High winds impacted Northwest Oregon as a 980 millibar low moved onshore in Pacific County, Washington. The winds resulted in widespread tree damage and power outages.
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.
High winds impacted Northwest Oregon as a 980 millibar low moved onshore in Pacific County, Washington. The winds resulted in widespread tree damage and power outages.
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 21, 3:10 AM PST, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
310 AM PST MON DEC 21 2015
.SYNOPSIS...ANOTHER VERY STRONG PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO
REACH THE S WA COAST THIS MORNING...AND MOVE E ACROSS SW WA TODAY
INTO EASTERN WA. THIS STORM IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE STRONG WINDS
ACROSS MUCH 0F NORTHWEST OREGON AND FAR SOUTHERN PARTS OF SOUTHWEST
WA. SNOW IS EXPECTED IN THE CASCADES AND POSSIBLY DOWN AS LOW AS
HOOD RIVER AND PARKDALE. THE STORM MOVES EAST LATE MONDAY AND MONDAY
NIGHT. ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH TUESDAY AND
TUESDAY NIGHT. A COOLER UPPER TROUGH WILL DIG DOWN THE COAST FOR THE
LATTER PART OF THE WEEK... MAINTAINING THE UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN
AND DROPPING SNOW LEVELS CONSIDERABLY BY CHRISTMAS EVE DAY AND
CHRISTMAS DAY...THOUGH MOISTURE WILL BE DECREASING.
&&
.SHORT TERM...SURFACE LOW WAS PASSING CLOSE TO BUOY 46005 BETWEEN
09Z AND 10Z THIS MORNING...ABOUT 300 NM W OF ABERDEEN WA. PRES
ESTIMATED AROUND 989 MB. THIS TRACKS FAIRLY WELL WITH MODELS IN
GENERAL AS FAR AS TRACK AND INTENSITY. NEWST RUNS OF HRRR AND GFS
EARLY THIS MORNING SHOWED A TENDENCY FOR A SLIGHTLY STRONGER DEEPER
LOW THAN PREVIOUS RUNS...WITH GFS DOWN TO CLOSE TO 980 MB CENTER AS
IT MOVES ONSHORE NEAR WILLAPA BAY. OVERALL MODELS HAVE BEEN
PLEASANTLY CONSISTENT WITH THE TRACK OF THE LOW...COMING INLAND NEAR
THE LONG BEACH PENINSULA BETWEEN 18Z AND 20Z. MODELS CONTINUE TO
SHOW SURFACE LOW WEAKENING LITTLE AS IT MOVES INLAND ACROSS SW WA
TODAY. H8 WINDS TENDING TO PEAK ON THE ORDER OF 55 KT THIS MORNING
OVER NW OREGON...WHICH APPEARS TO BE A LITTLE STRONGER THAN THE
COMPARABLE SYSTEMS IN DEC 2012 AND JAN 1990. THE STRACK SUGGESTS THE
NORTHERN PART OF THE S WA COAST ZONE AND WILLAPA HILLS MAY BE SPARED
THE WINDS. THE FAST MOVEMENT OF THE LOW INFERS STRONG PRES RISES
MOVING IN BEHIND...SO MUCH OF THE REST OF THE AREA LOOKS ON TRACK
FOR THE EXPECTED WINDS. CASCADES MAY BE A LITTLE QUESTIONABLE FOR
HITTING THEIR HIGH WIND CRITERIA GIVEN FREE AIR H7 WINDS PEAKING
AROUND 65 TO 70 KT. OVERALL PREFER TO STICK WITH THE CURRENT WIND
WARNINGS AS THEY ARE NOW.
TEMPS IN THE GORGE AND HOOD RIVER VALLEY STARTING OUT A FEW DEGREES
ABOVE FREEZING EARLY THIS MORNING. NAM BUFR SOUNDINGS DO HOWEVER
SHOW SOME COOLING AS HEAVIER PRECIPITATION ARRIVES AFTER 14Z...
BEFORE WARMING KICKS IN AGAIN AFTER 18Z. WILL DOWNGRADE THE WINTER
STORM WARNING THERE TO AN ADVISORY DUE TO MARGINAL TEMPS AND
EXPECTED SHORT DURATION OF SNOW. PRECIPITATION SHIELD AHEAD OF THE
WARM FRONT THIS MORNING WILL BRING HIGH POPS THIS MONRNING...BUT
DRIER WESTERLY FLOW IS FORCED IN QUICKLY TODAY...TRENDING THE
PRECIPITATION TOWARDS MORE OROGRAPHICALLY DRIVEN SHOWERS IN THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WITH THE OROGRAPHIC LIFT CONTINUING INTO THE
EVENING...WILL CONTINUE WITH A LOW END WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE
CASCADES TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING. THE SNOW SHOWERS FOR THE
CASCADES WILL EASE UP OVERNIGHT AS ONSHORE FLOW WEAKEND. SNOW LEVELS
MAY DIP DOWN BELOW 2500 FEET IN THE HEAVIER PRECIPITATION THIS
MORNING AHEAD OF THE WARM FRONT...SO WILL KEEP THE ADVISORY FOR SNOW
GOING THROUGH THE MORNING.
TUE AND WED A COUPLE MORE SHORTWAVES EMBEDDED IN A VERY FAST
WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT MOVE ACROSS THE REGION. A 160 KT 300 MB JET OVER
NW OREGON TUE SINKS S TOWARDS THE CA BORDER WED. THIS SETS UP A
PATTERN FAVORABLE FOR SNOW IN THE CASCADES TUE AND WED...WITH SNOW
LEVELS LOWERING TO THE CASCADE FOOTHILLS AND HIGHER COAST RANGE.
.LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH
DIGGING SOUTHWARD OVER THE WESTERN CONUS WILL KEEP SHOWERS IN THE
FORECAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. SNOW LEVELS WILL BE
DROPPING THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT TO 1000 TO 1500 FEET IN THE
SOUTHERN HALF OF OUR AREA...BUT SNOW LEVELS COULD DROP AS LOW AS 500
TO 1000 FT IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF OUR AREA. SHOWERS WILL BE STARTING
TO TAPER OFF LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY. WITH SNOW LEVELS
GETTING SO LOW IN THE NORTHERN WILLAMETTE VALLEY...WE COULD SEE A FEW
SNOWFLAKES MIX IN WITH RAIN SHOWERS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE VALLEY
FLOOR LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY. WE LIKELY WILL NOT SEE ANY
ACCUMULATION EXCEPT AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 500 FT. BY MIDDAY
FRIDAY...RIDGING WILL BUILD HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE AREA CUTTING OFF
ANY CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT EXCEPT FOR A SLIGHT
CHANCE OF FLURRIES IN THE CASCADES.
OUR NEXT SYSTEM BRINGS MORE PRECIPITATION ON SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY.
SNOW LEVELS COME BACK UP TO AROUND 3000-4000 FT WITH THIS
SYSTEM...BUT COLD AIR TRAPPED IN THE HOOD RIVER VALLEY AND CENTRAL
GORGE COULD MEAN A WINTRY MIX IN THESE LOWER AREAS. -MCCOY
&&
.AVIATION...A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA
THIS MORNING BRINGING WIDESPREAD MVFR CONDITIONS EARLY THIS
MORNING WITH PERHAPS A BRIEF PERIOD OR TWO OF IFR CONDITIONS AT A
FEW TAF SITES. STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL THEN SPREAD
INTO THE REGION AS THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE DESTABILIZES. THIS SHOULD
PRODUCE MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS INTO TONIGHT ACROSS THE AREA...BUT
WIND GUSTS OF SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 60 KT APPEAR
LIKELY FOR COASTAL TAF SITES THIS MORNING...AND 40 TO 50 KT IN THE
WILLAMETTE VALLEY AROUND 20Z. THE STRONGEST WINDS SHOULD ONLY
LAST 1 TO 3 HOURS WITH LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE SUGGEST THE STRONGEST
WINDS MAY OCCUR AROUND KHIO...KMMV AND KUAO.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...INCREASING EAST WINDS AND MVFR CONDITIONS
WILL LIKELY ACCOMPANY A WARM FRONT THIS MORNING BEFORE STRONG
SOUTHWEST WINDS DEVELOP AND CONDITIONS TURN MAINLY VFR THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A 1 TO 3 HOUR PERIOD OF SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST
WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 KT APPEAR LIKELY TO DEVELOP BETWEEN 19Z AND
22Z MONDAY. /NEUMAN
&&
.MARINE...A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE CURRENTLY JUST EAST-NORTHEAST
OF BUOY 46005...NEAR 130W...WILL MOVE EASTWARD INTO SOUTH
WASHINGTON COAST MIDDAY. STRONG SOUTH...AND THEN WEST WINDS WILL
DEVELOP SOUTH OF THE LOW PRESSURE AS IT TRACKS EASTWARD ACROSS OUR
NORTHERN WATERS THIS MORNING. AS A RESULT...WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55
KT APPEAR LIKELY ACROSS OUR WATERS THROUGH MIDDAY. THIS WILL
LIKELY RESULT IN SEAS BUILDING ABRUPTLY AND TOPPING OUT IN AT
LEAST THE 20 TO 25 FT RANGE MIDDAY/EARLY AFTERNOON. GIVEN THE FAST
MOVING NATURE OF THIS STORM SYSTEM SEAS SHOULD SETTLE BACK DOWN
INTO THE MID TO UPPER TEENS FAIRLY QUICKLY LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR
EARLY THIS EVENING.
ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM APPEARS TO BRING GUSTY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS
OF 35 TO 40 KT TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. A WESTERLY SWELL LIKELY
IN EXCESS OF 20 FT WILL LIKELY PUSH INTO THE WATERS DURING THIS
TIME AND LINGER THROUGH MUCH OF WEDNESDAY. COASTAL FLOODING AND/OR
HIGH SURF ISSUES IN SOME SHAPE OR FORM APPEAR LIKELY ALONG OUR
COAST AS A RESULT.
UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP SEAS ABOVE 10 FT WITH
OCCASIONAL BOUTS OF 20 TO 35 KT WINDS THROUGH THURSDAY BEFORE HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS TEMPORARILY INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AROUND
FRIDAY/SATURDAY. IT STILL APPEARS SEAS MAY DROP BELOW 10 FT FOR
12-36 PERIOD DURING THIS TIME BEFORE ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM MOVES
INTO THE REGION LATE IN THE WEEKEND. /NEUMAN
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM PST THIS
EVENING FOR CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-NORTHERN OREGON
CASCADES-UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA-LOWER COLUMBIA-
WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY-NORTHERN OREGON
CASCADE FOOTHILLS-SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON PST TODAY FOR NORTHERN OREGON
CASCADE FOOTHILLS.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR NORTHERN
OREGON CASCADES.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR CASCADES
IN LANE COUNTY.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-COAST
RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 2 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL
OREGON COAST.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 2 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR NORTH OREGON COAST.
WA...HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM PST THIS
EVENING FOR CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-SOUTH WASHINGTON
CASCADES.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR GREATER VANCOUVER AREA-I-5 CORRIDOR IN
COWLITZ COUNTY-SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-WESTERN
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST-WILLAPA HILLS.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON PST TODAY FOR SOUTH
WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR SOUTH
WASHINGTON CASCADES.
PZ...STORM WARNING UNTIL 2 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR COASTAL WATERS
FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO FLORENCE OR OUT 60 NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH COLUMBIA RIVER BAR UNTIL
4 AM PST TUESDAY.
&&
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.13 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several weather stations along the Central Oregon coast measured high winds with sustained winds between 40 and 50 mph. The highest recorded wind gust was 67 mph at Gleneden Beach.
Several weather stations reported high winds in the Central Oregon Coast Range with a peak gust of 67 mph measured at the Rockhouse RAWS. Marys peak measured sustained winds of 59 mph with a peak gust of 83 mph. Official NWS SPotters reported trees and branches down along Highway 36.
Several weather stations along the North Oregon Coast measured high winds with sustained winds between 40 and 45 mph and peak gusts around 59 mph. A power line was blown down from the winds resulting in power outages.
A couple of weather stations measured sustained winds of 46 mph with peak gusts between 69 and 71 mph. A 50 ft fir tree was downed and partially snapped. Highway 26 was closed due to downed trees. One tree fell on a car with injuries reported by the media.
Strong winds resulted in several downed trees and power outages in the South Willamette Valley.
A weather station at Chehalem Ridge reported sustained winds of 46 mph with a peak gust of 60 mph. There were several reports of downed trees and wires with many roads blocked.
High winds caused significant damage in the Portland Metro Area as trees were downed onto homes and cars. Several roads were closed due to downed trees.Marine Drive was closed for several miles due to winds blowing a tractor trailer off of the road. One house caught on fire when a tree downed a electrical wire.
High winds resulted in downed trees and power outages in the vicinity of the Northwest Oregon Cascade Foothills. Two near by RAWS (Yellowstone and Eagle Creek) reported wind gusts of 50 mph which is a rare strength for these often wind blocked locations.
A peak wind gust of 60 mph was measured at the Timberline Lodge, and a peak gust of 58 mph at Government Camp. Ski lifts at the local Ski resorts were suspended due to the strong winds.
Several trees were downed by high winds in the Lower Columbia Valley resulting in significant damage to homes and cars.
Several trees were downed from strong west winds resulting in the closure of I-84 (east bound). A peak gust of 68 mph was measured at the Bonneville Dam.
Several trees were downed from strong west winds resulting in the closure of I-84 (east bound). A peak gust of 68 mph was measured at the Bonneville Dam.
The Parkdale Agrimet weather station reported a peak gust of 62 mph.
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: 611914, 611922, 611913, 611920, 611924, 611934, 611930, 611937, 611938, 611926, 611935, 611936, 611939.