A fast developing low moving north offshore brought a brief period of high winds to the southern Oregon coast and to at least one location in the Siskiyou mountains.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 fast developing low moving north offshore brought a brief period of high winds to the southern Oregon coast and to at least one location in the Siskiyou mountains.
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 6, 1:10 PM PST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
110 PM PST SUN MAR 6 2016
.DISCUSSION...06/12Z NAM/GFS/EC IN.
THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERIC 500 MB CHART CONTINUES TO SHOW A WAVE
NUMBER OF FIVE AROUND THE GLOBE WITH SIGNIFICANT LONGITUDINAL
FLOW...INDICATIVE OF AN ACTIVE PROGRESSIVE PATTERN...WHICH IS
CERTAINLY THE CASE AROUND HERE.
COMPARED TO YESTERDAY IT IS RELATIVELY SEDATE THIS AFTERNOON. THE
WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED AND FLOODING IS NO LONGER A CONCERN...BUT
SNOW WILL BE A CONCERN THROUGH EARLY MONDAY MORNING. SNOW LEVELS
ARE RUNNING 3500-4000 FEET...SO SOME PASSES MAY SEE SIGNIFICANT
SNOW...ESPECIALLY AROUND THE MOUNT SHASTA AREA. HEAVY SURF
CONTINUES ALONG THE COAST AND THERE WILL BE A SHORT PERIOD OF GALE
FORCE WINDS THIS AFTERNOON OVER THE SOUTH WATERS AS ANOTHER SYSTEM
MOVES THROUGH THE COASTAL WATERS. THE WINDS WILL MAINTAIN AN
OFFSHORE COMPONENT WHICH ARGUES AGAINST WARNING LEVEL HIGH WINDS
OCCURRING AT THE COAST AS COASTAL DAMMING WILL NOT SET UP.
CURRENTLY THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST IS UNDER MODERATE SOUTHWEST FLOW
ALOFT BETWEEN AN OFFSHORE LONG WAVE TROUGH AND A LONG WAVE RIDGE
OVER THE EASTERN U.S. THE STORM DOOR REMAINS OPEN AND THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST IS VULNERABLE TO SHORT WAVE EJECTED BY THE OFFSHORE
TROUGH...AND THE TROUGH ITSELF WHEN IT MOVES ONSHORE.
EJECTED SHORT WAVES WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA UNTIL
THE LONG WAVE TROUGH MOVES ONSHORE MONDAY MORNING. EXPECT CONTINUED
SHOWER ACTIVITY...WHICH WILL BE ENHANCED LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING AS A STRONGER SHORT WAVE MOVES THROUGH ALOFT AND PUSHES A
FRONT ONSHORE. SNOW LEVELS OF 3500-4000 FEET WILL DROP TO 2500-3500
FEET TONIGHT...SO SOME PASSES MAY SEE SIGNIFICANT SNOW...ESPECIALLY
AROUND THE MOUNT SHASTA AREA. HEAVY SURF CONTINUES ALONG THE COAST
AND THERE WILL BE A SHORT PERIOD OF GALE FORCE WINDS THIS AFTERNOON
OVER THE SOUTH WATERS AS THE FRONT MOVES ONSHORE.
A LONG WAVE RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE WEST COAST MONDAY
AFTERNOON...BRINGING A SHORT BREAK IN THE ACTION. THERE WILL STILL
BE SOME SHOWERS AROUND MONDAY AFTERNOON...BUT MONDAY NIGHT AND
TUESDAY MORNING LOOKS DRY. THE RIDGE AXIS WILL BREAK TO THE EAST
OF THE AREA TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND THE STORM DOOR WILL OPEN ONCE
AGAIN. THE NEXT FRONT WILL PROCEED APACE...MOVING ONSHORE TUESDAY
AFTERNOON. THIS FRONT WILL BECOME PARALLEL TO THE UPPER LEVEL
FLOW AND OSCILLATE BACK AND FORTH OVER THE AREA WHILE LOWS
DEVELOP AN MOVE NORTHEAST ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. INITIALLY
SNOW LEVELS WILL BE AROUND 3000 FEET BUT WILL QUICKLY RISE TO
ABOVE 6000 FEET OVER MOST OF THE CWA. SUSTAINED MODERATE
PRECIPITATION AND POSSIBLE FLOODING WILL BE THE PRIMARY CONCERN
DURING THIS INTERVAL.
EXTENDED DISCUSSION...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THE PATTERN IN
THE EXTENDED PERIOD HAS NOT CHANGED. IT'S STILL GOING TO REMAIN
FAIRLY ACTIVE WITH A SERIES OF STORMS MOVING THROUGH THE FORECAST
AREA. AS ALWAYS, THE TIMING OF EACH ONE COULD VARY FROM ONE DAY TO
THE NEXT, SO STAY TUNED FOR THE LATEST UPDATES. CONFIDENCE REMAINS
HIGH WE'LL HAVE ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION THROUGH THE PERIOD. THE
MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW THE STRONGEST OF THESE STORMS IN TERMS OF
PRECIPITATION WILL BE WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
HOWEVER THE MODELS ARE STARTING TO SHOW THE WARM FRONT LIFTING
NORTH OF THE AREA THURSDAY AFTERNOON WHICH COULD GIVE US A BREAK
IN THE RAINFALL. IF THIS PANS OUT, THIS WILL LESSEN THE THREAT FOR
FLOODING (IT WILL STILL NEED TO BE MONITORED CLOSELY). THUS HAVE
ADJUSTED POPS DOWN DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. ANY BREAK WON'T LAST
LONG WITH THE COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO BRING A RETURN OF MODERATE TO
HEAVY PRECIPITATION WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY
MORNING. THE GFS CONTINUES TO SHOW THE FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE
AREA THURSDAY AFTERNOON. MEANWHILE, THE EC AND CANADIAN SHOW
SLOWER SOLUTIONS WITH THE FRONT NOT MOVING THROUGH UNTIL THURSDAY
EVENING. GIVEN THE UPPER FLOW WILL BE NEARLY PARALLEL TO THE
FRONT, SUSPECT THE SLOWER SOLUTION IS THE WAY TO GO AND WE'LL
CONTINUE TO LEAN TOWARDS THE SLOWER SOLUTION. THE SOUTHWEST UPPER
FLOW WILL ALSO ENHANCE PRECIPITATION RATES ALONG THE COAST AND
COASTAL MOUNTAINS. IN A NUT SHELL THIS MEANS WE COULD HAVE A 12-18
HOUR PERIOD OF MODERATE TO HEAVY PRECIPITATION WHICH COULD RESULT
IN URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING. ALSO THERE'S A CHANCE SOME OF
THE MAINSTEM RIVERS, LIKE THE COQUILLE AT COQUILLE COULD REACH
FLOOD STAGE THURSDAY EVENING OR NIGHT. KEEP IN MIND WERE STILL
SEVERAL DAYS OUT AND THE DETAILS COULD CHANGE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING
WE'LL NEED TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON. THE MODELS CONTINUE SHOW
DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS ON FRIDAY, THEREFORE NO CHANGES WERE MADE.
ANOTHER AND STRONGER FRONT COULD IMPACT THE AREA NEXT SATURDAY.
-PETRUCELLI
&&
.AVIATION...FOR THE 06/18Z TAF CYCLE...VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE THE
PREDOMINATE CONDITION THIS AFTERNOON, BUT COULD NOT RULE OUT
TEMPORARY MVFR CIGS IN SHOWERS. WIDESPREAD MVFR AND LOCAL IFR CIGS
ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH.
THE EXCEPTION WILL BE AT MEDFORD. CIGS WILL LOWER, BUT SHOULD REMAIN
VFR. MODELS SHOW A SURFACE LOW DEVELOPING JUST OFF THE COAST AND
MOVING INLAND NEAR CAPE BLANCO. THIS WILL RESULT IN INCREASING
SOUTHEAST WINDS AT MEDFORD AND STRONGER WINDS EAST OF THE CASCADES,
INCLUDING KLAMATH FALLS. WITH FALLING FREEZING LEVELS, LOCAL IFR IS
POSSIBLE OVER THE EAST SIDE TONIGHT, INCLUDING KLAMATH FALLS, WITH
PERIODS OF SNOW. -PETRUCELLI
&&
.MARINE...UPDATED 100 PM PST SUN 06 MAR 2016...A LOW PRESSURE WILL
MOVE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH A BRIEF PERIOD OF SOUTH
GALES, MAINLY SOUTH OF CAPE BLANCO. SEAS REMAIN VERY HIGH THROUGH
TONIGHT...THEN SUBSIDE BUT REMAIN HAZARDOUS TO SMALL CRAFT EARLY
THIS WEEK. ANOTHER SERIES OF FRONTS TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WILL
BRING A RENEWED THREAT OF GALE TO STORM FORCE WINDS AND VERY STEEP,
WARNING LEVEL SEAS. MARINERS ARE URGED TO STAY TUNED TO NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS FOR UPDATES ON THIS PERIOD OF STORMY
WEATHER. /FB
&&
.MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST MONDAY ABOVE 3500 FEET
FOR FOR ORZ029>031.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 AM PST MONDAY
FOR ORZ021-022.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST MONDAY ABOVE 3500 FEET
FOR FOR ORZ025-027-028.
CA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST MONDAY ABOVE 3500 FEET
FOR FOR CAZ085.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST MONDAY ABOVE 3500 FEET
FOR FOR CAZ080>084.
PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...GALE WARNING FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
9 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR PZZ356-376.
HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING UNTIL 2 AM PST MONDAY FOR
PZZ350-356-370-376.
15/10/08PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
917 AM PST SUN MAR 6 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 6 SE SELMA 42.23N 123.52W
03/06/2016 M2.22 INCH JOSEPHINE OR TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR RAIN TOTAL ENDING AT 8:00 AM.
OBSERVER LOCATION N FORK THOMPSON CR RD
ACROSS FROM BORICA.
&&
BSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
918 AM PST SUN MAR 6 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0830 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 ENE MURPHY 42.36N 123.29W
03/06/2016 M1.47 INCH JOSEPHINE OR TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR TOTAL ENDING AT 8:30 AM. OBSERVER
LOCATION GRANTS PASS.
&&
BSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
926 AM PST SUN MAR 6 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0925 AM HEAVY RAIN 4 SW WEED 41.37N 122.43W
03/06/2016 M3.60 INCH SISKIYOU CA TRAINED SPOTTER
15 HOUR RAINFALL TOTAL ENDING AT 9:00 AM.
COARSE SNOW IS BEGINNING TO FALL, AND THE
ELEVATION IS ABOUT 4100 FEET. OBSERVER
LOCATION 6 MI W BLACK BUTTE.
&&
BSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1022 AM PST SUN MAR 6 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1021 AM HEAVY RAIN TENNANT 41.58N 121.91W
03/06/2016 M2.91 INCH SISKIYOU CA TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTAL ENDING AT MIDNIGHT.
STORM TOTAL RAINFALL FROM LATE 3/4 THROUGH
3/6 IS 3.11 INCHES. OBSERVER LOCATION IN
TENNANT.
&&
BSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1040 AM PST SUN MAR 6 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 PM NON-TSTM WND GST TENNANT 41.59N 121.91W
03/05/2016 E55 MPH SISKIYOU CA TRAINED SPOTTER
WINDS WERE GUST MOST OF THE DAY YESTERDAY.
LARGE TREE TOPS WERE SWAYING 8-10 FEET FROM
THE CENTER. NO REPORTED DAMAGE.
&&
BSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1052 AM PST SUN MAR 6 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0830 AM HEAVY RAIN 5 NNE SELMA 42.35N 123.57W
03/06/2016 M2.52 INCH JOSEPHINE OR TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTAL ENDING AT 8:30 AM.
OBSERVER LOCATION AT THE BASE OF HAYES HILL.
&&
BSThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Flynn Prairie RAWS recorded a gust to 59 mph at 06/1513 PST.
The Squaw Peak RAWS recorded a gust to 77 mph at 06/1639 PST and a gust to 75 mph at 06/1739 PST.
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: 614185, 614186.