High Wind in Washington, December 21, 2015

Name: High Wind in Washington, December 21, 2015
Start: 2015-12-21T16:37
End: 2015-12-21T19:30
Location: Washington

December 21, 2015 · NWS PDT · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A strong surface low pressure system moved across the Lower Columbia Basin and produced very strong damaging winds across the interior pacific northwest. Wind gusts reported in MPH are as follow: (72) 5 miles east southeast of Dixie, (68) east Goodnoe Hills mesonet, and (59) at the Walla Walla Airport.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 PDT wrote it up.

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 Pendleton, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 21, 3:45 PM PST, 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 21, 3:45 PM PST, 52 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
345 PM PST MON DEC 21 2015

UPDATED FOR AVIATION DISCUSSION

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...A COLD FRONT SWEPT THROUGH
THE REGION THIS MORNING AND NOW A SURFACE LOW IS MOVING FROM
SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON INTO EASTERN WASHINGTON. AS IT DOES WINDS ARE
INCREASING ACROSS EASTERN OREGON AND EXTREME SOUTHERN WASHINGTON
WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 70 MPH POSSIBLE. HIGH WIND WARNINGS REMAIN IN
EFFECT THROUGH 10 PM THIS EVENING. PRECIPITATION ALONG THE EAST
SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES WILL WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF EARLY
THIS EVENING WHEN THE SURFACE LOW PASSES TO THE EAST. UNTIL THEN THE
WINTER STORM WARNING REMAIN IN EFFECT. THE WEST WINDS GENERATED BY
THE SURFACE LOW WILL FAVOR THE BLUE MOUNTAINS WITH AN UPSLOPE FLOW
OVERNIGHT SO THAT ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES WILL BE
POSSIBLE ALONG WITH BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW CAUSED BY THE WINDS.
WINDS WILL DECREASE OVERNIGHT AND PRECIPITATION TAPER OFF TO SHOWERS
LEADING TO SOME LINGERING SHOWERS MAINLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS ON
TUESDAY. THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE TUESDAY NIGHT
AND WEDNESDAY FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN AND SNOW WITH SNOW LEVELS
BETWEEN 1500 AND 2500 FEET. THERE MAY BE A NEED FOR MORE WINTER
WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE MOUNTAINS BUT WILL WAIT UNTIL CURRENT
HIGHLIGHTS ARE DONE BEFORE ISSUING. WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY
LOOK TO REMAIN UNSETTLED WITH POSSIBLE SNOW SHOWERS AT TIMES AS A
COLD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH BEGINS TO SETTLE OVER THE REGION.

.LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND
FRIDAY A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BE EXITING TO THE EAST AND HIGH
PRESSURE WILL BE APPROACHING FROM THE WEST. THIS WILL PUT THE REGION
UNDER A WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT THAT WILL BE SHIFTING NORTHERLY ON
FRIDAY AFTERNOON. AS A RESULT...RESIDUAL MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH
THE LOW AND OROGRAPHIC LIFT WILL ALLOW SNOW SHOWERS TO CONTINUE
DURING THIS PERIOD...ESPECIALLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS. HOWEVER...WITH
SNOW LEVELS BELOW 1000 FT...EVEN THE VALLEYS AND PARTS OF THE LOWER
COLUMBIA BASIN COULD SEE A BRIEF DUSTING OF SNOW FOR A WHITE
CHRISTMAS. SHOWERS WILL THEN TAPER OFF ON FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE HIGH
PRESSURE RIDGE MOVES OVER THE AREA. SKIES SHOULD ALSO PARTIALLY
CLEAR BY SATURDAY MORNING...AND RADIATIONAL COOLING AND SNOW COVER
WILL CONTRIBUTE TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE IN
THE SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS CENTRAL OREGON AND IN THE MOUNTAINS...AND
IN THE TEENS AND LOWER 20S IN AND AROUND THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN.
HIGH TEMPERATURES ON SATURDAY WILL THEN STRUGGLE TO CLIMB ABOVE
FREEZING...WITH MOST LOCATIONS ONLY IN THE 20S. THESE COLD AND DRY
CONDITIONS SHOULD PERSIST THROUGH SUNDAY. ALTHOUGH DO NOT HAVE
ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO ADD TO THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME...THERE COULD
ALSO BE FREEZING FOG IN AND AROUND THE VALLEYS. THE NEXT WEATHER
SYSTEM WILL ARRIVE SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF
SNOW...BUT THIS SHOULD BE A QUICK MOVING DISTURBANCE AND SO
ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LIGHT.  COBB

&&

.AVIATION...00Z TAFS...VARIOUS CATEGORIES WILL CONTINUE AT ALL TAFS
SITES OVER THE NEXT 6 TO 12 HOURS. SCATTERED RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS
MOVING IN FROM CENTRAL OREGON TO SOUTHERN WASHINGTON.  SNOW IS
MAINLY EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE KYKM...KBDN...AND KRDM...WITH RAIN
ELSEWHERE. CIG/VIS WILL SEE FREQUENT CHANGES WITHIN A SHORT TIME
PERIOD AS SHOWERS MOVE IN AND OUT. TAFS WILL CONTINUE TO BE AMENED
AS NEEDED.

WINDS WILL BE ANOTHER MAJOR ISSUE...WITH KYKM BEING THE EXCEPTION.
HIGH WIND WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR ALL OTHER TAF SITES AND GUSTS
HAVE ALREADY EXCEEDED 50KTS AT KRDM. THE MAIN FOCUS WILL BE FROM 00Z-
06Z...BUT THE STRONG GUSTS MAY EXTEND BEYOND 06Z FOR
KPDT...KPSC...AND KALW. WEBER

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT  34  40  33  39 /  30  10  80  40
ALW  37  43  36  42 /  50  10  80  50
PSC  35  43  34  42 /  30  10  70  10
YKM  27  38  28  40 /  60  10  70  10
HRI  36  43  34  42 /  30  10  70  10
ELN  24  34  26  36 /  70  10  70  20
RDM  27  38  27  37 /  20  20  60  30
LGD  30  36  28  36 /  80  30  80  70
GCD  26  32  27  32 /  50  20  70  70
DLS  36  43  34  44 /  30  10  90  30

&&

.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR ORZ041-044-
     505-507>511.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST TUESDAY FOR ORZ050-503-
     506.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 AM PST TUESDAY FOR ORZ502.

WA...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR WAZ024-
     028>030-521.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 AM PST TUESDAY FOR WAZ030.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 8 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR WAZ026-027-
     521.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST TUESDAY FOR WAZ520.

&&

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT...
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PENDLETON

91/82/82

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 21, 11:01 AM PST, 5 hours 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
1101 AM PST MON DEC 21 2015

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

0900 AM     SNOW             EASTON                  47.24N 121.18W
12/21/2015  M6.0 INCH        KITTITAS           WA   CO-OP OBSERVER

            6 INCHES IN 24 HOURS

0954 AM     SNOW             SUNRIVER                43.88N 121.44W
12/21/2015  M5.0 INCH        DESCHUTES          OR   CO-OP OBSERVER

            5 INCHES IN 24 HOURS. 20 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE GROUND.

1033 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 WSW KOOSKOOSKIE       45.99N 118.18W
12/21/2015  M58.00 MPH       UMATILLA           OR   MESONET

            SOUTH 41G58 MPH. PIKES PEAK MESONET ELEV 3454 FT

&&

MWISTER

Local storm report, Dec 21, 12:08 PM PST, 4 hours 29 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
1208 PM PST MON DEC 21 2015

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

0730 AM     HEAVY SNOW       4 WSW LA PINE           43.65N 121.57W
12/21/2015  E7.0 INCH        DESCHUTES          OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            6 TO 8 INCHES FELL BETWEEN 3 AM AND 730 AM THIS MORNING.

1205 PM     HEAVY SNOW       ELLENSBURG              47.00N 120.55W
12/21/2015  M4.0 INCH        KITTITAS           WA   PUBLIC

            FACEBOOK POSTS RECEIVED OF 3-4 INCHES OF SNOW SINCE 7 AM

&&

MWISTER

Local storm report, Dec 21, 12:42 PM PST, 3 hours 55 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
1242 PM PST MON DEC 21 2015

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

1130 AM     HEAVY SNOW       TROUT LAKE              46.00N 121.53W
12/21/2015  M9.0 INCH        KLICKITAT          WA   PUBLIC

            HEAVY SNOW REPORTED FROM MIDNIGHT THROUGH LATE MORNING.
            SOCIAL MEDIA REPORTED 9 INCHES IN JUST UNDER 12 HOURS.

1130 AM     HEAVY SNOW       3 E WEST VALLEY         46.59N 120.54W
12/21/2015  E4.5 INCH        YAKIMA             WA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STORM SPOTTER REPORTED 4.5 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN THE PAST
            12 HOURS.

1217 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 9 E DUFUR               45.48N 120.95W
12/21/2015  M63.00 MPH       WASCO              OR   MESONET

            WSW 51G63 MPH

1218 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 9 NW TUMALO             44.23N 121.46W
12/21/2015  E50.00 MPH       DESCHUTES          OR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            15-25 MPH WINDS SUDDENLY GUSTED TO AROUND 50 MPH. NO
            DAMAGE BUT WIND GUSTS WERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE TREE LIMBS TO
            BEND AND ALMOST BREAK.

1218 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 13 WSW MIKKALO          45.38N 120.46W
12/21/2015  M58.00 MPH       GILLIAM            OR   MESONET

            SSW 37G58 MPH AT AJAX MESONET SITE

1230 PM     HEAVY SNOW       CLE ELUM                47.19N 120.93W
12/21/2015  M12.0 INCH       KITTITAS           WA   PUBLIC

            12 INCHES SINCE 8 AM. SNOWFALL RATES OF 2 INCHES PER HOUR
            AND STILL SNOWING HEAVILY.

&&

MWISTER

Local storm report, Dec 21, 1:39 PM PST, 2 hours 58 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
139 PM PST MON DEC 21 2015

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

1230 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NNW MADRAS            44.68N 121.15W
12/21/2015  M68.00 MPH       JEFFERSON          OR   MESONET

            WEST 37G68 MPH AT MADRAS MESONET

1233 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 WNW CAYUSE            45.68N 118.58W
12/21/2015  M58.00 MPH       UMATILLA           OR   MESONET

            SE 29G58 MPH AT CAYUSE APRS STATION

1245 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NNW LEXINGTON         45.45N 119.69W
12/21/2015  E59.00 MPH       MORROW             OR   MESONET

            LEXINGTON MESONET GUSTED TO 59 MPH.

1245 PM     HEAVY SNOW       5 NNE YAKIMA            46.66N 120.48W
12/21/2015  M8.0 INCH        YAKIMA             WA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTER MEASURED 8 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN THE PAST 12
            HOURS.

1250 PM     HEAVY SNOW       ELLENSBURG              47.00N 120.55W
12/21/2015  M5.0 INCH        KITTITAS           WA   PUBLIC

            5 INCHES SINCE 7 AM...FACEBOOK POST

0100 PM     HEAVY SNOW       NACHES                  46.73N 120.70W
12/21/2015  E8.0 INCH        YAKIMA             WA   PUBLIC

            8 INCHES SINCE THIS MORNING. FACEBOOK POST

&&

MWISTER

Local storm report, Dec 21, 2:50 PM PST, 1 hour 47 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
250 PM PST MON DEC 21 2015

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

0144 PM     HEAVY SNOW       4 ENE THORP             47.10N 120.60W
12/21/2015  E5.5 INCH        KITTITAS           WA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            5 TO 6 INCHES SINCE 7 AM

0150 PM     HEAVY SNOW       BICKLETON               46.00N 120.30W
12/21/2015  E5.0 INCH        KLICKITAT          WA   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            5 INCHES OF NEW SNOW. 8 INCHES ON THE GROUND BUT SNOW IS
            MELTING FAST. TEMPERATURE 37 DEGREES WITH A RAIN/SNOW
            MIX.

0218 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 6 W CONDON              45.24N 120.30W
12/21/2015  M60.00 MPH       GILLIAM            OR   MESONET

            SW 43G60 MPH AT CONDON APRS WEATHER STATION

0245 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST REDMOND                 44.26N 121.17W
12/21/2015  M64.00 MPH       DESCHUTES          OR   AWOS

            WEST WIND 37G64 MPH. AN EARLIER GUSTS TO 59 MPH WAS
            MEASURED AT 206 PM.

&&

MWISTER

Local storm report, Dec 21, 4:36 PM PST, 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
436 PM PST MON DEC 21 2015

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

0300 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG SHANIKO                 45.00N 120.75W
12/21/2015                   WASCO              OR   PUBLIC

            TREE DOWN ACROSS HWY 97 IN SHANIKO.

0315 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG NNW TUMALO              44.15N 121.33W
12/21/2015                   DESCHUTES          OR   PUBLIC

            TREE DOWN ACROSS GERKING MARKET ROAD NEAR TUMALO.

&&

AA

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Simcoe Highlands

When: December 21, 4:37 PM PST to 7:30 PM PST
Where: Simcoe Highlands forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.166, -120.764 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northwest Blue Mountains

When: December 21, 5:26 PM PST to 7:30 PM PST
Where: Northwest Blue Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.264, -118.193 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Blue Mountain Foothills

When: December 21, 6:09 PM PST to 7:30 PM PST
Where: Blue Mountain Foothills forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 46.264, -118.193 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Washington in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in Washington, 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: 606397, 606398, 606395.