A cold front backed by a deep surface low resulted in strong winds across Northwest Oregon. Thunderstorms along the front produced damaging winds.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 PQR wrote it up.
A cold front backed by a deep surface low resulted in strong winds across Northwest Oregon. Thunderstorms along the front produced damaging winds. Strong winds ahead of the front blew down a weak tree onto a moving vehicle, and resulted in one fatality.
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 Mar 1, 8:57 AM PST, 33 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
855 AM PST TUE MAR 1 2016
.SYNOPSIS...THE NEXT WARM FRONT THAT BROUGHT RAIN TO SOUTHWEST
WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON OVERNIGHT HAS MOVED NORTH THIS
MORNING. THE TRAILING STRONG PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ONSHORE
ALONG THE COAST AROUND NOON TODAY AND THROUGH THE INLAND AREAS OF THE
FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON...PRODUCING STRONG WINDS ALONG THE COAST
AND ADJACENT COASTAL MOUNTAINS...WITH WINDY CONDITIONS ESPECIALLY
THIS AFTERNOON INLAND INCLUDING THE VALLEYS AND INTO THE CASCADES.
THIS WILL BE IN COMBINATION WITH A DECENT SHOT OF RAIN... HEAVIEST
OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. SHOWERS BEHIND THE FRONT WITH LOWERING SNOW
LEVELS WILL PRODUCE SNOW IN THE CASCADES TONIGHT. THE NEXT SYSTEM IS
EXPECTED WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER FRIDAY AS
THE UNSETTLED WEATHER CONTINUES.
&&
.SHORT TERM...THE PORTLAND OREGON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER
RADAR HAS BEEN DOWN INTERMITTENTLY OVERNIGHT...MORE PARTS ARRIVE
TODAY AND THE LAST REMAINING ISSUES MAY BE ADDRESSED EITHER LATER
TODAY OR WEDNESDAY.
THE WARM FRONT THAT LIFTED NORTH OVERNIGHT BROUGHT DECENT RAIN TO
SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON...WITH SNOW IN THE SOUTH
WASHINGTON CASCADES. SNOW LEVELS HAVE NOW MOSTLY LIFTED TO FAIRLY
HIGH ELEVATIONS IN THE CASCADES.
NEXT UP IS THE STRONG COLD FRONT OFF THE COAST. IT IS FORECAST TO
MOVE ONSHORE ALONG THE COAST BETWEEN 10 AM AND NOON TODAY...THEN MOVE
THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON
THIS AFTERNOON. THE CURRENT HIGH WIND WARNINGS ALONG THE COAST AND IN
THE ADJACENT COASTAL MOUNTAINS AND THE WIND ADVISORY FOR THE INLAND
VALLEYS STILL LOOK GOOD. BESIDES THE WIND...WE WILL SEE A SHOT OF
RAIN WITH THE FRONT AS IT MOVES THROUGH...BUT OFTEN THE PRECIPITATION
WITH THESE WINDY FRONTS IS LESS THAN YOU WOULD EXPECT AND THAT WILL
PROBABLY OCCUR THIS TIME AS WELL...ESPECIALLY IN THE VALLEYS.
SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP TO BELOW PASS ELEVATIONS TONIGHT BEHIND THE
FRONT. THE ASSOCIATED TRAILING UPPER TROUGH MOVES THROUGH WESTERN
WASHINGTON AND CLIPS NORTHWEST OREGON TONIGHT WITH MORE SHOWERS. THE
BEST CHANCE OF SIGNIFICANT SNOW WILL BE IN THE SOUTH WASHINGTON
CASCADES. THERE IS ANOTHER BURST OF WEST TO SOUTHWEST WIND MOVING
THROUGH TONIGHT AS WELL. IT WILL BE QUITE WINDY ALONG THE COAST THIS
EVENING AGAIN UNTIL A LITTLE AFTER MIDNIGHT...BUT EXPECT THE WINDS TO
STAY BELOW WARNING CRITERIA. EXPECT BREEZY CONDITIONS TONIGHT INLAND
AS WELL.
SHOWERS WILL DECREASE BRIEFLY EARLY WEDNESDAY AS THE ONSHORE FLOW
DECREASES AND AN UPPER RIDGE MOVES IN. THE NEXT OCCLUDED FRONT WILL
BEGIN TO SPREAD LIGHT PRECIPITATION ONSHORE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AS IT
APPROACHES THE COAST LATE WEDNESDAY. THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE
FORECAST AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR ANOTHER GOOD SHOT OF RAIN AND SOME
MORE COASTAL WIND...FOLLOWED BY MORE SHOWERS THURSDAY. TOLLESON
.LONG TERM...NO CHANGES. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS...
THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. LITTLE CHANGE TO THE FORECAST FOR THE
END OF THE WEEK THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH THE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN
REMAINING IN PLACE OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. A FRONT WILL MOVE
ONSHORE EARLY THURSDAY NIGHT BEFORE PUSHING EAST OF THE CASCADES BY
EARLY FRIDAY BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF STEADY RAIN FOLLOWED BY
CONTINUING SHOWERS IN THE POST-FRONTAL AIR MASS. AFTER A BRIEF BREAK
EARLY FRIDAY...THE NEXT FRONT WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF STEADY...
PERHAPS LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN...LATER FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THE
NEXT...AND PERHAPS MOST POTENT...FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE
FORECAST AREA BY SATURDAY EVENING. MODELS SOLUTIONS STILL DIVERGE A
BIT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CLOSED LOW THAT WILL TRACK WELL TO THE
NORTH AND WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA...BUT JUST HOW CLOSE IT TRACKS TO
THE PACIFIC NW REMAINS TO BE SEEN. SOME SUGGESTION IN MODEL GUIDANCE
THAT THIS SYSTEM WILL SPLIT...WITH MOST OF THE ENERGY ON EITHER SIDE
OF THE FORECAST AREA. SO WHILE PRECISE DETAILS...AND THE POTENTIAL
FOR WIND IMPACTS FOR THE WEEKEND...REMAIN UNCERTAIN AT THIS
POINT...CONFIDENCE REMAINS HIGH THAT THE EXTENDED PERIOD WILL BE
MARKED BY ABUNDANT PRECIPITATION. FAR TOO SOON TO DISCERN ANY
HYDROLOGICAL IMPACTS...BUT WITH MODELS CONTINUING TO SUGGEST AN
ACTIVE PATTERN WITH BREAKS IN BETWEEN SYSTEMS AS OPPOSED TO A
STATIONARY BAND OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION OR ATMOSPHERIC RIVER SETUP...
CONCERNS MAY REMAIN MINIMAL. SNOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN ABOVE THE
CASCADE PASSES FOR MOST TO ALL OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD. CULLEN
&&
.AVIATION...A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA STARTING LATE
THIS MORNING. THIS WILL BRING HEAVIER RAIN AND MAINLY MVFR
CONDITIONS...WITH POTENTIAL FOR IFR VSBYS. SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE
NEAR THE FRONT...WITH GUSTS 40-50 KT ALONG THE COAST BY 20Z AND 25-35
KT GUSTS SPREADING INLAND DURING THE AFTERNOON. WINDS SUBSIDE AFTER
03Z. RAIN TRANSITIONS TO SHOWERS LATER THIS AFTERNOON WITH CONDITIONS
EVENTUALLY TRANSITIONING TO VFR.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...RAIN WITH MVFR CIG AND POSSIBLY VIS STARTING
AROUND 18Z. WINDS PICKING UP OUT OF THE SOUTH BY EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON...POSSIBLY GUSTING AS HIGH AS 40 KT. CONDITIONS IMPROVE TO
VFR WITH DECREASING WINDS BY ABOUT 03Z. BOWEN
&&
.MARINE...A COLD FRONT WILL QUICKLY MOVE IN AROUND NOON TODAY WITH
WINDS INCREASING TO STRONG GALES OUT OF THE SOUTH. COULD EVEN SEE A
FEW GUSTS TO 50 KT. BEHIND THE FRONT...WINDS SHIFT TO OUT OF THE
SOUTHWEST STARTING THIS AFTERNOON. A SECONDARY FRONT WILL KEEP GALES
GOING TROUGH THIS EVENING. ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS ARE EXPECTED WED AND
FRI...BRINGING THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE GALES. THE ACTIVE WEATHER
PATTERN LOOKS TO CONTINUE INTO NEXT WEEKEND.
SEAS ARE JUST STARTING TO INCREASE AGAIN AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WITH
LOCAL BUOYS CURRENTLY SHOWING 13 TO 15 FT. EXPECT SEAS INTO THE UPPER
TEENS BY MIDDAY...WITH SEAS AROUND 20 FT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
THE ACTIVE PATTERN FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK LOOKS LIKELY TO
PUSH SEAS ABOVE 20 FT AT TIMES. BOWEN/PYLE
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR CENTRAL
WILLAMETTE VALLEY-GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA-LOWER
COLUMBIA-SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR CENTRAL
COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL
OREGON COAST-NORTH OREGON COAST.
WA...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 WILLAPA
HILLS.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR SOUTH
WASHINGTON COAST.
PZ...GALE WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR COASTAL
WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO FLORENCE OR OUT 60 NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH COLUMBIA RIVER BAR UNTIL
10 PM PST THIS EVENING.
&&
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.The Portland,OR radar (KRTX), 35 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:29 UTC.
4 high wind, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong winds ahead of the front blew down a weak or dead tree onto a moving vehicle, killing the driver.Winds with the front downed several trees and branches near Beaverton resulting in power outages.
Sustained winds of 47 mph were measured at the Florence/Siuslaw Jetty in the morning with a peak gust of 57 mph. A peak gust of 59 mph was measured in Waldport.
Several weather reporting stations along the north Oregon coast measured sustained winds between 40 and 52 mph.
The BPA weather station at Mount Hebo measured a peak gust of 69 mph late in the morning. Other nearby weather stations measured sustained winds of 41 to 52 mph.
The BPA weather station at Marys Peak measured a peak gust of 78 mph, and the Rockhouse RAWS measured sustained winds of 42 mph with a gust up to 64 mph.
Straight line winds from a thunderstorm blew off a roof from an outbuilding at Ananda Laurelwood Retreat near Gaston.
Thunderstorms and lightning damaged four homes in Nehalem Bay. The homes sustained shingle damage from lightning. One home was heavily damaged with one wall and window blown out.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind, Greater Portland Metro Area | 2016-03-01 | 30 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
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, 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: 625565, 625562, 625561, 625563, 625564, 625566, 625567.