Another in a series of fronts brought high winds to isolated areas of northern California.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
Another in a series of fronts brought high winds to isolated areas of northern California.
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 Mar 13, 1:01 AM PST, 7 hours 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
101 AM PST SUN MAR 13 2016
.DISCUSSION...13/00Z NAM/GFS/EC IN.
THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERIC 500 MB HEIGHT PATTERN INITIALLY SHOWS A
WAVE NUMBER OF FOUR AROUND THE GLOBE...WHICH IS USUALLY A
PROGRESSIVE PATTERN. HOWEVER...IT LOOKS TO MORPH INTO A THREE WAVE
PATTERN AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THE COMING WEEK...WHICH USUALLY IS A
STAGNANT OR RETROGRESSIVE PATTERN. THAT PATTERN WILL PERSIST INTO
FRIDAY...THEN BREAK UP TO A HIGHER WAVE PATTERN NEXT WEEKEND.
ZOOMING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST...CURRENTLY THERE IS STRONG
SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT OVER THE AREA BETWEEN AN OFFSHORE LONG WAVE
TROUGH AND A RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL U.S. SHORT WAVES EJECTING FROM
THIS TROUGH HAVE BEEN BRINGING PERIODS OF WET AND WINDY WEATHER TO
THE AREA OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS.
THERE'S MORE OF THAT COMING. THE NEXT SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE ONSHORE
LATER THIS MORNING...PUSHING A COLD FRONT ONSHORE JUST AHEAD OF
IT. THIS WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS
TO THE AREA. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WILL ONCE AGAIN FALL OVER SISKIYOU
COUNTY...THE COAST...AND THE COAST RANGE LATER THIS MORNING INTO
THIS AFTERNOON. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE ALONG THE COAST...IN
THE SHASTA VALLEY...OVER THE RIDGES...AND EAST OF THE CASCADES.
SNOW LEVELS WILL INITIALLY BE 4000-5000 FEET...RISING TO 5000-6000
FEET AHEAD OF THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON.
FLOODING REMAINS A CONCERN WITH AREAL FLOOD WATCHES IN EFFECT OVER
SISKIYOU COUNTY AND THE OREGON WEST SIDE. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR THE COQUILLE RIVER AT COQUILLE AS WELL.
AFTER THE SHORT WAVE MOVES THROUGH...THE FLOW ALOFT WILL BECOME
MORE WESTERLY AND STRENGTHEN AS THE OFFSHORE TROUGH LIFTS TO THE
NORTHEAST. THIS WILL PUT THE WEST-FACING SLOPES OF THE COAST AND
CASCADE RANGES IN LINE FOR UPSLOPED ENHANCED PRECIPITATION.
ANOTHER EMBEDDED SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE ONSHORE SUNDAY NIGHT. THIS
WILL SUPPORT CONTINUED POST-FRONTAL SHOWER ACTIVITY. SNOW LEVELS
BEHIND THE FRONT WILL LOWER TO 3000-4000 FEET THIS EVENING.
THE LONG WAVE TROUGH WILL MOVE ONSHORE IN A WEAKENED STATE LATE
SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. SNOW LEVELS WILL LOWER FURTHER
TO 2500-3000 FEET AS IT MOVES THROUGH. THERE WILL STILL BE PLENTY
OF POST-FRONTAL SHOWER ACTIVITY DURING THIS INTERVAL.
SNOW IS THE OTHER MAIN CONCERN HERE THROUGH MONDAY...AND WINTER
STORM WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT ABOVE 4000-4500 FEET. WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR SOME AREAS EAST OF THE
CASCADES. SEE THE PDXWSWMFR PRODUCT FOR DETAILS.
A LONG WAVE RIDGE WILL BEGIN TO BUILD INTO THE AREA MONDAY. IT
WILL INITIALLY BE A FLAT AND DIRTY RIDGE...BUT IT WILL AMPLIFY
WITH TIME...EVENTUALLY FORMING AN OMEGA BLOCK AROUND THURSDAY WITH
THE RIDGE AXIS OFFSHORE NEAR 125W AND THE EASTERN ANCHOR OVER THE
CENTRAL U.S.
SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT AS MOISTURE
CONTINUES TO STREAM OVER THE FLAT RIDGE. HOWEVER...SHOWER ACTIVITY
WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING AS
THE OFFSHORE RIDGE AMPLIFIES AND CUTS OFF THE MOISTURE SOURCE.
SNOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN IN THE 2500-3500 FOOT RANGE THROUGH MONDAY
NIGHT...THEN START RISING RAPIDLY TUESDAY.
AS THE BLOCK FORMS LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL TURN OFFSHORE WEDNESDAY. DRY
OFFSHORE FLOW AND WARM TEMPERATURES OVER THE AREA WILL PERSIST
THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...ENDING FRIDAY.
THE RIDGE AXIS WILL WEAKEN AND BREAK TO THE EAST OF THE MEDFORD
CWA SATURDAY. THIS WILL OPEN THE STORM DOOR...BUT THERE ARE NOT
ANY SYSTEMS IMMEDIATELY UPSTREAM WAITING TO MOVE IN...SO SATURDAY
WILL LIKELY REMAIN DRY. PRECIPITATION MAY RETURN TO THE AREA NEXT
SUNDAY.
&&
.AVIATION...FOR THE 13/06Z TAF CYCLE...SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT
THEN A STRONG FRONT WILL MOVE INLAND ON SUNDAY BRINGING STRONG WINDS
AND INCREASED TURBULENCE TO MUCH OF THE AREA...AND MODERATE TO HEAVY
RAIN AND SNOW. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE EARLY SUNDAY
MORNING AND PEAK MID MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON. A PERIOD OF LOW
LEVEL WIND SHEAR IS EXPECTED ALONG THE COAST AND IN WEST SIDE
VALLEYS SUNDAY MORNING. SNOW IS EXPECTED MAINLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS
BUT MAY LOWER TO VALLEY FLOORS EAST OF THE CASCADES AT TIMES TONIGHT
AND SUNDAY MORNING. EXPECT WIDESPREAD MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS THROUGH
SUNDAY AFTERNOON. VFR WITH AREAS OF MVFR CIGS IS EXPECTED IN SHOWERS
THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. THEN MVFR CIGS/VISIBILITIES WILL INCREASE
SUNDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON...BECOMING WIDESPREAD WITH LOCAL IFR
CIGS AS THE STRONG FRONT MOVES INLAND. CC/SK
&&
.MARINE...UPDATED 1000 PM PST FRI 12 MAR 2016...SOUTH WINDS WILL
INCREASE LATE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING AS LOW PRESSURE RAPIDLY
DEVELOPS INSIDE OF 130W, THEN MOVES NORTHEAST TOWARDS THE WASHINGTON
COAST LATER SUNDAY MORNING AND SUNDAY AFTERNOON. CONFIDENCE IS GOOD
THAT AREAS NORTH OF GOLD BEACH WILL SEE STORM FORCE WINDS OR WIND
GUSTS BY EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. A STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
THESE AREAS. SOUTH OF GOLD BEACH EXPECT GALE FORCE WINDS. WINDS WILL
LOWER EARLY SUNDAY AFTERNOON BUT EXPECT SOUTHWEST GALES TO LINGER
THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EARLY EVENING SUNDAY.
ADDITIONAL SEAS WILL BE VERY HIGH AS A LONG PERIOD WEST SWELL
MOVES INTO THE WATERS SUNDAY MORNING AND COMBINES WITH WIND WAVES TO
BRING SEAS TO 23 TO 25 FEET...INCREASING TO AROUND 26 FEET SUNDAY
AFTERNOON AS WEST SWELL BUILDS. BREAKER HEIGHTS OF AROUND 33 FEET
ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY. PEAK HIGH TIDE AT PORT ORFORD IS EXPECTED TO
OCCUR AT 2:29 AM PDT AND WILL STILL BE AROUND 3.5 FEET. WITH THESE
BREAKERS EXPECTED, HAVE ISSUED A HIGH SURF WARNING. THE COMBINATION
OF WIND WAVES AND HIGH SWELL COULD RESULT IN DANGEROUS SEAS AND
MARINERS ARE URGED TO REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL THIS PERIOD OF STORMY
WEATHER ENDS. VERY STEEP AND VERY HIGH SEAS WILL LINGER SUNDAY NIGHT
AND MONDAY...THEN GRADUALLY LOWER. CC/SK
&&
.HYDROLOGY...AN AREAL FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR MUCH OF SOUTHWEST
OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THIS FLOOD WATCH IS MAINLY FOR
URBAN AREAS AND SMALL STREAMS DUE TO FORECASTED MODERATE TO HEAVY
RAINFALL THROUGH SUNDAY...HEAVIEST ON SUNDAY MORNING. PARTICULAR
CONCERNS ARE THE CHETCO RIVER AND HUNTER CREEK IN SOUTHERN CURRY
COUNTY WHERE HIGH TIDE ON SUNDAY COULD EXACERBATE FLOODING
PROBLEMS NEAR THE COAST. AS FAR AS MAIN STEM RIVERS GO...THE
COQUILLE RIVER AT COQUILLE IS FORECAST TO RISE TO NEAR FLOOD STAGE
EARLY MONDAY. SEE PDXFFAMFR AND THE DETAILED HAZARDS ON OUR WEB
PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
&&
.MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 8 AM SUNDAY TO 2 AM PDT MONDAY FOR
ORZ029>031.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM PDT MONDAY FOR ORZ029-030.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 11 PM PDT MONDAY FOR ORZ027-028.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 5 AM TO 5 PM PDT SUNDAY FOR ORZ021-022.
FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR ORZ021>024.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 5 PM TO 8 PM PDT SUNDAY FOR ORZ023>026.
HIGH SURF WARNING FROM 5 AM SUNDAY TO 5 AM PDT MONDAY FOR
ORZ021-022.
CA...HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 8 AM SUNDAY TO 2 AM PDT MONDAY FOR
CAZ084-085.
FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR CAZ080>083.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 11 PM PDT MONDAY FOR CAZ080.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 AM PDT MONDAY FOR CAZ082.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 5 AM TO 8 PM PDT SUNDAY FOR CAZ081.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 AM PDT MONDAY FOR CAZ083.
PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...STORM WARNING FROM 1 AM PST TO 1 PM PDT
SUNDAY FOR PZZ350-356-370-376.
GALE WARNING FROM 1 AM PST TO 5 PM PDT SUNDAY FOR PZZ356-376.
GALE WARNING FROM 1 PM TO 8 PM PDT SUNDAY FOR PZZ350-370.
15/15/10PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
829 AM PDT SUN MAR 13 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 ESE CHILOQUIN 42.57N 121.84W
03/13/2016 M0.71 INCH KLAMATH OR TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR AMOUNT. OBSERVER LOCATION CHILOQUIN.
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 10 NNW GOLD HILL 42.57N 123.09W
03/13/2016 M0.78 INCH JACKSON OR TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR AMOUNT.
&&
NWS MEDFORD OR
IRIS SYSTEMThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Bolam RAWS recorded gusts exceeding 57 mph almost continuously during this interval. The peak gust was 63 mph at 13/0903 PST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in California, March 2016
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: 615465.