A squall line moved onshore on this date. As it moved inland strong gusts were recorded across southwest Oregon west of the Cascades.
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.
A squall line moved onshore on this date. As it moved inland strong gusts were recorded across southwest Oregon west of the Cascades. Gusts verifying high wind warning criteria were only recorded at stations located on ridges, but many reports of damage and power outages were reported in the valleys.
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 Apr 13, 1:23 PM PST, 1 hour 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
223 PM PDT WED APR 13 2016
.SHORT TERM...
A RATHER DYNAMIC SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE COAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT
AND THROUGH THURSDAY. THIS ENCLOSED LOW WILL PRODUCE BROAD
SYNOPTIC ASCENT ALONG AND BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. AS A RESULT, HIGH
PROBABILITY OF RAIN AND SNOW ACROSS OUR AREA THROUGH THURSDAY. THE
OTHER INTERESTING FEATURE OF THIS SYSTEM IS HOW COLD THE AIR MASS
IS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. SNOW LEVELS FALLING TO 3500 FEET IN
ADDITION TO 1000 TO 500 MB THICKNESS VALUES UNDER 5400 METERS,
WHICH TYPICAL OF A WINTER TIME AIR MASS OVER THE PLAINS.
AS FOR SNOW, WE'RE EXPECTING RATHER LOW SNOW LEVELS, BUT WILL HAVE
TROUBLE ACCUMULATING AT SOME OF THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. HIGHER
ELEVATIONS AROUND CRATER LAKE AND DIAMOND LAKE WILL SEE SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS AROUND 6-12 INCHES. HOWEVER, A LOT OF THIS SNOW
WILL MELT RATHER QUICKLY GIVEN HOW LATE IT IS IN THE SEASON.
AS FOR THUNDERSTORMS, LIGHTNING ACTIVITY IS CURRENTLY OCCURING
OFF THE COAST AS OF 2PM THURSDAY. THIS POTENTIAL INSTABILITY WILL
PUSH TOWARDS THE COASTAL WATERS THIS EVENING WITH A RATHER DRY AIR
MASS ALOFT. SOME RELATIVELY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AS
THESE STORMS MOVE TOWARDS THE COAST. OTHERWISE, THE COLD AIR
MOVING ON LAND WILL GIVE US A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS
THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE REGION. SOMEONE SHOULD
CALL JIM CANTORE AND TELL HIM THUNDER SNOW IS A POSSIBILITY NEAR
MOUNT SHASTA AND OTHER LOCATIONS THURSDAY.
AS FOR WINDS, SUSTAINED WINDS AND GUSTS AHEAD AND BEHIND OF THE
FRONT SHOULD BE QUITE STRONG ON THE EAST SIDE AND AT HIGHER
ELEVATIONS. LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES ON THE EAST SIDE ARE AROUND 8.5
TO 9.5 C/KM THURSDAY MORNING, SO WINDS IN THIS LAYER SHOULD
EASILY MIX DOWN NEAR SUMMER LAKER AND THE WARNER MOUNTAINS, HENCE
THE WIND ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY.
AFTER THIS SYSTEM PASSES, HIGH PRESSURE WILL SETTLE IN.
-SMITH
.LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...THE EXTENDED FORECAST STARTS
OUT ON A WARM TO HOT NOTE AS AN AREA OF STRONG UPPER LEVEL HIGH
PRESSURE WILL BE CENTERED RIGHT OVER US ON SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES
ACROSS THE AREA WILL BE FROM 15 TO 25 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THIS
WILL PROBABLY ALSO BE TRUE AT THE COAST WITH THE LOW LEVEL THERMAL
TROUGH JUST OFFSHORE. LOW PRESSURE WILL APPROACH THE AREA EARLY NEXT
WEEK AND NUDGE THE RIDGE EAST, BUT THE MODELS CONTINUE TO EXHIBIT
DIFFERENCES IN TIMING. THE THERMAL TROUGH MOVES INLAND ON MONDAY
ACCORDING TO ALL THE MODELS, SO THE COAST IS LIKELY TO BE MUCH
COOLER. WHILE WE ALSO HAVE TEMPERATURES COOLING OFF A LITTLE INLAND
ON MONDAY, THIS IS NOT CERTAIN, AND MONDAY MAY BE JUST AS HOT AS
SUNDAY IF THE SLOWER MODELS ARE CORRECT. NO MATTER WHICH MODELS ARE
CORRECT, LOW PRESSURE SHOULD BE NEAR ENOUGH BY TUESDAY TO COOL ALL
AREAS AND BRING A CHANCE FOR RAIN TO AT LEAST THE WEST SIDE. WE
SHOULD COOL EVEN FURTHER WITH HIGHER CHANCE FOR RAIN BY WEDNESDAY.
ALL MODELS ARE HINTING AT MUCH STRONGER, WETTER SYSTEMS LATER NEXT,
SO WE'LL PROBABLY SEE ANOTHER SUDDEN PATTERN SHIFT SIMILAR TO THE
ONE WE WILL HAVE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. -WRIGHT
&&
.AVIATION...FOR THE 13/18Z TAF CYCLE...THE MAIN CHANGE TO THE 18Z
TAFS WAS TO INTRODUCE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL TO KOTH. A STRONG COLD
FRONT IS NOW APPROXIMATELY 250 MILES WEST OF THE COAST AND THERE IS
A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE FRONT. AT CURRENT RATE AND
ASSUMING THE STORMS HOLD TOGETHER, THE LINE SHOULD ARRIVE AT THE
COOS COAST AROUND 14/00Z. IT IS POSSIBLE THIS LINE MAKES IT INLAND
TO THE UMPQUA THIS EVENING, BUT CONFIDENCE WAS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO
INCLUDE IN THE KRBG TAF YET. ELSEWHERE, EXPECT BREEZY SOUTH TO
SOUTHWEST WINDS TO DEVELOP OVER THE ENTIRE AREA (LOCALLY NORTHWEST
AT KMFR DUE TO TYPICALLY CHANNELING) AS THE FRONT APPROACHES. STRONG
LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR IS EXPECTED AT THE COAST AHEAD OF THE FRONT.
RAIN WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA WITH A MIX OF MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS.
THERE MAY BE A BREAK IN THE RAIN OVERNIGHT, THEN A POTENT UPPER
LEVEL SYSTEM WILL BRING INCREASING RAIN AND WIND AGAIN THURSDAY
MORNING. SHEAR AND IFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER A WIDER AREA
AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH. -WRIGHT
&&
.MARINE...UPDATED 905 AM PDT WED 12 APR 2016...A 16 FOOT 14 SECOND
SWELL MOVED THROUGH BUOY 002 LAST NIGHT AND IS NOW PROPAGATING INTO
OUR COASTAL WATERS. THIS WAS NOT PICKED UP BY THE MODELS, BUT IT HAS
APPEARED AT BUOY 15. THE SWELL WILL BE VERY STEEP OVER MUCH OF THE
OUTER WATERS FROM CAPE BLANCO NORTH THIS MORNING, AND THE SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORY WAS UPGRADED TO A HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING. THE SWELL
IS EXPECTED TO DECAY AS IT MOVES INTO THE INNER WATERS, SO WHILE IT
WON'T BE AS STEEP, IT WILL BE A HIGH AND POWERFUL SWELL. THE
FORECAST FOR CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING STILL LOOKS GOOD, SO THE REMAINDER OF THE PREVIOUS
DISCUSSION IS STILL VALID AND FOLLOWS. -WRIGHT
&&
.MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM PDT THURSDAY FOR
ORZ030-031.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 PM PDT
THURSDAY ABOVE 5500 FEET FOR FOR ORZ027-028.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 5 AM TO 5 PM PDT THURSDAY FOR
ORZ021-022.
CA...WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM PDT THURSDAY FOR
CAZ085.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 PM PDT
THURSDAY ABOVE 4500 FEET FOR FOR CAZ080.
PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM PDT THURSDAY FOR PZZ350-356.
GALE WARNING UNTIL 5 AM PDT THURSDAY FOR PZZ350-356-370-376.
HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING FROM 5 AM TO 5 PM PDT THURSDAY FOR
PZZ350-356-370-376.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 2 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR
PZZ370-376.
HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING UNTIL 2 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR
PZZ370-376.
CZS/TRW/BTLThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A gust to 61 mph was recorded at Cape Blanco at 13/1500 PST. The NOS/NWLON at Port Orford recorded a gust to 64 mph at 13/1636 PST. An estimated 19251 customers lost power.
The Onion Mountain RAWS recorded a gust to 61 mph at 13/1545 PST, a gust to 59 mph at 13/1645 PST, and a gust to 64 mph at 13/1745 PST. The Sexton Summit ASOS recorded a gust to 58 mph at 13/1751 PST. A spotter near Selma reported winds 45-55 mph , broken branches 2-3 inches in diameter, and power outages. The Illinois Valley Fire Department reported numerous trees down from Cave Junction to Selma. Some branches were 26-30 inches in diameter. An estimated 3619 customers were without power.
The Mt. Yoncalla RAWS recorded a gust to 61 mph at 13/1758 PST and a gust to 58 mph at 13/1858 PST. The Signal Tree RAWS recorded a gust to 58 mph at 13/1735 PST.|A spotter 4W Winchester reported gusts of 45-50 mph with broken branches 2-3 inches in diameter. A neighbors canvas carport roof was blown off. The winds increased around 1630 PST, abated, then increased again. An estimated 950 customers lost power.
A spotter 2NNE Central Point reported a measured gust to 45 mph. A storage shed on the property was blown apart by the winds. Large branches down. A spotter 3NE Applegate reported 2 inch branches coming off of trees. Winds were estimated gusting to 45 mph. An estimated 998 customers were without power.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, April 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: 620787, 620789, 620788, 620793.