A shortwave trough riding along a surface occluded front brought a burst of strong winds to the Beaches and Headlands along the Northern and Central Oregon coast.
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 shortwave trough riding along a surface occluded front brought a burst of strong winds to the Beaches and Headlands along the Northern and Central Oregon coast.
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 8, 3:47 PM PST, 4 hours 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
347 PST MON DEC 8 2014
.SYNOPSIS...A BUSY WEATHER PATTERN WILL PREVAIL THIS WEEK FOR
SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON WITH WET AND WINDY WEATHER
AT TIMES. BROAD LOW PRESSURE OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA AND A STRONG
PACIFIC JET STREAM WILL ROTATE A SERIES OF INCREASINGLY STRONG
FRONTAL SYSTEMS INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST THROUGH MIDWEEK. THE MAIN
UPPER LOW WILL OPEN UP AND MOVE ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AS AN
OPEN TROUGH WITH THE FOCUS OF HEAVIEST RAIN SHIFTING SOUTHWARD INTO
CALIFORNIA BY THE END OF THE WEEK. COOLER AND SHOWERY WEATHER IS
EXPECTED THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY WITH A DRYING TREND POSSIBLE FOR
THE WEEKEND.
&&
.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...BROAD UPPER LOW
COVERING THE BULK OF THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL BRING MULTIPLE THREATS
TO THE REGION AND PRIMARILY THE COAST AND COAST RANGE. THE FIRST
SYSTEM CROSSES TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. THE SECOND ARRIVES TUESDAY NIGHT
AND WEDNESDAY...AND PERHAPS A THIRD ON THURSDAY.
STARTING WITH WINDS...BEACHES AND HEADLANDS WILL SEE SOUTHERLY WINDS
INCREASE TONIGHT AS A SHORTWAVE RIDES NORTH ALONG THE OCCLUDED
FRONT. THIS IS A MARGINAL EVENT WITH GUSTS AROUND 60 MPH AND HAVE
ISSUED A HIGH WIND WARNING FOR ONLY THE BEACHES AND HEADLANDS. THE
PRIMARY SURFACE LOW REMAINS WELL OFFSHORE SO IT APPEARS THIS WILL
NOT BE A LONG DURATION EVENT FOR THE INLAND COASTAL COMMUNITIES.
THERE COULD BE A BRIEF PERIOD LATE TOMORROW MORNING WHERE THE NORTH
COAST AND SOOTH WASHINGTON COAST COULD GET SOME GUSTS PUSHING 55
MPH. A SECOND AND JET ENHANCED SHORTWAVE CROSSES TUESDAY NIGHT AND
WEDNESDAY. THAT WAVE HAS STRONGER LOW LEVEL WINDS ASSOCIATES WITH IT
PLUS THE SURFACE WAVE TAKES A SLIGHTLY MORE NORTHEAST TRACK. THIS
EVENT HAS BETTER POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGE ALONG THE INLAND
COASTAL COMMUNITIES AS SURFACE WINDS WILL BE BETTER DIRECTIONALLY
ALIGNED WITH THE STRONGER WINDS ALOFT AND COULD PRODUCE SOME
DOWNSLOPE WINDS AS WELL. HAVE ISSUED A HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THE
SECOND EVENT. INLAND AREAS WILL ALSO END UP BRING RATHER BREEZY AT
THIS TIME AS WELL. FINALLY...THERE IS SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY WITH
REGARD TO A POSSIBLE THIRD LOW ARRIVING ON THURSDAY. GFS AND GEM
SHOW A STACKED LOW UNDERGOING RAPID CYCLOGENESIS AS IT APPROACHES
THE SOUTH OREGON COAST. GFS HAS BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENT SHOWING SOME
FORM OF THIS IDEA OVER THE RECENT RUNS. THEY THEN PUSH THAT MATURE
LOW UP THE COAST AND OVER THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA. THAT COULD BRING A
BROAD SWATH OF STRONG TO DAMAGING WINDS ACROSS NORTHWEST OREGON.
HOWEVER...THE ECMWF AND NAM ARE SHOWING A MUCH DIFFERENT PICTURE
WITH A TRANSITING OPEN WAVE AND MUCH WEAKER...IF ANY...CLOSING OF
THE LOW UNDER CYCLOGENESIS.
WITH ALL OF THIS WIND FOLLOWING A LONG FETCH ACROSS THE OCEAN...SEAS
WILL RAPIDLY INCREASE TONIGHT AND PRODUCE DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS
ALONG ALL PORTIONS OF OUR COAST. HAVE ISSUED A HIGH SURF ADVISORY
TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY.
REGARDING RAIN...THE STRONG WINDS WILL ALSO ENHANCE THE WARM MOIST
FLOW ACROSS THE REGION FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THE NORTH OREGON COAST
RANGE AND WILLAPA HILLS WILL BEAR THE BRUNT OF THIS FIRST ROUND OF
RAIN WITH UP TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN SPREAD OUT OVER 18 TO 24 HOURS. AS
THE FIRST ROUND OF RAIN ENDS...THE UPPER LOW WILL DEEPEN AND SLOWLY
BEGIN TO PUSH THE BAROCLINIC ZONE TO THE SOUTH WITH THE CENTRAL
COAST RANGE COMING UNDER THE FOCUS OF THE RAIN. ALL TOLD...WILL SEE
4 TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN FOR THE NORTHERN AREAS AND ON AVERAGE...4 TO 6
INCHES. THE UPSIDE IS MOST AREAS WILL NOT SEE PERSISTENT RAIN FOR
MORE THAN ABOUT 24 HOURS WITHOUT A SEVERAL HOUR BREAK DURING THE 72
HOUR PERIOD. REGARDLESS...THIS WILL BRING SOME RAPID RISES MAINLY TO
THE TRIBUTARIES OF THE COAST RANGE. THE RFC HAS UPDATED THE
FORECASTS TO REFLECT OUR LATEST QPF THOUGHTS. SEVERAL TRIBUTARIES
ARE APPROACHING BANKFULL BUT NO RIVERS ARE SLATED TO REACH FLOOD AT
THIS TIME.
THE EXPECTED RAINS AND RIVER RUNOFF DO NOT APPEAR TO BE SUFFICIENT
ENOUGH TO PUSH THE HIGH TIDES INTO A TIDAL OVERFLOW SCENARIO FOR THE
WILLIPA RIVER.
FINALLY...TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN VERY MILD UNDER THE WARM AIR
MASS. THIS WILL LEAD TO SNOW LEVELS REMAINING RATHER HIGH AS WELL
AND NOT MUCH HELP IN MAINTAINING THE EARLY SNOW PACK. THE 12Z NAM
ALSO MAINTAINS A THREAT FOR AN EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORM PRIMARILY JUST
AHEAD OF AND WITH THE FRONTAL CROSSING TUESDAY. DONT EXPECT THE
STORMS TO PUT OUT MORE THAN A HANDFUL OF STRIKES EACH...BUT COULD
SEE OUTFLOW WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH OR SO FOR BRIEF PERIODS. /JBONK
.LONG TERM...UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA MOVES
ONSHORE ON FRIDAY...BRINGING HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST ON SATURDAY. MODELS ARE INDICATING THAT SATURDAY MAY TURN
OUT TO BE A DRY DAY...THOUGH FOG AND LOW CLOUDS WILL MAKE IT
DIFFICULT FOR THE SUN TO COME OUT. THIS HIGH PRESSURE WILL ALSO
BRING COOLER TEMPERATURES FOR THE WEEKEND. ANOTHER...QUICKER MOVING
SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH ON SUNDAY OR MONDAY...WHICH WILL BRING A ROUND
OF RAIN ACROSS OUR AREA. GFS AND ECMWF DISAGREE ON TIMING OF THIS
SYSTEM...AS THE GFS BRINGS IT IN SUNDAY NIGHT WHILE THE ECMWF BRINGS
IT IN ON MONDAY. THIS SYSTEM SETS UP WHAT LOOKS TO BE ANOTHER ACTIVE
WEATHER PATTERN FOR NEXT WEEK. -MCCOY
&&
.AVIATION...WIDESPREAD VFR CONDITIONS PERSIST THIS AFTERNOON AS
INCREASING MID AND HIGH CLOUDS MOVE IN AS THE NEXT FRONT
APPROACHES. LIGHT RAIN WILL IMPACT THE AREA THIS EVENING...WITH
MVFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE IN SHOWERS. GUSTY EAST WINDS 25-35 KT
NEAR THE WEST END OF THE COLUMBIA GORGE WILL WEAKEN TONIGHT.
INCREASING SOUTH WINDS ALONG THE COAST WILL STRENGTHEN OVERNIGHT.
EXPECT GUSTS 45-55 KTS LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...
BEFORE DIMINISHING A BIT TUESDAY AFTERNOON...THEN INCREASING AGAIN
FOR THE STRONGER SYSTEM ON WED.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED NEXT 24 HRS.
LIGHT RAIN COULD LOWER CIGS TO MVFR OVERNIGHT. EAST WIND GUSTS 25
TO 35 KT PERSIST NEAR THE WEST END OF THE COLUMBIA GORGE THROUGH
THIS EVENING BEFORE GRADUALLY WEAKENING. /27
&&
.MARINE...STRONG WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS ARE EXPECTED MUCH OF THE
WEEK. SOUTHEAST WINDS CONTINUE TO INCREASE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS
THIS AFTERNOON...AS SEAS CONTINUE TO CLIMB FROM 15 FT TO NEAR 22
FT TONIGHT AS THE NEXT LOW PRES SYSTEM APPROACHES THE WATERS
TONIGHT. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL LIE OVER THE REGION TONIGHT
AND TUE. A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES WILL MOVE ALONG THE
FRONT...LIFTING IT BACK AND FORTH TO THE N AND S. THE STORM WARNING
FOR GUSTS AROUND 50 KTS REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT THROUGH TUE
MORNING. SEAS LOOK LIKE THEY WILL PEAK LATE TONIGHT AND BEFORE
SUNRISE ON TUE AROUND 25 FT.
AFTER A BRIEF RESPITE WITH WINDS DROPPING TO 15-25 KTS AND SEAS
AROUND 18-19 FT MIDDAY TUESDAY...ANOTHER SYSTEM IS ON TAP FOR
LATE TUE...WITH MORE STRONG SOUTHERLY GALES AND SEAS BUILDING
HIGHER STILL. THE STRONGEST SYSTEM ARRIVES ON WED. HAVE ISSUED A
HURRICANE FORCE WIND WATCH FOR LATE TUE NIGHT THROUGH EARLY WED
AFTERNOON FOR GUSTS UP TO 65 KTS POSSIBLE. WITH THESE STRONGER
WINDS FOR WED...SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK AROUND 30 FT AS WELL.
THU COULD SEE ANOTHER THREAT FOR STORM FORCE WINDS...BUT THERE ARE
STILL DECENT MODEL DISAGREEMENT. /27
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM PST TUESDAY
FOR CENTRAL OREGON COAST-NORTH OREGON COAST.
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM 6 PM PST THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING FOR CENTRAL OREGON COAST-NORTH OREGON COAST.
WA...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM PST TUESDAY
FOR SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST.
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM 6 PM PST THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING FOR SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST.
PZ...STORM WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON PST TUESDAY FOR
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER TO FLORENCE OUT 60 NM.
HURRICANE FORCE WIND WATCH FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER
TO FLORENCE OUT 60 NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH COLUMBIA RIVER BAR UNTIL 4 PM
PST WEDNESDAY.
&&
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.2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Sustained winds of 44 mph with a peak gust of 56 mph was reported at Clatsop Spit between 8 pm on December 8th through 945 AM on December 9th.
Two weather stations at or near Garibaldi reported measured wind gusts at or near 70 mph on December 9th with sustained winds around 50 mph. These winds were observed for 6 to 8 hours.
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: 552966, 552967.