A strong front produced high winds along the Oregon coast and Coast Range. Thunderstorms that accompanied the front resulted in damaging winds for the Willamette Valley and the Cascade Foothills of Lane County.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 PQR wrote it up.
A strong front produced high winds along the Oregon coast and Coast Range. Thunderstorms that accompanied the front resulted in damaging winds for the Willamette Valley and the Cascade Foothills of Lane County.
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 9, 8:59 PM PST, 3 hours 1 minute earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
858 PM PST WED DEC 9 2015
.SYNOPSIS...A FAST MOVING FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE REGION LATE
TONIGHT AND EARLY THU...THEN COOLER AND SHOWERY. A VERY WET SYSTEM
WILL CLIP THE REGION AS IT MOVES INTO SW OREGON AND NW CALIF ON FRI.
MORE RAIN ON SAT FOR THE REGION...THEN COOL UNSETTLED WEATHER FOR
EARLY NEXT WEEK. SNOW LEVELS WILL SETTLE AT OR BELOW THE PASSES IN
THE CASCADES FOR LATE THU THROUGH THE COMING WEEKEND.
&&
.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...
NOAA SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWING A VERY IMPRESSIVE 967 MB LOW OVER THE
NE PAC...WITH DISTINCTIVE FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXTENDING SOUTHWARD FROM
THE LOW. THE FRONT IS ABOUT 250 MILES OFFSHORE. VERY STRONG LIFT WITH
THE FRONT...AS EVIDENT BY BY THE WATER VAPOUR IMAGERY. IN
ADDITION...ABUNDANT LIGHTNING DETECTED ALONG THE FRONT INDICATES GOOD
LIFTING. SO... WITH THAT IN MIND AND EXPERIENCE WITH OCCLUDED FRONTS
LIFTING NE ACROSS THE REGION...HAVE PUT IN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM
THREAT FOR THE COAST..COAST RANGE AND EVEN PARTS OF THE SOUTH
WILLAMETTE VALLEY FOR LATER TONIGHT. THE RAIN SHIELD WILL PUSH
ONSHORE LATER THIS EVENING...AND QUICKLY SPREAD NE ACROSS THE REGION.
HOWEVER...SYSTEM IS MOVING RATHER FAST...SO SUSPECT RAINFALL AMOUNTS
LIKELY TO NOT BE ALL THAT INTENSE. THAT SAID...STILL GET A 0.50 TO
1.25 INCH OF RAIN ACROSS THE REGION...WITH MOST FALLING OVER THE
COASTAL MTNS AND CASCADES.
TIMING OF THE FRONT SEEMS TO SUPPORT SEVERAL MODELS DEPICTIONS OF
BRING THE FRONT TO THE COAST BETWEEN 5 AM AND 7 AM...AND ACROSS THE
INTERIOR BETWEEN 8 AND 10 AM. AFTERWARDS...WILL HAVE BREEZY
CONDITIONS WITH SHOWERS. CAN NOT RULE OUT AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM.
WINDS WILL GRADUALLY EASE A BIT IN THE AFTERNOON. SHOWERS AND WINDS
WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE THU NIGHT. ROCKEY.
MODELS ARE IN SOMEWHAT BETTER AGREEMENT THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE TRACK
OF A SURFACE LOW ON FRIDAY. THE LOW IS CURRENTLY WELL WEST OF THE
WASHINGTON COAST AND WILL MOVE NORTHEAST THROUGH TOMORROW TOWARD
VANCOUVER ISLAND. THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY THE LOW WILL THEN MOVE
SOUTHEASTWARD TOWARD THE LOCAL AREA...MAKING LANDFALL ON THE NORTH
OREGON COAST FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WITH THE LOW...WINDS WILL PICK UP
AGAIN ON FRIDAY FOR ANOTHER BREEZY TO WINDY DAY. HOWEVER WITH THE LOW
WEAKENING AS IT ENTERS THE LOCAL AREA...THE GRADIENT WILL BE LIMITED
SO HIGH WINDS OR ADVISORY WINDS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS POINT.
PRECIP WITH THE FRIDAY SYSTEM WILL BE MORE SHOWERY IN NATURE WHICH
WILL PROBABLY LIMIT OVERALL TOTALS...BUT COULD SEE ADDITIONAL
LOCALIZED FLOODING WITH RAIN FROM HEAVIER SHOWERS.
THERE IS SOME DISAGREEMENT AMONG THE MODELS REGARDING THE PATH OF A
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SATURDAY...BUT THEY ARE GENERALLY IN AGREEMENT
THAT ANOTHER ATMOSPHERIC RIVER EVENT WILL AIM ITSELF AT OREGON ON
SATURDAY. RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THE BULK OF THE PRECIP WILL BE OVER
SOUTHERN OREGON...BUT WILL CERTAINLY SEE SOME RAIN LOCALLY...FAVORING
LANE COUNTY. QPF LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE IMPRESSIVE WITH PWAT JUST
OFFSHORE AROUND 1.25 INCHES. BOWEN
.LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...THE ACTIVE WEATHER
PATTERN WILL PERSIST THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. FOR SOME GOOD
NEWS...THERE IS GROWING CONFIDENCE IN A DRIER...OR MUCH LESS
WET...PERIOD COMING UP IN DAYS 6 AND 7. A FEW MORE WEATHER SYSTEMS
ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE FORECAST AREA SAT NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY.
THE WEEKEND SYSTEM LOOKS TO BE ANOTHER FORM OF AN ATMOSPHERIC RIVER
EVENT AS SEEN IN THE GFS AND ECMWF. THE NCEP ENSEMBLES VALID 00Z SUN
ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT...BUT START TO SHOW MORE VARIABILITY
00Z MON. THE 12Z OPERATIONAL GFS VALID 12Z SUN SUGGESTS TWO SEPARATE
JET STREAM PATTERNS...WITH THE NORTHERN JET MOVING ACROSS VANCOUVER
ISLAND AND SRN BRITISH COLUMBIA AND THE SUBTROPICAL JET DIRECTED
ALONG THE OREGON AND CALIFORNIA BORDER. THE 12Z OPERATIONAL ECMWF IS
IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE GFS. BOTH MODELS SHOW A MOIST BAROCLINIC
BAND DIRECTED AT SW OREGON AND NW CALIFORNIA...INSTEAD OF NW OREGON
AND SW WASHINGTON. THE FORECAST AREA SHOULD BE ON THE COLD SIDE OF
THE JET...WITH FORECAST 1000-500 MB THICKNESSES IN THE UPPER 530S TO
MID 540S. THE NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES WOULD RECEIVE A GOOD
DOSE OF SNOWFALL SHOULD THE PATTERN VERIFY. BY 00Z MON THE 500 MB
UPPER TROUGH DEEPENS...KEEPING THE FORECAST AREA IN A RELATIVELY
COOL AIR MASS. THE LANE COUNTY CASCADES COULD END UP GETTING THE
MOST SNOW SAT NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY. THE GFS AND ECMWF THEN MAINTAIN
THE COOL UPPER TROUGH THROUGH MON MORNING. FORTUNATELY...IT ALSO
LOOKS AS THOUGH PRECIP WILL BE DIMINISHING. MODEL AGREEMENT
CONTINUES TO DECREASE TUE...BUT THERE IS REASONABLE CONFIDENCE IN A
SHORT-LIVED DRY PERIOD. THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW ANOTHER SYSTEM IN NW-
N FLOW ALOFT MOVING INTO THE AREA WED. THE ECMWF SEEMS TO BE A BIT
FASTER...BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE CASCADES WOULD GET ADDITIONAL
SNOWFALL. WEISHAAR
&&
.AVIATION...WIDESPREAD VFR CONDITIONS CONTINUE THROUGH 08Z-11Z
TONIGHT WHEN NEXT FAST-MOVING FRONTAL BAND ARRIVES AT THE COAST
THEN PUSHES INLAND OVERNIGHT. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD
IMPACT COASTAL SITES BY 10Z...THEN SPREAD INLAND AFTER 16Z. WILL
LIKELY SEE MVFR OR IFR VIS AND/OR CIGS DEVELOP IN HEAVIER RAIN
FROM 10Z-16Z THURSDAY MORNING...WITH LOCALIZED SW WIND GUSTS UP TO
25-30 KTS. WILL NEED TO WATCH FOR POTENTIAL LLWS NEAR THE
COLUMBIA GORGE AFTER 06Z THU WITH LOW-LEVEL EAST WIND AND STRONG
S-SW WIND ABOVE FL030. POST FRONTAL SHOWERS CONTINUE THURSDAY...
WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE EVENING.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...VFR WITH INCREASING RAIN AFTER 09Z.
OFFSHORE LOW- LEVEL FLOW CONTINUES THIS EVENING BUT AS NEXT
FRONTAL BAND APPROACHES...COULD SEE SOME LLWS NEAR KTTD FOR A FEW
HOURS BETWEEN 10Z-14Z. THREAT FOR MVFR CONDITIONS IS MAINLY
BETWEEN 13Z-17Z THURSDAY MORNING...BUT WILL LIKELY BE IN HEAVIER
RAIN. ABOUT A 20 PERCENT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VICINITY
AFTER 17Z. /27
&&
.MARINE...AN IMPRESSIVE SURFACE LOW APPROACHING THE COASTAL WATERS
THIS EVENING WILL PRODUCE A LARGE WEST SWELL THROUGH THE WATERS
EARLY THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY. AN ASCAT PASS OVER THE LOW
EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON SHOWS THAT THE WINDS ARE INITIALIZING WELL
WITH GFS...AND HAVE NO REASON TO DEVIATE FROM THE ENP SWELL
FORECAST. THE ENP FORECASTS THE SWELL WILL BUILD TO 21 TO 24 FT AT
14 SECONDS EARLY THU MORNING THEN TO 28 TO 32 FT AT 17 SECONDS THU
AFTERNOON. THE LOW WILL MOVE TOWARDS THE B.C. COAST THU...THEN
MOVE SW ACROSS THE WATERS ON FRIDAY. THIS MIGRATION OF THE LOW
WILL MAINTAIN SEAS ABOVE 25 FT THROUGH FRI AFTERNOON.
RELATIVELY LIGHT WINDS THIS EVENING WILL INCREASE TO GALES LATE
TONIGHT. EAST WINDS OVER THE LAND MAY SLOW THE TIMING OF THE GALES
FOR THE WATERS WITHIN 10 NM A FEW HOURS. HIGH END GALES EXPECTED
THU WITH LOCALIZED STORM FORCE GUSTS. LOW END GALES EXPECTED THU
NIGHT THROUGH FRI MORNING. ANOTHER BURST OF GALES ARE POSSIBLE
FRIDAY AS THE LOW SENDS A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE WATERS.
THE LARGE WEST SWELL WILL RESULT IN DANGEROUS SURF FOR THE
BEACHES THU AND FRI. SURF HEIGHTS UP TO 45 FT ARE POSSIBLE...AND
WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE LARGE SURGES OF WATER UP THE
BEACHES...AND EJECT LOGS AND DEBRIS FAR ON SHORE. THE SURF
COINCIDES WITH VERY HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES...AND COMBINED WITH
HIGH RIVERS AND RUN OFF FROM THE RECENT RAINS SIGNIFICANT COASTAL
FLOODING IS EXPECTED. HAVE EXTENDED THE COASTAL FLOOD WARNING TO
INCLUDE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. TJ
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING FROM 9 AM THURSDAY TO 4 PM PST FRIDAY FOR
CENTRAL OREGON COAST-NORTH OREGON COAST.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST THURSDAY FOR CASCADES IN
LANE COUNTY.
WA...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING FROM 9 AM THURSDAY TO 4 PM PST FRIDAY FOR
SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST.
PZ...GALE WARNING UNTIL 7 PM PST THURSDAY FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM
CASCADE HEAD TO FLORENCE OR OUT 10 NM-WATERS FROM CAPE
SHOALWATER WA TO FLORENCE OR FROM 10 TO 60 NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS
EVENING FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM CASCADE HEAD TO FLORENCE OR
OUT 10 NM-WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO FLORENCE OR
FROM 10 TO 60 NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH COLUMBIA RIVER BAR UNTIL 4 AM
PST FRIDAY.
GALE WARNING FROM 2 AM TO 7 PM PST THURSDAY FOR COASTAL WATERS
FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO CASCADE HEAD OR OUT 10 NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS UNTIL 2 AM PST THURSDAY
FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO CASCADE HEAD
OR OUT 10 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.The Portland,OR radar (KRTX), 177 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:31 UTC.
4 high wind, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Many of the weather stations along the Central Oregon Coast measured high winds with sustained winds between 40 and 49 mph. The highest recorded wind gust was 79 mph at Gleneden Beach.
Wind damage from thunderstorm winds were reported in Eugene and Creswell. Numerous trees were downed on vehicles and buildings, and downed power lines resulted in widespread electricity outages.
Several weather stations along the North Oregon Coast measured high winds with sustained winds ranging between 40 and 45 mph. The highest recorded wind gust was 63 mph on the Megler Bridge.
The Rockhouse RAWS measured a peak gust of 81 mph.
A couple of weather stations across the Northwest Oregon Coast Range measured high winds with wind gusts between 59 and 67 mph.
The media reported that a home in Aloha sustained significant damage as a tree downed by strong winds fell onto it.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, 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: 611853, 611858, 611851, 611855, 611854, 611865.