Oregon, 2015

Flooding in Oregon, December 9 to 10, 2015

December 9 to 10, 2015 · NWS PQR · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A moist front produced heavy rain across Northwest Oregon closely following two other moist fronts on December 7th and December 8th. THe heavy rain resulted in additional flooding and land slides across the region.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
1
Property damage
$2.6 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS PQR wrote it up.

A moist front produced heavy rain across Northwest Oregon closely following two other moist fronts on December 7th and December 8th. THe heavy rain resulted in additional flooding and land slides across the region.

What forecasters said that day

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, 8:46 PM PST, 6 hours 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 8, 8:46 PM PST, 6 hours 14 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
845 PM PST TUE DEC  8 2015

.SYNOPSIS...ANOTHER FRONT WILL BRING RAIN AND WINDY CONDITIONS TO
THE REGION TONIGHT INTO WED...WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN AND WIND
LATER WED NIGHT AND THU. THEN COOLER AND SHOWERY FRI INTO THIS
WEEKEND...WITH SNOW LEVELS AT OR JUST BELOW THE CASCADES PASSES.
&&

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...
NO BIG CHANGES. A FRONTAL SYSTEM EXTENDS FROM A LOW PRES CENTER OVER
THE GULF OF ALASKA DOWN THROUGH BRITISH COLUMBIA AND OFF THE PAC NW
COAST. MAIN BAROCLINIC ZONE THAT PUSHED INTO FAR NW CORNER OF OREGON
THIS AFTERNOON STALLED BY LATE AFTERNOON. BUT NOW IT IS LIFTING
SLOWLY NORTHWARD AS A WARM FRONT THIS EVENING. A SIGNIFICANT
SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE TAP IS FEEDING INTO THIS SYSTEM...WITH
PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF 1.2 TO 1.3 INCHES. IMPRESSIVE WEST TO
SOUTHWEST MOISTURE TRANSPORT INTO SW WASHINGTON AND FAR NW OREGON IS
OCCURRING THIS AFTERNOON...AND IS BEING AIDED BY ISENTROPIC LIFT AND
DIVERGENCE AT THE NOSE OF A 150 KT JET OFFSHORE TO PRODUCE HEAVY
RAINFALL NORTH OF A LINE ROUGHLY FROM LINCOLN CITY THROUGH
MCMINNVILLE/AURORA AND UP AROUND MT HOOD. EXPECT THE RAINFALL AXIS TO
REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH THE EVENING...PERHAPS LIFTING A BIT
FURTHER NORTH LATE IN THE EVENING AS THE OFFSHORE SHORTWAVE
APPROACHES THE COAST. THE COLD FRONT WILL THEN PIVOT TO MORE OF A
NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTATION AND MOVE ONSHORE OVERNIGHT...RESULTING IN THE
HEAVY RAIN SPREADING SOUTH THROUGH THE ENTIRE FCST REGION. THE FRONT
WILL MOVE EAST OF THE CASCADES BY EARLY WED MORNING.

EXPECT THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WITH TONIGHTS FRONTAL SYSTEM TO BE
FOCUSED OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE FCST AREA...PARTICULARLY THE
WILLAPA HILLS/N OREGON COAST RANGE AND THE S WASHINGTON CASCADES...
WHERE 3 TO 7 INCHES OF RAIN ARE EXPECTED. RAINFALL OVER THE NORTHERN
INTERIOR LOWLANDS...INCLUDING THE PORTLAND/VANCOUVER METRO AREA...ARE
EXPECTED TO BE AROUND 1 TO 3 INCHES. WILL CONTINUE THE URBAN AND
SMALL STREAM FLOODING ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN COASTAL ZONES AND
INTERIOR LOWLANDS...AS SIGNIFICANT PONDING OF WATER IS LIKELY TO
CAUSE TRAVEL IMPACTS AROUND THE EVENING COMMUTE. IN
ADDITION...NUMEROUS RIVERS ARE IN OR ARE EXPECTED TO REACH FLOOD
STAGE TONIGHT INTO WED. RAINFALL TOTALS WILL BE LOWER OVER THE
SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FCST AREA...ALTHOUGH STILL SIGNIFICANT...AS THE
AXIS OF HEAVIER RAIN WILL BE FASTER TO MOVE THROUGH THESE AREAS.

WINDS ARE NOW PICKING UP AGAIN. WINDS ON THE OREGON COAST HAVE BEEN
GUSTING 55 TO 75 MPH THIS EVENING...AND WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT AND
SPREAD BACK NORTHWARD AS WELL. FURTHER INLAND...WINDS INCREASING AS
WELL. GENERALLY GUSTS OVER INTERIOR LOWLANDS 25 TO 35 MPH SOUTH OF
SALEM...AND 35 TO 50 MPH NORTH OF SALEM. STRONGEST WINDS HAVE BEEN ON
VERY EXPOSED RIDGES...SUCH AS 61 MPH ON CHEHALEM MTNS NEAR NEWBURG
AND 55 MPH ON MT SCOTT IN SOUTHEAST PORTLAND. WITH SATURATE
SOILS...SUCH WINDS WILL MAKE SOME TREES LEANS...AND POSSIBLY FALL. BE
PREPARED FOR SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES TONIGHT. WILL MAINTAIN THE
CURRENT HIGH WIND WARNINGS FOR THE COAST..COAST RANGE/WILLAPA... AND
THE CASCADES AS WELL AS THE WIND ADVISORY FOR THE INTERIOR LOWLANDS.
WINDS WILL SUBSIDE WED AM ONCE THE COLD FRONT PUSHES ACROSS THE
REGION.

EXPECT SHOWERS TO LINGER WED IN THE COLDER AND MODESTLY UNSTABLE POST
FRONTAL AIR MASS. SNOW LEVELS...WHICH WILL BE WELL ABOVE 6000 FT
TONIGHT...SHOULD DROP DOWN TO THE HIGHER CASCADE PASSES WED. EXPECT
SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW DOWN TO THE PASSES DURING THE DAY...BUT TOTALS
SHOULD REMAIN SUB ADVISORY.

ANOTHER LOW PRES SYSTEM WILL FORM ALONG THE BAROCLINIC ZONE ON
WED...PUSHING ONTO THE BRITISH COLUMBIA COAST ON THU. THE ASSOCIATED
FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN AND GUSTY COASTAL
WINDS ON WED NIGHT INTO THU MORNING. WINDS CURRENTLY APPEAR TO REMAIN
JUST BELOW HIGH WIND CRITERIA. THE PARENT UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL
MOVE ONSHORE AND THU NIGHT AND FRI...BRINGING ADDITIONAL SHOWER
ACTIVITY. SNOW LEVELS SHOULD REMAIN BETWEEN 3500-4500 K FEET DURING THIS
TIME...AND EXPECT THE CASCADES TO PICK UP SOME FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT
SNOWFALL TOTALS. AREAS ABOVE 5000 FT MAY PICK UP A FOOT OR MORE
THROUGH THU NIGHT. PYLE

.LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...THE ACTIVE WEATHER
PATTERN WILL LIKELY CONTINUE AS A SERIES OF SYSTEMS PUSH ACROSS THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST. MODELS CONTINUE TO BRING MORE RAIN AND CASCADE
SNOW TO THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. THE COAST RANGE COULD ALSO GET INTO
THE MIX WITH SNOW LEVELS FORECASTED TO LOWER TO AROUND 2500 FT.
MODELS DIVERGE EARLY NEXT WEEK SO CONFIDENCE IN THE FORECAST IS LOW.
AS SUCH...HAVE TRENDED THE FORECAST TOWARDS A BLEND OF THE VARIOUS
OPERATIONAL MODELS STARTING LATE SUNDAY.

&&

.AVIATION...VERY MOIST SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT IN CONJUNCTION WITH
STRONG SOUTH LOW-LEVEL FLOW THROUGH TONIGHT WILL RESULT IN LESS-THAN-
OPTIMUM FLYING CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY FOR GENERAL AVIATION USERS.
HIGHER TERRAIN WILL BE OBSCURED THROUGH WED MORNING. EXPECT
LITTLE CHANGE IN OVERALL CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST THROUGH AT
LEAST 12Z WED. LATEST GUIDANCE SHOWS RAIN INTENSIFYING ALONG THE S
WA AND N OREGON COAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. COLD
FRONT MOVES INTO THE SW WA LOWLANDS TO NEAR KONP AROUND 06Z-09Z
WED THEN TO THE CASCADES AROUND 12Z-15Z WED.

KPDX AND APPROACHES...A FRONTAL RAIN BAND WILL SHIFT SOUTH ACROSS
THE TERMINAL BETWEEN 08Z AND 12Z WED. EXPECT PREDOMINANTLY IFR
VIS DUE TO HEAVY RAIN BETWEEN 08Z AND 12Z WED. IMPROVING
CONDITIONS AFTER 15Z WED IN THE POST-FRONTAL AIR MASS. NEUWEISH

&&

.MARINE...GALE FORCE WINDS ACROSS THE WATERS...PRIMARILY SOUTH OF
CAPE LOOKOUT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS BEFORE A
COLD FRONT PUSHES ASHORE AND PRESSURE GRADIENTS GRADUALLY RELAX
WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE STRONG GALE FORCE WINDS ACROSS THE CENTRAL
OREGON WATERS LATE THIS EVENING WILL RESULT IN SEAS INCREASING
ACROSS THIS REGION...LIKELY CLIMBING INTO THE MID TO UPPER TEENS.
THESE HIGHER SEAS WILL PERSIST THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING BEFORE
RELAXING WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

THE NEXT MAJOR STORM SYSTEM WILL STRENGTHEN RAPIDLY OVER THE NEXT
24 HOURS AND MOVE TOWARDS THE WATERS BETWEEN HAIDA GWAII AND
VANCOUVER ISLAND. A STRONG FRONTAL OCCLUSION LOOKS TO MOVE
NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE WATERS SOME TIME WEDNESDAY NIGHT OR
THURSDAY...WHICH WILL LIKELY BRING GALE FORCE OR POSSIBLY LOW END
STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS. WILL LET THE MID SHIFT INGEST ONE MORE SET
OF MODELS BEFORE ISSUING WATCHES/WARNINGS FOR THIS SYSTEM. A
WEAKENED VERSION OF THIS IMPRESSIVE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MAY END UP
MOVING TOWARDS THE WASHINGTON COAST LATER THURSDAY...BUT
CONFIDENCE STILL REMAINS RELATIVELY LOW DUE TO POOR MODEL
CONSISTENCY.

THIS AFOREMENTIONED STORM SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE A LARGE 25 TO 30 FT
WESTERLY SWELL THAT WILL BRING HIGH SURF CONDITIONS AND POSSIBLY
COASTAL FLOODING ISSUES LATER THURSDAY. COASTAL FLOOD WATCH COVERS
THIS WELL. HIGH RIVER LEVELS...HIGH TIDES AND TIDAL ANOMALIES
SHOULD SET THE STAGE FOR SOME TIDAL OVERFLOW FLOODING LATE
WEDNESDAY MORNING AS WELL. /NEUMAN

&&

.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY 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.

     HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR CASCADES IN LANE
     COUNTY-CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-CENTRAL OREGON
     COAST-COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON-NORTH OREGON COAST-
     NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR CENTRAL WILLAMETTE
     VALLEY-GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA.

     COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING

     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 THURSDAY 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.

     HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR SOUTH WASHINGTON
     CASCADES-SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST-WILLAPA HILLS.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR GREATER VANCOUVER
     AREA.

     COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING

     FOR SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST.

     COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 8 AM TO 1 PM PST WEDNESDAY FOR SOUTH

     WASHINGTON COAST.

PZ...GALE WARNING UNTIL 10 AM PST WEDNESDAY 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
THURSDAY.

&&

&&

.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY 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.

     HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR CASCADES IN LANE
     COUNTY-NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR CENTRAL WILLAMETTE
     VALLEY-GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA.

     HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR CENTRAL COAST
     RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-CENTRAL OREGON COAST-COAST RANGE OF
     NORTHWEST OREGON-NORTH OREGON COAST.

     COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY
    MORNING 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 THURSDAY 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.

     HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR SOUTH WASHINGTON
     CASCADES.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR GREATER VANCOUVER
     AREA.

     HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR SOUTH WASHINGTON
     COAST-WILLAPA HILLS.

     COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY
    MORNING FOR SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST.

     COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 8 AM TO 1 PM PST WEDNESDAY FOR
    SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST.

PZ...GALE WARNING UNTIL 10 AM PST WEDNESDAY 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 THURSDAY.

&&

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.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 8, 9:12 PM PST, 5 hours 48 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
912 PM PST TUE DEC 08 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0731 PM     DEBRIS FLOW      12 NW DOWNTOWN PORTLAND 45.64N 122.86W
12/08/2015                   MULTNOMAH          OR   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            LANDSLIDE HAS CLOSED BOTH EASTBOUND LANES OF US 30...JUST
            TO EAST OF ST JOHNS BRIDGE. MAJOR DELAYS...AS ONLY ONE OF
            WEST BOUND LANES REMAIN OPEN.

0740 PM     DEBRIS FLOW      3 E RAINIER             46.09N 122.88W
12/08/2015                   COWLITZ            WA   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            LANDSLIDE HAS CLOSED US HWY 30 AT MILEPOST 44.

0756 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST LINCOLN CITY            44.97N 124.01W
12/08/2015  M58.00 MPH       LINCOLN            OR   MESONET

0756 PM     HIGH SUST WINDS  NEWPORT                 44.63N 124.05W
12/08/2015  E45.00 MPH       LINCOLN            OR   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            ON US 101 YAQUINA BAY BRIDGE... SUSTAINED 40 TO 45 MPH.

0800 PM     TSTM WND DMG     TILLAMOOK               45.46N 123.84W
12/08/2015                   TILLAMOOK          OR   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            TREES DOWN AND POWER OUTAGES DUE TO HIGH WINDS SCATTERED
            AROUND TILLAMOOK COUNTY

0800 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 13 N FLORENCE           44.17N 124.10W
12/08/2015  M75.00 MPH       LANE               OR   MESONET

            SUSTAINED 45 TO 55 MPH. GUSTS TO 75 MPH. AT SEA LION
            CAVES.

0800 PM     FLOOD            13 ESE PACIFIC CITY     45.13N 123.71W
12/08/2015                   YAMHILL            OR   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            OREGON ROUTE 22 REMAINS CLOSED DUE TO EROSION OF HIGHWAY
            DURING HEAVY RAIN.

0800 PM     FLOOD            VERNONIA                45.86N 123.18W
12/08/2015                   COLUMBIA           OR   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            EVACUATING HOMES IN VERNONIA DUE TO FLOODING...POSSIBLY
            DUE TO A COMBINATION OF HIGH FLOWS ON ROCK CREEK AND
            NEHALEM RIVER...LATTER AT APPROXIMATELY 12 FT...BUT
            RISING RAPIDLY. EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER BEING
            IMPLEMENTED BY THE COUNTY.

0810 PM     FLOOD            7 E SHERIDAN            45.10N 123.25W
12/08/2015                   YAMHILL            OR   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            HIGH WATER HAS CLOSED OREGON ROUTE 153 FROM MILEPOSTS 1

            TO 6. THIS IS JUST EAST OF JCT OF 153 WITH OREGON RTE 18.

0815 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 W FLORENCE            43.99N 124.12W
12/08/2015  M64.00 MPH       LANE               OR   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

            SUSTAINED 35 TO 45 MPH. GUSTS TO 64 MPH. AT THE SIUSLAW
            RIVER JETTY.

0829 PM     FLOOD            ROCKAWAY BEACH          45.62N 123.94W
12/08/2015                   TILLAMOOK          OR   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            DUE TO HIGH WATER AND LANDSLIDE DEBRIS...US 101 CLOSED
            BETWEEN MILEPOSTS 52 AND 55.

0843 PM     FLOOD            ROCKAWAY BEACH          45.62N 123.94W
12/08/2015                   TILLAMOOK          OR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            HWY 101 SHUT DOWN DUE TO FLOODING AND SLIDE.

0900 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 SSW NEWPORT           44.61N 124.07W
12/08/2015  M59.00 MPH       LINCOLN            OR   C-MAN STATION

0900 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG CLACKAMAS               45.41N 122.55W
12/08/2015                   CLACKAMAS          OR   UTILITY COMPANY

            POWER OUTAGES CONTINUE ACROSS THE NORTH WILLAMETTE
            VALLEY. AS OF 9 PM...PGE REPORTING JUST OVER 5000
            CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER. MOST ARE IN CLACKAMAS COUNTY.

&&

CROCKEY

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Columbia

When
December 9, 3:00 AM PST to December 10, 1:00 PM PST
Where
Columbia County, Vernonia to Clatskanie
Cause
Heavy Rain
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$2.3 million
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
45.850, -123.200

The Nehalem River near Vernonia flooded Vernonia resulting in evacuation of residents and damage to many buildings and vehicles. A bridge washed out on TImber Road and isolated the Glenwood Community. There was also significant flooding in St Helens, where 17 homes were evacuated, and many roads were damaged and closed. Highway 30 and the business district in Rainier also flooded. An elderly couple drove around a barrier of a closed road, and was swept away by high water. The man escaped through the sunroof of the vehicle, but the woman ended up drowning. Flooding and landslides cut off Western Columbia County.

Flood, Washington

When
December 9, 8:00 AM PST to December 10, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Washington County, 1 mi S of Dilley to 1 mi E of Dilley
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$283,000
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
45.465, -123.120

Heavy rain resulted in flooding of the Tualatin River near Dilley. High water flooded local businesses and residences.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Flood, Columbia2015-12-0972FemaleVehicle/Towed TrailerDirect

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Oregon in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, December 2015

Sources

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: 612029, 612030.