Heavy snow was expected and occurred the Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington. Snow fell east the Blues over Wallowa county as well.
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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 PDT wrote it up.
Heavy snow was expected and occurred the Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington. Snow fell east the Blues over Wallowa county as well.
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 3, 9:45 PM PST, 2 hours 55 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...Update
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
945 PM PST Sat Dec 3 2016
Updated Aviation Discussion
.UPDATE...A deep upper level trough is beginning to approach the
area from the north this evening. This is already spreading rain and
higher elevation snow along the East Slopes of the Washington
Cascades. Webcams show wet snow currently falling near Snoqualmie
pass...with snow levels right around 2600 feet currently here. With
periods of moderate to even heavy precipitation expected to continue
through the overnight hours and into Sunday morning here, decided to
issue a winter weather advisory for this zone. Substantial snow
accumulations will be limited to elevations above about 2500
feet...but this could still have an impact on travel on I-90 above
Cle Elum and US 12 above Cliffdell. Snow accumulations above 2500
feet will be at least 3-6 inches by midday Sunday in this
zone...with up to a foot at Snoqualmie Pass. With the evening update
snow levels, QPF and snow amounts were tweaked. Latest guidance
continued to show ample precipitation amounts over the Northern Blue
Mountains and even into Wallowa County as this storm system moves
through late tonight, Sunday and Sunday evening. Current winter
storm warning looks good for the N Blues in OR and SE WA
Blues...only made very minor tweaks to snow amounts here.
Significant snow...on the order of 7-12 inches is still expected by
Sunday evening here...especially above 4000 feet. This will make for
hazardous travel along I-84 near Meacham and on highway 204 up to
Tollgate. With the evening updated also decided to add a winter
weather advisory for Wallowa County. Precipitation totals are
expected to be right around a half inch from this system by Sunday
evening in Wallowa County. Snow levels were tricky here...but with
current temperatures in the lower to mid 30s and dewpoints in the
mid to upper 20s...the thought was that most areas above 3500 feet
in this zone would see snow develop late tonight and continue
through the day on Sunday. Some rain could mix in during the midday
hours below 3500 feet for locations such as Wallowa, Lostine and
perhaps even Enterprise. Colder air and lower snow levels return for
the late afternoon and evening. Snow accumulations are expected to
range from 2-5 inches in the Wallowa Valley...with the higher end of
the range near Joseph. Snow amounts could top a foot in the Eagle
Caps by Sunday night. As the aforementioned cold front moves through
the area from north to south during the day Sunday, winds will also
be on the increase. Went ahead and issued a wind advisory
(PDXNPWPDT) for the Kittitas Valley from 9am to 6pm Sunday,as the
latest guidance suggested a period of strong winds of 30-35 MPH and
gusts up to 50 MPH...mainly in the afternoon. For the rest of the
area expect periods of lower elevation rain and mountain snow
through the day Sunday, with gusty west or NW winds up to 35 MPH at
times. For now kept other locations in the Columbia Basin just below
wind advisory criteria...but the overnight shift will need to take a
closer look at this. Temperatures fall below freezing area wide
Sunday night...with any lingering mtn snow showers gradually
tapering off. Another fast moving system will bring the potential
for light snow area wide (including the Lower Columbia Basin)
Monday...Monday night and into Tuesday morning. Temperatures will
continue to be cold and below average through midweek. There still
looks to be a good chance for more winter weather for the entire
area heading into Wednesday night and Thursday...with a snow
possibly changing to ice scenario during this time. 77
&&
.AVIATION...06Z TAFS...vfr or mvfr conditions will persist across
all taf sites tonight and Sunday. Sct to bkn mid level clouds are
already spreading over the region late this evening. These clouds
will lower and thicken as a low pressure system and strong cold
front move through the area on Sunday. SHRA will develop in the
favored upslope areas and Columbia Gorge prior to daybreak. Some
locations such as KYKM and KPSC will likely be shadowed from any
steady rain...but will still likely see a few shra Sunday morning
during the frontal passage. Cloud bases could lower into the MVFR
cat Sunday morning...especially at KBDN and KALW...but also possibly
INVOF KPDT and KRDM. Winds will increase out of the south or
southwest overnight...up to 15 kts...then even stronger winds are
expected late Sunday morning and into the afternoon hours as the
front moves through from north to south. Look for west or northwest
winds of 15 to 25 KTS with gusts up to 30-35 Kts possible at
times...mainly after 04/18-12z. Winds will gradually decrease Sunday
evening...after 05/03z. 77
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 320 PM PST Sat Dec 3 2016/
SHORT TERM...Tonight through Tuesday...A shortwave trough embedded
in northwest flow aloft will drive a cold front across the region on
Sunday. This will usher in much colder air that will last through
much of next week. There will be chance to categorical probabilities
of rain and mountain snow with this system later tonight and Sunday
before things dry out a bit Sunday night. Snow levels will start out
at 3000-4500 feet tonight then by Monday lower to near the basin
floor. It will also become windy Sunday across the lower elevations
with gusty west winds. There may be a potential need for low end
wind highlights Sunday across the Kittitas Valley.
Have issued a Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow for the Northern
Blue Mountains of Oregon and Southeast Washington for tonight
through Sunday evening for 8 to 12 inches of snow mainly above 4000
feet. Leaned on the NAM a little more than the other models since
this will be a partially upslope driven event and the NAM tends to
perform well in these situations. Another trough will move across
the region on Monday and Monday night with a chance for snow
showers. The models are having a difficult time pinpointing where
the precipitation will focus though all seem to agree that most of
it will be fairly light. With the trough tending to dig into central
Oregon and northerly upslope flow...there could be some enhanced
snowfall over the Deschutes Plateau and east slopes of the Oregon
Cascades. By Tuesday just about all areas will be below freezing for
high temperatures although it could nudge just above freezing in the
eastern Columbia River Gorge.
LONG TERM...Tuesday night through Saturday. High pressure will
build across the two state area and drier conditions can be expected
during the middle of the week. Meanwhile a storm system will
approach our area Wednesday afternoon and light snow may develop
along the wa/or cascades late Wednesday afternoon/evening before
rapidly spreading east into the remainder of our area Wednesday
night. Cold air remains in place and light snow should continue into
Thursday and significant snow accumulation are possible. The
confidence is increasing for accumulating snow and another challenge
is the possible advection of some warmer air into portions of the
area Thursday afternoon and night. The exact timing and location of
any warmer air remains uncertain and despite the intensity of the
pcpn lessening...showers should persist into Friday as another low
pressure system sweeps through the region. Some drier conditions
could slowly return Saturday as a ridge of high pressure attempts to
build into the region but showers should linger especially in the
area mountains.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 38 44 27 34 / 20 60 20 30
ALW 41 46 29 38 / 40 80 30 30
PSC 42 49 27 38 / 10 30 10 40
YKM 33 47 21 36 / 10 20 10 30
HRI 39 47 27 39 / 10 40 10 30
ELN 33 40 21 33 / 30 40 10 30
RDM 31 43 21 38 / 10 50 10 40
LGD 34 40 21 31 / 60 80 30 30
GCD 33 39 17 32 / 20 70 30 40
DLS 40 47 31 40 / 20 70 10 40
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...Winter Storm Warning until 10 PM PST Sunday for ORZ502.
Winter Weather Advisory from 4 AM to 10 PM PST Sunday for ORZ050.
WA...Winter Storm Warning until 10 PM PST Sunday for WAZ030.
Winter Weather Advisory until noon PST Sunday for WAZ520.
Wind Advisory from 9 AM to 6 PM PST Sunday for WAZ026.
&&
77/97/77The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Milkshakes SNOTEL had 10 inches of snow. Also 10 inches of snow accumulated at Bone Springs campground 6 miles south of the SNOTEL.
Public estimated 8 inches of snow 2 miles west of Enterprise in the Wallowa Valley.
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, December 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: 662581, 662582.