A frontal system generated strong winds that resulted in minor damage in Clackamas, Oregon City, and Rhododendron.
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 frontal system generated strong winds that resulted in minor damage in Clackamas, Oregon City, and Rhododendron.
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 7, 10:32 AM PST, 3 hours 58 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
1031 AM PST MON DEC 7 2015
.SYNOPSIS...A SERIES OF STRONG AND MOIST PACIFIC FRONTAL SYSTEMS WILL
CONTINUE TO LASH SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON WITH
PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN...STRONG WINDS...AND HEAVY SURF FOR MUCH OF THE
UPCOMING WEEK. THE LATEST SYSTEM IS BRINGING HEAVY RAIN TO MUCH OF
THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING...WITH STRONG WINDS ALONG THE COAST.
GUSTY WINDS WILL SPREAD INLAND BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS LOW PRESSURE
MOVES ONSHORE. A BRIEF BREAK IN THE HEAVIEST RAIN WILL FOLLOW...THEN
MORE HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WIND ARE EXPECTED WITH THE NEXT FRONT
TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. ADDITIONAL STORM SYSTEMS WILL LIKELY BRING
MORE WET AND WINDY WEATHER AS THE WEEK PROGRESSES. HIGH SURF CAN BE
EXPECTED AT TIMES ALONG THE COAST...WITH SOME COASTAL FLOODING
POSSIBLE AS WELL. ALL THIS RAIN WILL ONLY EXACERBATE FLOODING ISSUES
WHICH ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE ACROSS SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON
AND NORTHWEST OREGON.
&&
.MORNING UPDATE...HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG COASTAL WINDS ARE IN PROGRESS
RIGHT NOW...WITH SIGNIFICANT URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING BEING
REPORTED AROUND THE PORTLAND AND VANCOUVER METRO AREA. WE HAVE HAD
2.30 INCHES HERE AT THE OFFICE IN NE PORTLAND JUST SINCE
MIDNIGHT...WITH 1.91 INCHES IN THE PAST 6 HOURS. RAIN RATES HAVE
LOCALLY EXCEEDED 0.50 INCH PER HOUR...EVEN FOR THE LOWLANDS. AS A
RESULT WE WILL BE UPGRADING THE URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY
TO A WARNING SHORTLY FOR OUR NORTHERN ZONES. RAIN RATES ARE MUCH
LIGHTER SOUTH...WITH A FEW HUNDREDTHS OR A COUPLE TENTHS OF AN INCH
PER HOUR...SO THE EXISTING ADVISORY WILL SUFFICE. THE HEAVIEST RAIN
SHOULD TAPER OFF AS A SIGNIFICANT DRY SLOT JUST OFFSHORE MOVES INLAND
WITHIN THE NEXT 1-3 HOURS.
IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY RAIN THERE IS STRONG WIND BEGINNING TO MOVE
ONSHORE. GUSTS NEAR 70 MPH HAVE BEEN REPORTED ALONG THE COAST...WITH
79 MPH REPORTED IN THE PAST HOUR AT ROCKHOUSE RAWS IN THE COAST
RANGE. AM SOMEWHAT CONCERNED WITH THE DRY SLOT RACING ONSHORE AS IT
IS...THIS MAY HELP THE STRONGER WINDS JUST ABOVE THE VALLEY TO MIX
DOWN TO THE VALLEY FLOOR. WILL INVESTIGATE FURTHER AND MAKE A
DECISION SHORTLY ON WHETHER TO UPGRADE THE WIND ADVISORY TO A HIGH
WIND WARNING FOR THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY.
EVERYTHING WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM TUE/TUE NIGHT APPEARS ON TRACK...AND
12Z MODELS TRENDED TOWARD A VERY DEEP LOW APPROACHING THE PAC NW
COAST BY THURSDAY. WILL OBVIOUSLY MONITOR ALL THIS CLOSELY AND
DISCUSS FURTHER WITH THE AFTERNOON DISCUSSION. WEAGLE
.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...A STRONG LOW ROTATED
NORTHEAST INTO B.C. OVERNIGHT AND BROUGHT STORM FORCE WINDS TO THE
COASTAL WATERS...HIGH WINDS TO THE COAST AND COAST RANGE...AND HEAVY
RAIN TO THE NORTHERN HALF OF OUR FORECAST AREA. THE ASSOCIATED
FRONTAL BOUNDARY WAS TRYING TO PUSH SOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER...
AND WINDS ON THE SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST AND IN THE WILLAPA HILLS HAVE
EASED A BIT. WINDS REMAIN STRONG SOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER. RAINS
CONTINUE UNABATED OVER MUCH OF OUR FORECAST AREA.
THE WARM FRONT WITH THE NEXT STRONG WAVE/LOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE
INTO OUR FORECAST AREA THROUGH TODAY WITH LITTLE OR NO BREAK IN THE
RAINFALL. THE MODELS INDICATE THE STRONG WINDS WILL WORK THEIR WAY
BACK NORTH ONTO THE SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST AND INTO THE WILLAPA HILLS
LATER THIS MORNING AND THIS AFTERNOON...AND HAVE SHIFTED THE HIGH
WIND WARNING IN THAT AREA TO COVER THOSE HOURS WHILE THE HIGH WIND
WARNING SOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER AND THE INLAND WIND ADVISORY ARE
UNCHANGED.
THE MODELS SAY THE PRECIPITATION FIELD WILL FINALLY PUSH SOUTH OF THE
AREA THIS EVENING AND GIVE US A BRIEF BREAK IN THE HEAVY
PRECIPITATION. PRIOR TO THAT...EXPECT A FEW RIVERS WILL REACH FLOOD
STAGE LATER TODAY...INCLUDING THE GRAYS...NEHALEM...AND WILSON... AND
THE UPPER TUALATIN INLAND. THE CURRENT FLOOD WATCH IS STILL VALID.
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT MOVES SOUTH THIS EVENING IS FORECAST TO
LIFT BACK NORTH AS A WARM FRONT LATER TONIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY. THE
ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL THEN SAG SOUTH INTO SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON
AND NORTHWEST OREGON TUESDAY AND STALL TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY
WEDNESDAY AS SECOND WAVE/LOW MOVES INLAND ALONG THE FRONT. EXPECT A
GOOD CHANCE AT TWO MORE PERIODS OF HIGH WINDS ALONG THE COAST WITH
THIS SYSTEM...AS WELL AS MORE HEAVY RAIN THAT COULD VERY EASILY
RESULT IN MORE FLOODING.
THIS WHOLE PATTERN IS BEING DRIVEN BY A VERY ACTIVE ZONAL JET ACROSS
THE PACIFIC THAT HAS PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES WELL OVER AN INCH AND
JET LEVEL WIND SPEEDS OF AROUND 150 KT.
RAINFALL TOTALS FROM THIS PAST SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT FRIDAY COULD
REACH 12 INCHES IN THE CASCADES AND THE COASTAL MOUNTAINS... WITH
PERHAPS 3 TO 6 INCHES IN THE VALLEYS...SO THIS IS LOOKING LIKE A VERY
HYDROLOGICALLY ACTIVE WEEK FOR SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST
OREGON.
SNOW LEVELS STILL APPEAR A BIT LOW IN EASTERN SKAMANIA COUNTY AND
ALONG THE NORTH OREGON CASCADE CREST REGION...SO WILL KEEP THE SNOW
ADVISORIES FOR A FEW MORE HOURS THIS MORNING BEFORE WARMER AIR ALOFT
WITH THE INCOMING WARM FRONT OVERWHELMS THE TRAPPED COLDER AIR.
TOLLESON
.LONG TERM...NO CHANGES. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS...
WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT AN
ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE INTO NEXT WEEKEND. AS A
RESULT...POPS WERE GENERALLY PLACED NEAR TO ABOVE CLIMO FOR MOST OF
THE EXTENDED PERIOD. THE EC AND GFS HAVE COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT
EARLY IN THE EXTENDED PERIOD...BOTH DEPICTING A DEEP LOW PRESSURE...
APPROXIMATELY 970MB...MOVING NORTHEASTWARD TOWARDS THE NORTHERN TIP
OF VANCOUVER ISLAND. THE ATTENDANT OCCLUSION WILL MOVE EASTWARD INTO
THE REGION AND BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN...AND POSSIBLY SOME WINDY
CONDITIONS TO THE REGION WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. MODELS HAVE
FLUCTUATED SOMEWHAT WILDLY ON HOW THEY HANDLE THIS SYSTEM OVER THE
PAST SEVERAL MODEL RUNS SO CONFIDENCE IS STILL FAIRLY LOW IN HOW THIS
SYSTEM WILL IMPACT THE REGION.
EITHER WAY...SNOW LEVELS SHOULD DROP FAIRLY QUICKLY INTO THE 3500-
4000 FT RANGE BEHIND THE FRONT ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. DEPENDING ON
THE TRACK OF THE LOW PRESSURE...THE CASCADES MAY END UP WITH SOME
DECENT SNOW DURING THIS PERIOD. MODELS SEEM TO BE TRENDING TOWARDS
THE IDEA THAT THE AREA MAY TEMPORARILY DRY OUT LATE FRIDAY BEFORE
ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM HITS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST SATURDAY-ISH. /NEUMAN
&&
.AVIATION...A STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM IS BRINGING A BAND OF VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL TO THE REGION...RESULTING IN IFR/MVFR CIGS AND VSBYS ACROSS
SW WASHINGTON AND NW OREGON THIS MORNING. EXPECT RAINFALL TO LESSEN
BY MID AFTERNOON...WITH PREDOMINANTLY MVFR CONDITIONS IN LIGHT TO
MODERATE RAIN THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. RAIN TO INCREASE AGAIN
OVERNIGHT INTO TUE MORNING...BRINGING MORE LOW END MVFR TO IFR
CONDITIONS.
GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE ALSO ACCOMPANYING THIS SYSTEM. EXPECT WIND
GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 KT FOR THE COAST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...WITH
GUSTS OF 30 TO 35 KT FOR THE INTERIOR TAF SITES. WINDS TO DROP OFF
THIS EVENING.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...IFR/LOW MVFR CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY
AFTERNOON IN HEAVY RAIN. EXPECT RAIN TO DIMINISH LATER THIS
AFTERNOON AND ESPECIALLY THIS EVENING...WITH PREDOMINANTLY MVFR
CONDITIONS. EXPECT SOUTHERLY WINDS GUSTING 30 TO 35 KT TO DEVELOP
BY 21Z. WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH AGAIN AFTER 03Z TUE. PYLE
&&
.MARINE...A WARM FRONT ACROSS THE FAR SOUTH WATERS HAS RESULTED IN
SHARP DIFFERENCES IN WIND SPEEDS FOR THE WATERS. THE WINDS HAVE
EASED FOR THE NORTHERN WATERS THIS MORNING...BUT ARE STILL BLOWING
STRONG SOUTH OF CASCADE HEAD. HAVE CANCELLED THE STORM WARNING FOR
THE NORTHERN WATERS...AND ISSUED A GALE WARNING FOR THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING...AS THERE WILL BE A BURST OF STRONG WINDS AS THE
FRONT MOVES NORTHWARD. STORM FORCE GUSTS WILL CONTINUE SOUTH OF
CASCADE HEAD THROUGH THIS EVENING. WINDS WILL BRIEFLY DECREASE TO
BELOW 30 KT FOR A FEW HOURS LATE TONIGHT...THEN INCREASE BACK TO
GALES EARLY TUE MORNING WITH THE NEXT FRONT.
A LARGE LONG-PERIOD WEST SWELL IS SUBSIDING TODAY. THIS SWELL IS
CURRENTLY AROUND 17 FT AT 15 SECONDS THIS MORNING...AND WILL
SUBSIDE TO AROUND 12 FT AT 14 SECONDS LATE THIS AFTERNOON. SHORT
PERIOD SEAS FROM THE INCREASED SOUTH WINDS WILL MAINTAIN OVERALL
SEAS AROUND 20 FT TODAY.
ANOTHER WARM FRONT WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG WINDS AND
LARGE SEAS TUE AND TUE NIGHT. MODELS SUGGEST THAT THIS WILL BE A
HIGH END GALE EVENT...BUT WANT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE
POTENTIAL FOR STORM FORCE WINDS THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE ADDRESSING
THE GALE WATCH. SEAS WILL REMAIN AROUND 20 FT THROUGH TUE NIGHT.
A STRONGER STORM WILL RESULT IN VERY DANGEROUS SEAS WED AND THU.
ADDITIONALLY...HIGH TIDES...TIDAL ANOMALIES AND INCREASING RIVER
FLOWS...WILL LIKELY RESULT IN TIDAL OVERFLOW FLOODING UP AND DOWN
THE OREGON AND SOUTH WASHINGTON COASTS MON...TUE AND WED
MORNINGS. THE RIVER LEVELS WILL BE HIGHEST TUE AND WED AND MAY
HAVE MORE EXPANSIVE COASTAL FLOODING ON THOSE DAYS. TJ
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL COAST RANGE
OF WESTERN OREGON-CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-CENTRAL
OREGON COAST-CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY-COAST RANGE OF
NORTHWEST OREGON-GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA-LOWER COLUMBIA-
NORTH OREGON COAST-NORTHERN OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-
NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES-SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY-UPPER HOOD
RIVER VALLEY-WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR CENTRAL
WILLAMETTE VALLEY-GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA-SOUTH WILLAMETTE
VALLEY.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 3 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL
COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-CENTRAL OREGON COAST-COAST
RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON-NORTH OREGON COAST.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
CENTRAL OREGON COAST-NORTH OREGON COAST.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 8 AM TO 1 PM PST TUESDAY FOR
CENTRAL OREGON COAST-NORTH OREGON COAST.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 8 AM TO 1 PM PST WEDNESDAY FOR
CENTRAL OREGON COAST-NORTH OREGON COAST.
WA...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL COLUMBIA
RIVER GORGE-GREATER VANCOUVER AREA-I-5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ
COUNTY-SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-SOUTH WASHINGTON
CASCADES-SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST-WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER
GORGE-WILLAPA HILLS.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR GREATER VANCOUVER
AREA.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR SOUTH
WASHINGTON COAST.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 8 AM TO 1 PM PST TUESDAY FOR SOUTH
WASHINGTON COAST.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 8 AM TO 1 PM PST WEDNESDAY FOR
SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR SOUTH
WASHINGTON COAST-WILLAPA HILLS.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR SOUTH
WASHINGTON CASCADES.
PZ...GALE WATCH FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO FLORENCE OR OUT 60 NM.
GALE WARNING FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 PM PST THIS EVENING
FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO CASCADE HEAD OR
OUT 60 NM.
STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR COASTAL WATERS
FROM CASCADE HEAD OR TO FLORENCE OR OUT 60 NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH COLUMBIA RIVER BAR UNTIL 5 PM
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.PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
101 PM PST MON DEC 07 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1245 PM FLOOD PHILOMATH 44.54N 123.36W
12/07/2015 BENTON OR TRAINED SPOTTER
SEVERAL ROADS FLOODED IN THE CITY.
1228 PM FLOOD TILLAMOOK 45.46N 123.84W
12/07/2015 TILLAMOOK OR TRAINED SPOTTER
US 101 CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING
1138 AM FLOOD SWISSHOME 44.05N 123.80W
12/07/2015 LANE OR TRAINED SPOTTER
OLD MAN CREEK OVERFLOWED BANKS AND IS FLOODING NEARBY
FIELDS.
1055 AM FLOOD ENE PORTLAND AIRPORT 45.59N 122.60W
12/07/2015 MULTNOMAH OR TRAINED SPOTTER
SEVERAL FLOODED INTERSECTIONS ALONG SANDY BLVD.
1043 AM FLOOD SWEET HOME 44.40N 122.70W
12/07/2015 LINN OR NWS EMPLOYEE
2 INCHES OF WATER IN BASEMENT.
1039 AM FLOOD PORTLAND AIRPORT 45.59N 122.60W
12/07/2015 MULTNOMAH OR NWS EMPLOYEE
APPROXIMATELY 1 FT OF STANDING WATER ON THE ROAD NEAR THE
FIRE STATION ON NE 122ND AVE.
1024 AM FLOOD CLACKAMAS 45.41N 122.55W
12/07/2015 CLACKAMAS OR 911 CALL CENTER
WATER ENTERING CLACKAMAS COUNTY SHERIFF BROOKDS BUILDING
HQ.
0939 AM FLOOD SILETZ 44.72N 123.92W
12/07/2015 LINCOLN OR TRAINED SPOTTER
STREET FLOODING IN SILETZ.
0934 AM FLOOD TILLAMOOK 45.46N 123.84W
12/07/2015 TILLAMOOK OR TRAINED SPOTTER
APPROXIMATELY 6-8 IN OF STANDING WATER IN THE FIELDS
BELOW HOUSE.
&&
WA2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The media reported that strong winds resulted in tree damage near 5th and Jefferson in Oregon City. There was another report of a 1.5 diameter evergreen tree that fell onto a home in Clackamas and damaged the roof.
The media reported that several downed trees closed Highway 26 in Rhododendron.
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: 611786, 611789.