A Low pressure system moving along a frontal boundary produced a brief period of strong winds for the South Washington Coast.
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 Low pressure system moving along a frontal boundary produced a brief period of strong winds for the South Washington Coast.
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 3, 10:41 AM PST, 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
1041 AM PST THU DEC 3 2015
.SYNOPSIS...A WARM FRONT LIFTING NORTH OF THE REGION THIS MORNING. A
STRONG LOW IS DEVELOPING ALONG THE MAIN FRONTAL BAND OFF THE OREGON
COAST THIS MORNING AND WILL MOVE NORTH AND ONSHORE ALONG THE WESTERN
WASHINGTON COAST LATER TODAY AND THIS EVENING...PRODUCING MORE
RAIN...AREAS OF STRONG WINDS ESPECIALLY ALONG THE COAST AND COASTAL
MOUNTAINS AND LOCALLY INLAND. THE COOLER ASSOCIATED UPPER TROUGH WILL
MOVE THROUGH THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TONIGHT AND FRIDAY WITH SOME SNOW
IN THE CASCADES AND THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE COAST. ANOTHER STRONG
FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL BRING MORE RAIN AND WIND TO THE AREA THIS
WEEKEND...FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER EARLY NEXT WEEK.
&&
.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY...A WARM FRONT LIFTED NORTH THE
REGION OVERNIGHT. THIS BROUGHT A ROUND OF STEADY RAIN FOR MOST...WITH
ADDITIONAL SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE AND
UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY. ADDITIONAL LIGHT PRECIPITATION WILL OCCUR
THROUGH THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES IN THE GORGE
AND UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY REMAIN NEAR FREEZING AT THIS TIME...SO
EXPECT ADDITIONAL LIGHT ICING IN THESE AREAS THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON.
HOWEVER...SINCE PRECIPITATION INTENSITY HAS DROPPED OFF CONSIDERABLY
THIS MORNING...HAVE DROPPED THE ICE STORM WARNING AND REPLACED IT
WITH A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY. EXPECT TEMPERATURES TO FINALLY WARM
ABOVE FREEZING LATER THIS AFTERNOON...FINALLY ENDING THE FREEZING
RAIN THREAT.
THE MAIN COLD FRONT HAS PIVOTED TO A NORTH TO SOUTH ORIENTATION JUST
OFFSHORE DUE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SECONDARY LOW ALONG THE
BAROCLINIC ZONE OFF OF THE SOUTHERN OREGON COAST. THIS SECONDARY LOW
WILL LIFT NORTH ALONG THE COAST TROUGH THE DAY...MAKING LANDFALL
ALONG THE WESTERN WASHINGTON COAST LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THERE HAS
BEEN MODEL UNCERTAINTY ON EXACTLY WHAT TRACK THE LOW WILL TAKE AND
WHERE IT WILL MAKE LANDFALL...WHICH HAS MADE FORECASTING THE
ASSOCIATED WINDS SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT. THE 17Z HRRR AND 12Z UW WRF-GFS
RUNS ARE NOW INDICATING THAT THE LOW WILL MOVE INLAND NEAR
QUILLAYUTE...WHICH IS A BIT FURTHER NORTH THAN THE PREVIOUS FORECAST
WAS ANTICIPATING. AS A RESULT...THINK THAT WINDS WILL NOT BE QUITE AS
STRONG OVER THE INTERIOR LOWLANDS AND HAVE DECIDED TO DOWNGRADE THE
HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THE INTERIOR I-5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY AND
THE SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS. WILL STILL KEEP A WIND
ADVISORY FOR THE INTERIOR...INCLUDING THE I-5 CORRIDOR IN SW
WASHINGTON AND ALL OF THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY. EXPECT THE STRONGEST
WINDS TO BE FURTHEST NORTH...AND A BIT WEAKER DOWN IN THE CENTRAL AND
ESPECIALLY THE SOUTHERN WILLAMETTE VALLEY. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN
EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE COAST AND COAST RANGE ZONES...INCLUDING THE
WILLAPA HILLS. EXPECT WIND GUSTS OF 55 TO 65 MPH TO BEGIN TO SURFACE
ALONG THE CENTRAL OREGON COAST OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS...WITH
STRONG WINDS PROGRESSING FURTHER NORTH THIS AFTERNOON AS THE LOW
LIFTS NORTHWARD.
THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
THIS EVENING...BRINGING A PERIOD OF STEADIER PRECIPITATION. THE FRONT
SHOULD ALSO FINALLY SCOUR THE COLD AIR FROM THE EAST SIDE OF THE
CASCADES AND ALLOW THE SURFACE GRADIENT THROUGH THE GORGE FROM
EASTERLY TO WESTERLY. THE ASSOCIATED UPPER TROUGH MOVES THROUGH
TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. IT HAS SOME COOLER AIR ASSOCIATED WITH IT...AND
SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL BELOW CASCADE PASS ELEVATIONS TONIGHT AND
FRIDAY. THERE COULD BE SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW TONIGHT AND FRIDAY IN
THE CASCADES...BUT THE ONSHORE FLOW DOES NOT STAY SUSTAINED LONG
ENOUGH SO THERE MAY NOT QUITE BE ENOUGH SNOW FOR A SNOW
ADVISORY...BUT IT COULD GET CLOSE NORTH. ALSO...WITH THE COLDER AIR
ALOFT MAY SEE SOME THUNDER TONIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING OVER THE
COASTAL WATERS AND ALONG THE COAST.
ANOTHER MOIST FRONT WITH HIGHER SNOW LEVELS COMES IN THE NORTH PART
OF OUR FORECAST SATURDAY AND THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT
WITH ANOTHER GOOD SHOT OF RAIN AND WIND. PYLE
.LONG TERM...NO CHANGES. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS...SATURDAY NIGHT
THROUGH TUESDAY...ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN CONTINUES THROUGH THE
WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH A NEW SYSTEM APPROXIMATELY EVERY
24 HRS. SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL EXPECTED TO ACCUMULATE OVER THE WEEKEND
INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE SOUTH WASHINGTON AND FAR
NORTH OREGON COAST. FLOODING SEEMS LIKELY TO BE A CONCERN AT LEAST
ALONG THE SOUTH WASHINGTON AND FAR NORTH OREGON COAST DUE TO LITTLE
DOWN TIME BETWEEN THESE SYSTEMS AND THE HIGHEST ACCUMULATIONS
CONTINUING TO BE OVER THIS SAME AREA.
SATURDAY'S SYSTEM TAPS INTO TROPICAL MOISTURE...BUT THE BULK OF THE
PRECIPITATION RIGHT NOW IS AIMED TO OUR NORTH...WITH HIGHEST
ACCUMULATIONS IN OUR AREA STAYING ALONG THE SOUTH WASHINGTON AND FAR
NORTH OREGON COAST AND COAST RANGE...AND MAYBE THE SOUTH WASHINGTON
CASCADES AS WELL. CONFIDENCE IS MODERATE IN THIS TRACK DUE TO GOOD
MODEL AGREEMENT...BUT THERE IS STILL A CHANCE THIS TRACK COULD SHIFT
SOUTHWARD AS THE SYSTEM MOVES CLOSER. WINDY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
ALONG THE COAST WITH THIS SYSTEM AS WELL...MAINLY MIDDAY SATURDAY
AHEAD OF THE FRONT MOVING THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT. SUNDAY SHOULD
BE A BIT DRIER WITH A FEW POST-FRONTAL SHOWERS STILL LINGERING AROUND
THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY. SNOW LEVELS COME DOWN FOR SUNDAY WHICH
COULD BRING SOME SNOW TO THE PASSES. OUR NEXT SYSTEM BRINGS SNOW
LEVELS BACK UP ABOVE THE PASSES EARLY MONDAY WITH RAIN ALL DAY.
MODELS START TO DIVERGE ON TIMING WITH THESE SYSTEMS EARLY NEXT
WEEK...BUT PATTERN OF A NEW SYSTEM EVERY 24 HOURS SEEMS LIKELY TO
CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST MIDWEEK. -MCCOY
&&
.AVIATION...GENERALLY VFR CIGS ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING WITH
LINGERING SHOWERS INLAND BEHIND THE WARM FRONT THAT HAS MOVED INTO
SOUTHERN WASHINGTON. LITTLE CHANGE NEXT FEW HOURS IN THE WARM
SECTOR...THOUGH COLD FRONT JUST OFF THE WA/OR COAST AS OF 18Z WILL
CONTINUE TO SLIDE INLAND THIS AFTERNOON. EXPECT LOWERING CIGS TO
AROUND 2500 FT BY EVENING...AND POSSIBLE VSBY RESTRICTIONS IN RAIN.
E WINDS ONGOING THROUGH GORGE AND INTO EASTERN PDX METRO AREA...BUT
STRONG S WINDS DEVELOP ALONG COAST AND COAST RANGE WITH GUSTS TO 45-
55 KT...AND GUSTY S WINDS TO 35 KT ALSO DEVELOPING ACROSS INTERIOR.
WINDS EASE THIS EVENING...GENERALLY IN THE SOUTH FIRST AND THEN THE
NORTH A FEW HOURS LATER. EXPECT WIDESPREAD MVFR CIGS WITH LOCAL IFR
POCKETS TONIGHT...AND ONGOING SHOWERS.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...VFR CIGS CONTINUE THIS MORNING WITH GUSTY E
WINDS. INTRODUCED LLWS TO TAF WITH STRONG S WINDS AT 2000 FT AND
GUSTY E AT THE SURFACE...A COMBINATION OF SPEED AND DIRECTIONAL
SHEAR TO GET CLOSE OR MEET THRESHOLD. HOWEVER...SFC WINDS SHIFT FROM
E TO S AROUND 21-22Z BUT REMAIN GUSTY TO 25-35 KT THROUGH AROUND
03Z. FRONT BRINGS LOWERING MVFR CIGS...RAIN...AND POSSIBLE VSBY
RESTRICTIONS WITH ONGOING SHOWERS THROUGH THE NIGHT. CULLEN
&&
.MARINE...STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON AS A STRONG
SURFACE LOW MOVES SOUTH TO NORTH ACROSS THE WATERS. BUOY 89
REPORTED 50 KT GUSTS EARLIER THIS MORNING WITH 26 FT SEAS. THE
BEST CHANCE FOR SIMILAR CONDITIONS TO REACH THE INNER WATERS IS
FOR THIS AFTERNOON. THE WAY THE LOW IS TRACKING THINK THE NORTHERN
INNER WATERS ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SEE THIS BURST OF EXTRA HIGH
WINDS AND SEAS THAN THE SOUTHERN. THE WINDS WILL BE VEERING WITH
WEST DURING THIS TIME. THE WINDS AND SEAS MAY LOWER QUICKER ACROSS
THE SOUTH THAN THE CURRENT FORECAST SUGGESTS.
WILL HAVE A BREAK BETWEEN STORMS FRIDAY AND WINDS WILL FALL BELOW
ADVISORY LEVELS. A LONG PERIOD W-NW SWELL WILL MOVE THROUGH THE
WATERS FRIDAY. THE OFFSHORE BUOYS 46004 AND 46036 ARE DETECTING
THIS SWELL WITH OBSERVATIONS AROUND 17 FT AT 15 SECONDS. THIS
SWELL WILL DECAY TO AROUND 13 FT AT 16 SECONDS WHEN IT REACHES
THE OREGON WATERS LATE FRIDAY MORNING.
THE NEXT FRONT IS VERY STRONG AND HAS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR
WIDESPREAD GALES FRIDAY NIGHT...INTENSIFYING TO STORM FORCE GUSTS
SATURDAY MORNING. SEAS WILL RISE TO ABOVE 20 FT WITH THIS FRONT
SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT.
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY-WESTERN
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR GREATER PORTLAND
METRO AREA-LOWER COLUMBIA.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR CENTRAL
OREGON COAST-NORTH OREGON COAST.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR CENTRAL
WILLAMETTE VALLEY-SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR CENTRAL COAST
RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON.
WA...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR GREATER VANCOUVER
AREA-I-5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR SOUTH
WASHINGTON COAST-WILLAPA HILLS.
PZ...STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR COASTAL WATERS
FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO CASCADE HEAD OR OUT 60 NM.
STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 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 1 AM
PST FRIDAY.
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.1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Sustained winds of 46 mph was measured at Cape Disappointment late in the morning through early in the afternoon with a peak gust of 56 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, 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: 611728.