Another in a series of storms brought high winds to portions of northern California.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
Another in a series of storms brought high winds to portions of northern California.
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 8, 9:38 PM PST, 3 hours 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
938 PM PST TUE DEC 8 2015
.UPDATE...
THE PRECIPITATION PROBABILITIES AND SNOW LEVELS HAVE BEEN UPDATED
FOR TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING. BTL
&&
.DISCUSSION...
HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUES TO PUMMEL THE PORTLAND AREA THIS EVENING
AS OUR FORECAST AREA REMAINS IN A RELATIVE, AND VERY MILD, BREAK
IN STORM ACTIVITY. WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME LIGHT PRECIPITATION
AMOUNTS ACROSS MAINLY OUR SOUTHWEST FLOW FAVORED COASTAL
MOUNTAINS, AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN LIGHT, MAINLY AT A TENTH OF AN INCH
OR LESS IN THE LAST 6 HOURS. DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE
BROKEN TODAY AT BOTH ROSEBURG AND MONTAGUE AT 66F AND 61F,
RESPECTIVELY. IT ALSO APPEARS THAT ASHLAND LIKELY BROKE OR TIED A
DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORD AT 65-66F.
THE SOAKING FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO OUR NORTH WILL MOVE SOUTHEASTWARD
TONIGHT, SOAKING MOST AREAS DURING THE MORNING HOURS. WHILE THE
RAIN WILL ONLY LAST 6-12 HOURS, MOST OF IT WILL FALL IN JUST 6
HOURS WITH 1-3 INCHES IN THE MOUNTAINS FROM THE CASCADES WESTWARD
AND 0.50" TO 1.5" FOR INTERIOR WEST SIDE VALLEYS. SNOW LEVELS WILL
BRIEFLY DIP TO ABOUT 7KFT IN AND NEAR THE OREGON CASCADES WEDNESDAY
MORNING.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY ANOTHER ROUND OF SIGNIFICANT
PRECIPITATION WILL COME THROUGH, AND SNOW LEVELS WILL FINALLY COME
DOWN TO 4500 TO 5500 FEET THURSDAY. HOW FAST THEY COME DOWN WILL
MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR OUR MOUNTAIN SNOW PACK ABOVE 6KFT, AS
THERE'S ABOUT 2 INCHES OF WATER EXPECTED WITH THIS ONE. AT THIS
POINT IT APPEARS MOST AREAS ALONG AND NEAR THE OREGON CASCADES
ABOVE 6KFT WILL SEE 25-50% OF THIS WATER IN THE FORM OF SNOW,
WHICH SHOULD YIELD 5-10 INCHES OF SNOW ABOVE 6KFT ON THURSDAY.
THE NEWS FOR SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS AND AT MID ELEVATIONS DOES GET
BETTER WITH TIME, GENERALLY, WITH COLDER STORM ACTIVITY EXPECTED
THROUGH AT LEAST EARLY NEXT WEEK. ONE CAVEAT IS A STORM DUE IN
SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY, WHICH COULD SURGE SNOW LEVELS UP TO 7K-8KFT
AGAIN LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY.
A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS- WE'LL NEED TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
FLOODING WEST OF THE CASCADES THIS WEEKEND. THE LATEST MODELS SHOW
VERY SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS. ON MONDAY SNOW LEVELS
COULD VERY WELL FALL TO NEAR 1500-2500 FEET. BTL
&&
.AVIATION...FOR THE 09/00Z TAF CYCLE...ONE MAIN CONCERN AT ALL 4
TERMINALS IS THE POTENTIAL FOR WIND SHEAR THIS EVENING AND INTO
TONIGHT. THERE ARE VERY STRONG WINDS ALOFT THAT EVEN WITH THE
PRESENCE OF 20 KNOT WIND AT THE SURFACE FOR KOTH WILL STILL RESULT
IN SPEED SHEAR. BASED ON THE 20 KNOT CHANGE PER LOWEST 2000 FEET,
THERE WILL ALSO BE ENOUGH SHEAR EVEN AT KLMT. OTHERWISE A MOIST
ONSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO BRING LIGHT, MAINLY COASTAL SHOWERS.
BUT THERE WILL ALSO BE LOCAL MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS IN THE COASTAL
RANGES AND ALONG THE CASCADES. WINDS WILL INCREASE INTO TONIGHT AS
THE NEXT FRONT APPROACHES. THIS FRONT WILL BRING HEAVY RAIN AND
GUSTY SOUTH WINDS TO THE COAST BY LATE TONIGHT, THEN SPREADING
INLAND WITH IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY MORNING.
/FB
&&
.MARINE...UPDATED 100 PM PST TUESDAY 8 DEC 2015...A FRONT WILL BRING
ANOTHER ROUND OF GALES AND VERY STEEP SEAS TO THE WATERS TONIGHT. A
WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN BRIEFLY WEDNESDAY. A LOW PRESSURE WILL
RAPIDLY DEEPEN AND MOVE NORTHWEST OF THE WATERS WEDNESDAY EVENING. A
STRONG COLD FRONT WILL THEN MOVE THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
MODELS HAVE TRENDED SLIGHTLY WEAKER OVER THE PAST SEVERAL RUNS, BUT
IT STILL APPEARS TO BE A VERY STRONG SYSTEM WITH HIGH END GALES TO
PERHAPS A BRIEF PERIOD OF STORM FORCE WINDS. IN LINE WITH THE WEAKER
SOLUTION...RATHER THAN PREVIOUS INDICATIONS OF 30 TO 35 FEET
SEAS...SWELL DOMINATED SEAS ARE NOW EXPECTED TO BE 25 TO 30 FEET
THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY EVENING. A SERIES OF STORMS WILL
CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE WATERS THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. /FB
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 125 PM PST TUE DEC 8 2015/
DISCUSSION...08/12Z NAM/GFS IN.
THE STORMY PATTERN WILL CONTINUE OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
THROUGH THE WEEKEND...BUT THERE IS A RELATIVE BREAK IN THE ACTION
EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AS AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BREAKS TO THE EAST
OF THE AREA.
A SHORT WAVE EJECTED BY THE UPSTREAM UPPER TROUGH WILL MOVE
ONSHORE THIS EVENING...AND THIS WILL SUPPORT AN INCOMING FRONT
THAT WILL BRING HIGH WINDS TO PORTIONS OF THE MEDFORD CWA LATE
THIS AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. WINDS ARE INCREASING AT
THIS TIME WITH GUSTS TO 62 MPH AT SQUAW PEAK...TO 45 MPH AT ONION
MOUNTAIN...AND 44 MPH AT SUMMER LAKE. HIGH WIND WARNINGS ARE IN
EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE EAST SIDE AND ALONG THE COAST. SNOW
LEVELS WILL START OFF AROUND 8000 TO 9000 FEET.
WINDS WILL DIMINISH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AS A SHORT WAVE RIDGE
MOVES THROUGH...BUT THE SCENARIO WILL REPLAY AGAIN WEDNESDAY NIGHT
AS ANOTHER EJECTED SHORT WAVE PUSHES ANOTHER FRONT ONSHORE. SNOW
LEVELS WILL DROP TO AROUND 5000 FEET BEHIND THE TUESDAY NIGHT
FRONT...JUMP BACKUP TO 7000 FEET WEDNESDAY...THEN PLUNGE TO 3500
TO 4000 FEET BEHIND THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT FRONT. BY THIS TIME
FLOODING OF COASTAL RIVERS WILL BE A POSSIBILITY. QPF VALUES HAVE
BEEN EXAMINED AND AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT MAIN STEM RIVERS
WILL NOT FLOOD. HOWEVER...SMALLER STREAMS MAY FLOOD AND AN AREAL
FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF COOS...CURRY...
JOSEPHINE...AND SISKIYOU COUNTIES FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY
MORNING.
THE LONG WAVE TROUGH WILL FINALLY MOVE ONSHORE FRIDAY...BUT ONE
MORE WEAKER FRONT WILL PRECEDE IT FRIDAY MORNING. A FLAT RIDGE
WILL THEN BUILD INTO THE AREA...AND THIS WILL PUSH A WARM FRONT
NORTH THROUGH THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY.
LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...ALTHOUGH THE LATEST
GFS AND ECMWF RUNS DEPICT A WEAK RIDGE OVERHEAD AS THE EXTENDED
TERM BEGINS, THERE IS LITTLE REASON TO THINK THAT THE WET PATTERN
WILL END OR EVEN TAKE MUCH OF A BREAK. MOIST ONSHORE FLOW WILL
CONTINUE, AND WITH A SURFACE LOW AND FRONT PUSHING ONSHORE LATER
IN THE DAY SATURDAY, ELEVATED PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL CONTINUE.
THE GFS AND EC MAINTAIN DECENT AGREEMENT WITH THE TIMING AND
STRENGTH OF THIS SYSTEM, AND THE ONE FOLLOWING QUICKLY BEHIND ON
SUNDAY. DESPITE LOWER CONFIDENCE IN THE DETAILS, HAVE KEPT AT
LEAST A CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IN THE FORECAST THROUGH THE
WEEKEND, WITH MOST AREAS LIKELY SEEING ANOTHER TWO ROUNDS OF
SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORK WEEK.
MONDAY AND TUESDAY, THE MODEL SOLUTION BEGIN TO DIVERGE, BUT ARE
SHOWING A DECREASE IN THE OVERALL WET PATTERN. HOWEVER, THIS DOES
NOT MEAN WE ARE SEEING THE END, AS CONFIDENCE BEYOND SUNDAY DROPS
SIGNIFICANTLY. HAVE DROPPED PRECIPITATION CHANCES FOR EARLY NEXT
WEEK, BUT AM STILL MAINTAINING AT LEAST A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR MOST
AREAS. LOOKING FURTHER OUT, THE HEMISPHERICAL MODELS CONTINUE TO
SHOW AN ACTIVE PATTERN UPSTREAM, SO WHILE THERE MAY BE A BREAK WITH
THE FORECAST AREA UNDER HIGH PRESSURE EARLY IN THE WEEK, SUSPECT
MORE WET SYSTEM ARE IN STORE FOR SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA. -BPN
&&
.MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...
- HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 1 PM PST WEDNESDAY FOR ORZ030-031.
- HIGH WIND WATCH FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
MORNING FOR ORZ030-031.
- HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR ORZ021-022.
- COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY
MORNING FOR ORZ021-022.
- FLOOD WATCH FROM 1 AM PST WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING FOR
ORZ021-022-024.
- HIGH WIND WATCH FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY
NIGHT FOR ORZ021.
- WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM PST WEDNESDAY FOR
ORZ029.
CA...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 1 PM PST WEDNESDAY FOR CAZ085.
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
MORNING FOR CAZ085.
FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 AM PST WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING FOR
CAZ080.
PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...
- GALE WATCH FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR
PZZ350-356-370-376.
- HAZARDOUS SEAS WATCH FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY
EVENING FOR PZZ370-376.
- GALE WARNING UNTIL 7 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR PZZ350-356-370-376.
- COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING
FOR PZZ350-356.
- HAZARDOUS SEAS WATCH FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY
MORNING FOR PZZ350-356.
BTL/15/FJBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
110 AM PST WED DEC 9 2015
...TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
...DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1245 AM FLOOD 2 SSE COOS BAY 43.36N 124.22W
12/09/2015 COOS OR TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER AND LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS
ONGOING FLOODING IN THE ROADWAYS IN COOS BAY
AND NORTH BEND. NOT ENTERING HOMES AT THIS
TIME, BUT WATER IS OVER THE SIDEWALKS.
&&
BSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
115 AM PST WED DEC 9 2015
...TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
...DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 AM FLOOD 1 NNE COOS BAY 43.39N 124.22W
12/09/2015 COOS OR LAW ENFORCEMENT
COOS BAY DISPATCH REPORTS ONGOING FLOODING
ON ROADWAYS IN COOS BAY AND NORTH BEND.
WATER IS GOING OVER THE SIDEWALKS AND CARS
ARE STALLING IN THE WATERS, INCLUDING IN LOW
SPOTS ON HIGHWAY 101. WATER NOT ENTERING
HOMES YET.
&&
BSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
116 AM PST WED DEC 9 2015
...TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
...DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1230 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 SSE COOS BAY 43.36N 124.22W
12/09/2015 M1.52 INCH COOS OR TRAINED SPOTTER
HEAVY RAINFALL STILL OCCURRING. WATER IS
PONDING ON ROADWAYS AND GOING OVER
SIDEWALKS, BUT NOT ENTERING HOMES. OBSERVER
LOCATION SOUTH OF COOS BAY.
&&
BSThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The KNF98 RAWS recorded a gust to 59 mph at 09/0220 PST and 01/0620 PST. The peak gust was 68 mph recorded at 09/0520 PST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2015
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: 609716.