The third in a series of fronts brought strong winds to many areas in Southern Oregon.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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.
The third in a series of fronts brought strong winds to many areas in Southern Oregon.
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 Feb 8, 2:55 AM PST, 4 hours 44 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
255 AM PST SUN FEB 8 2015
CORRECTED TO INCLUDE AREAL FLOOD WARNING INFORMATION.
.DISCUSSION...OUR NEXT STORM SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY WRAPPING UP OUT
AROUND 35N/135W AND IS MOVING RAPIDLY TOWARD US. ITS SATELLITE
PRESENTATION IS IMPRESSIVE WITH A COMMA HEAD OF VERY COLD CLOUD
TOPS OUT AHEAD OF AND NORTH OF THE STORM CENTER. OCCASIONAL
LIGHTNING HAS BEEN OBSERVED ALL NIGHT IN THE DEEP LIFT TO ITS
NORTHEAST. A SHORTWAVE SHOT OUT AHEAD OF THE STORM THIS MORNING
AND IS CURRENTLY BRINGING SHOWERS TO THE COAST AND UMPQUA AREAS.
THIS WAVE ALSO HAD SOME LIGHTNING EARLIER, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY
STRIKES OVER LAND YET.
THE MODELS REMAIN CONSISTENT IN SHOWING THE VERTICALLY STACKED
SYSTEM TURNING THE CORNER AND MOVING NORTH ALONG THE PACNW COAST
TODAY AND MONDAY. THERE REMAIN SOME INCONSISTENCIES IN THE
EVOLUTION OF THE SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM, BUT THE GENERAL
CONSENSUS IS TO BRING A LOW OF AROUND 990 MB TO INSIDE 130W AND
THEN GRADUALLY FILL IT AS IT MOVES NORTH ALONG THE COAST. THE FACT
THAT IT'S FILLING AS OPPOSED TO DEEPENING IS WHAT IS KEEPING THIS
SYSTEM FROM PRODUCING A MAJOR WIND STORM FOR US. EVEN SO,
GRADIENTS AND FLOW ALOFT WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE STRONG
WINDS OVER MUCH OF OUR AREA BEGINNING LATER TODAY AND CONTINUING
THROUGH MONDAY. IN GENERAL, THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE OVER THE
MOUNTAINS, COAST, EAST SIDE, AND SHASTA VALLEY, BUT I THINK THE
WEST SIDE VALLEYS WILL ALSO GET IN ON THE ACTION EVENTUALLY. ALL
OF THE HIGH WIND WATCHES HAVE BEEN UPGRADED TO WARNINGS, AND I'VE
ALSO ADDED SOME WIND ADVISORIES TO THE WEST SIDE VALLEYS. SEE
PDXNPWMFR FOR ALL THE DETAILS.
WHILE RAIN WILL NOT BE THE BIGGEST STORY WITH THIS SYSTEM, WE WILL
SEE A FAIR AMOUNT OF IT OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS. WE'RE LOOKING FOR
1-3 INCHES OF RAIN ALL TOLD OVER THE COASTAL MOUNTAINS AND
SISKIYOUS WITH LESSER AMOUNTS ELSEWHERE. WHILE THESE AMOUNTS ARE
NOWHERE NEAR WHAT WE RECEIVED WITH PREVIOUS STORMS, THE FACT THAT
SO MUCH RAIN HAS ALREADY FALLEN AND THE GROUND REMAINS QUITE
SATURATED, THE AREAL FLOOD WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE
THROUGH MONDAY.
THE ROGUE VALLEY AND PORTIONS OF THE EAST SIDE ARE EXPECTED TO BE
RAIN SHADOWED MUCH OF THE TIME, SO WE'RE EXPECTING THE LEAST RAIN
IN THESE LOCATIONS. GENERALLY, AS LONG AS THE SOUTH WIND BLOWS IN
THE ROGUE VALLEY, RAIN WILL BE LIMITED. IT'S ONLY WHEN THE WIND
FINALLY BEGINS TO TAPER DOWN AND SHIFT MORE WESTWARD EARLY MONDAY
THAT WE FINALLY GET SOME DECENT RAIN INTO THE VALLEY. SNOW LEVELS
WILL REMAIN HIGH THROUGH MONDAY, SO SNOW IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE AN
IMPACT.
THE WIND DIES DOWN MONDAY EVENING, BUT RAIN WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE
INTO TUESDAY MORNING. A RIDGE THEN BEGINS BUILDING OVER THE PACNW
MID WEEK AND MAY KEEP ANY MORE RAIN AT BAY ALL THE WAY INTO NEXT
WEEKEND. -WRIGHT
&&
.AVIATION...BASED ON THE 08/06Z TAF CYCLE...INLAND...MOSTLY VFR
CIGS/VSBYS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING EXCEPT FOR SOME MVFR
CIGS...BUT THERE WILL BE AREAS OF HIGHER TERRAIN OBSCURED...
ESPECIALLY FROM THE CASCADES WEST. ALONG THE COAST...A MIX OF VFR
AND MVFR CIGS WILL PREVAIL WITH SOME LOCAL IFR CIGS/VSBYS.
WINDS WILL BECOME GUSTY AT KMFR AND KLMT BETWEEN 16Z AND 19Z SUNDAY.
WINDS WILL BE STRONG ALONG THE COAST AND OVER THE RIDGES...RESULTING
IN THE THREAT OF LLWS AT KOTH...KRBG...AND KMFR BEGINNING 22-24Z
SUNDAY. TURBULENCE WILL BE PRESENT ON APPROACHES AND DEPARTURES.
EXTENSIVE MVFR CIGS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE COAST SUNDAY
AFTERNOON...SPREADING INLAND TO THE CASCADES SUNDAY NIGHT WITH
HIGHER TERRAIN BECOMING OBSCURED.
&&
.MARINE...UPDATED 245 AM PST SUNDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2015...A STRONG STORM
SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE COASTAL WATERS THIS AFTERNOON,
RESULTING IN STORM FORCE WINDS AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SEAS THROUGH
MONDAY MORNING. HAVE TRENDED TOWARDS THE HIGHER SIDE OF GUIDANCE
REGARDING WINDS WITH THIS SYSTEM, AS THE SURFACE LOW IS FORECAST TO
PUSH JUST INSIDE OF 130 DEGREES WEST. ALTHOUGH THE LOW WILL NOT BE
DEEPENING AS IT PASSES, THIS PATTERN IS STILL CONDUCIVE TO STRONG
WINDS, THUS CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT GUSTS WILL REACH STORM FORCE.
CONFIDENCE IS SOMEWHAT LOWER THAT SUSTAINED WINDS WILL REACH STORM
CRITERIA, BUT WOULD NOT RULE IT OUT, ESPECIALLY IN THE VICINITY OF
CAPE BLANCO.
GALES AND HAZARDOUS SEAS WILL CONTINUE INTO MONDAY NIGHT...THEN
CONDITIONS WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OFFSHORE.
A WEAK FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. -BPN
&&
.MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 PM PST MONDAY
FOR ORZ029>031-625.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 PM PST MONDAY
FOR ORZ623-624.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM PST MONDAY
FOR ORZ022-618.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM PST MONDAY
FOR ORZ021-022-615-618-619.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM PST MONDAY FOR
ORZ021-615-616-619.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM PST MONDAY
FOR ORZ027-028-617-620>622.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON
FOR ORZ026-620>622.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM PST MONDAY FOR
ORZ023>025.
CA...HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 AM PST MONDAY
FOR CAZ081-281.
PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 AM PST
TUESDAY FOR PZZ350-356.
STORM WARNING FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM PST MONDAY FOR
PZZ350-356-370-376.
GALE WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM PST MONDAY FOR
PZZ350-356.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR PZZ350-356-370-376.
HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 AM PST
TUESDAY FOR PZZ370-376.
GALE WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 AM PST MONDAY FOR
PZZ370-376.The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Squaw Peak RAWS recorded numerous gusts exceeding 74 mph during this interval. The peak gust was 94 mph recorded at 08/2239 PST.
The ODOT sensor at Humbug Mountain recorded gusts exceeding 58 mph continuously during this interval. The peak gust was 78 mph recorded at 09/0617 PST.
The ODOT sensor at Port Orford recorded several gusts exceeding 57 mph during this interval. The peak gust was 66 mph recorded at 09/0630 PST.
The Summer Lake RAWS recorded gusts to 61 mph at 09/0538, 09/0638, and 09/1138 PST. The peak gust was 64 mph recorded at 09/0838 PST. The Summit RAWS recorded a gust to 59 mph at 09/0503 PST, a gust to 68 mph at 09/0803 PST, and a gust to 58 mph at 09/0903 PST. The ODOT sensor at Valley Falls recorded a gust to 58 mph at 09/0451 PST, a gust to 62 mph at 09/0521 PST, and a gust to 59 mph at 09/0531 PST. A spotter 3NE Valley Falls reported a gust to 73 mph at 09/0515 PST.
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, February 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: 552237, 552231, 552230, 552244.