRONTAL SYSTEMS TO
IMPACT THE WEST COAST. THE BIG QUESTION IS LIKELY WHO WILL BE
IMPACTED THE HARDEST.
MODELS SHOW GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THE FIRST FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS
PATTERN WILL SPREAD RAIN ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA LATE SUNDAY. THESE
SYSTEMS WILL LIKELY HAVE AT LEAST SOME ACCESS TO SUBTROPICAL
MOISTURE...WHICH ALSO MEANS SNOW LEVELS WILL LIKELY REMAIN HIGH WITH
ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. AFTER SUNDAY...
ATTEMPTING TO TIME THE ARRIVAL OF EACH FRONTAL SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE
DIFFICULT...SO FOR NOW THE BEST FORECAST IS LIKELY JUST TO EXPECT
MILD TEMPERATURES AND RAIN AT TIMES SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. 00Z/06Z
GFS AND 00Z ECMWF SHOW GOOD AGREEMENT THAT A STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM
WILL AFFECT OREGON OR CALIFORNIA MID TO LATE NEXT WEEK...BUT DETAILS
CAN EASILY CHANGE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. AT THIS POINT IT APPEARS THE
HEAVIEST RAIN WILL FOCUS ON NORTHERN CALIFORNIA OR SOUTHWEST
OREGON...BUT AGAIN THIS COULD EASILY CHANGE IN FUTURE MODEL RUNS.
WEAGLE
&&
.AVIATION...WIDESPREAD MVFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION THIS
MORNING AS A LOWERING CIGS AND A BAND OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN
CONTINUES TO SPREAD FROM SOUTH TO NORTH ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA.
EXPECT MVFR CIGS AROUND 2500 FT TO CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY THIS
MORNING ALONG WITH TEMPORARY VSBY RESTRICTIONS IN HEAVIER RAIN.
CANNOT RULE OUT SOME PERIODS OF IFR CIGS...PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE
SOUTH TO INCLUDE KONP AND KEUG...BUT CONFIDENCE IS LOW IN THIS
DEVELOPING. RAIN CONTINUES TODAY BUT CIGS LIKELY LIFT BACK INTO
VFR THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE INTERIOR TAF SITES AS . HOWEVER...MVFR
CIGS LIKELY REMAIN FOR MUCH OF THE DAY FOR THE COASTAL AREAS...
ESPECIALLY KONP. GUSTY EAST WINDS LIKELY CONTINUE FOR KTTD AND
TOWARDS THE GORGE TODAY...BUT SHOULD GRADUALLY EASE FROM 30 KT TO 15
KT OR SO BY THIS EVENING OR TONIGHT.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...CIGS CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY LOWER WITH
SHOWERS CONTINUING THIS MORNING. CIGS LIKELY DROP TO AROUND 2000
FT AROUND 12Z...BEFORE REMAINING BETWEEN LOW VFR TO HIGHER MVFR
RANGE MUCH OF THE DAY. SOME REDUCTION TO IFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE
IN HEAVIER RAIN SHOWERS THROUGH TODAY AND POTENTIAL REMAINS FOR A
LOWER SCATTERED DECK DEVELOPING IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. CULLEN
&&
.MARINE...LOW PRES SYSTEM OFFSHORE CONTINUES TO SLOWLY SLIDE NORTH
THROUGH TODAY. AS IT APPROACHES...EXPECT WINDS TO BECOME
INCREASINGLY SOUTHERLY BY MIDDAY WITH GUSTS TO 30 KT DEVELOPING
TONIGHT. AFTER A BRIEF LULL IN WINDS...THE NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHES
AND IS THE FIRST OF SEVERAL TO IMPACT THE WATERS IN THE COMING
WEEK AS THE PATTERN BECOMES MORE ACTIVE. PERIODS OF GALE GUSTS
APPEAR POSSIBLE AT SOME POINT FRIDAY...ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL
FOR SEAS BUILDING TO AROUND 10 FT. THE SUBSEQUENT SYSTEMS CONTINUE
TO APPEAR STRONGER...WITH SEAS PUSHING WELL INTO THE MID TEENS OR
HIGHER AND PERIODS OF SOLID GALE FORCE WINDS POSSIBLE FOR THE
BEGINNING TO MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. CULLEN
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR CENTRAL
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES-UPPER HOOD
RIVER VALLEY-WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.
WA...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR CENTRAL
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES-WESTERN
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.
PZ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR WINDS FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 AM
PST FRIDAY FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO CASCADE
HEAD OR OUT 60 NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING
TO 6 AM PST FRIDAY FOR 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.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR WINDS UNTIL 6 AM PST FRIDAY FOR COASTAL
WATERS FROM CASCADE HEAD OR TO FLORENCE OR OUT 60 NM.
&&
INTERACT WITH US VIA SOCIAL MEDIA
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSPORTLAND
WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSPORTLAND
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.1 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Various of stations reported 0.25 to 0.4 inch of ice accumulation including Parkdale and Middle Mountain. A newspaper article reported a fatal car crash due to ice on Highway 26 in Wasco County, just northeast of the upper hood river valley.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, December 2014
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: 553063.