A series of disturbances under west-northwesterly flow brought several rounds of snow showers to the North Oregon Cascades, totaling 8-18 inches of snow with highest amounts around Mt Hood.
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 series of disturbances under west-northwesterly flow brought several rounds of snow showers to the North Oregon Cascades, totaling 8-18 inches of snow with highest amounts around Mt Hood.
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 Nov 27, 2:33 PM PST, 5 hours 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Portland Oregon
233 PM PST Sun Nov 27 2016
.SYNOPSIS...A strong weather system coming down from the Gulf of
Alaska will push an occluded front through the Pacific NW tonight
bringing gusty winds, rain and Cascade snow. Cool and moist onshore
flow will follow the front, with snow continuing in the Cascades
through Monday, and showers at lower elevations. High pressure will
bring a short break from the wet weather Tue, though some locally
dense fog may form in the valleys. The next system is likely to
bring more valley rain and mountain snow to the forecast area late
Tuesday night and Wednesday.
&&
.SHORT TERM...Tonight through Wednesday...A strong jet across the
far north Pacific was pushing down towards the Pacific NW Sun
afternoon, and is expected to nose into nw OR tonight with speeds
over 150 kt. Satellite pictures showed a vort max and weak surface
low near 55n 141w moving quickly down the BC coast this afternoon,
which models push through western WA this evening. Models indicate
moist isentropic lift below the 300k isentrope, near 700mb, moving
quickly across the forecas area by early evening, which coupled with
the shortwave suggest categorical pops throughout the area this
evening. Southerly pressure gradients preceding the occluded front
will bring gusty winds to the coast and valley late this afternoon
and evening, but peaking at about 4 mb between kpdx and keug appear
likely to remain below wind advisory criteria. A strong nw flow
follows the shortwave later tonight, with models averaging around 40
kt at 850 mb. With continued good low and mid level moisture in the
nw flow showers will continue, with favorable orographics continuing
heavy snow in the Cascades into Mon morning. The nw flow should
continue snow in the Cascades into Mon night, but with the flow
weakening the snow showers will gradually weaken and become less
widespread. Overall the winter storm warning for the Cascades looks
on track, but may whittle down snow total a little with wind field a
little weaker than earlier expectations. Heavist accumulations
tonight are likely to be in the south WA and north OR Cascades with
the best dynamics, then shift more squarely down to the OR Cascades
late tonight and Mon where orographics will be most favorable.
Models continue to indicate a shortwave ridge moving across the
Pacific NW Tue, providing a brief break in pops for most of the
forecast area. With the surface high established by Tue morning,
expect some areas of fog to develop in the valleys, assuming at
least some breaks in the clouds due to subsidence, despite
still deep lower level moisture.
Models have come into good agreement with the system moving in Tue
night. A cold front reaching the coast in the evening, will move
east of the Cascades later in the night. Accompanying shortwave is
reasonably strong, so despite the quick movement likely or better
pops still look in line for most of the forecast area. Precipitation
will transition to post frontal showers Wed in the nw flow, with
snow showers for the Cascades.
.LONG TERM...Wednesday night through Sunday...Shower chances - in
the form of valley rain and Cascade snow, with snow levels remaining
around 3,000 feet - continue Wednesday night through early Thursday.
Heights then begin to rise later Thursday as an upper ridge builds
into the Pacific NW. Some model differences remain for late Thursday
and early Friday with both the position of the ridge and the
strength of a system riding over the top of the ridge, but
regardless, generally drier conditions can be expected in between
systems. Maintained slight chance PoPs for the northern and
northwestern portions of the forecast area through this time. Flow
aloft begins to become zonal by early in the weekend as the next
disturbance approaches the area, but still some uncertainty as to
where this will track across the region. Expect showers to then
persist through Sunday, when a stronger front will push into the
Pacific NW by late in the day, bringing sharply lowering snow levels
and another round of more significant and widespread precipitation.
&&
.AVIATION...An approaching warm front is spreading light rain into
southwest Washington and northwest Oregon this afternoon. A
trailing cold front will push onshore around 01Z-02Z and move
through the interior this evening. Heavier rain will accompany the
cold front, and expect a several hour period of MVFR conditions
this evening. There will also be gusty southerly winds developing
ahead of the cold front for both the coast and the interior
lowlands. Expect gusts of 25-35 kt to develop later this afternoon
and evening. Expect conditions to improve to VFR in showers behind
the frontal passage overnight. A showery pattern will continue
into Mon, but expect conditions will remain VFR during most of
this time. Strong westerly flow into the Cascades will bring
heavier showers and keep the mountains mostly obscured through
Mon.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...Mostly VFR conditions through this afternoon
with light warm frontal rain developing. Rain to increase this
evening, with a period of MVFR conditions expected. Also expect
gusty southerly winds 25 to 35 kt during the late afternoon and
evening. Conditions likely improve VFR behind cold frontal
passage late this evening or early in the overnight period.
Showers around overnight and Mon, but expect mainly VFR. Pyle
&&
.MARINE...Southwesterly winds are picking up across the coastal
waters this afternoon in advance of a fairly strong frontal
system. Expect gale force winds to develop over the next couple of
hours, with gusts 35 to 40 kt late this afternoon ahead of the
cold front. The cold front will push onshore around 5-6 PM, with
winds switching to NW behind the front. The fcst models indicating
post-frontal winds will continue to gust to around 35 kt tonight
and potentially into Mon morning. A gale warning is currently in
effect through 7 AM Mon.
Winds remain breezy early Mon, but will gradually subside through
the day. Weak high pres will build over the waters later Mon and
Tue, bringing winds below 15 kt. Another front will move through
the waters Tue night. The fcst models suggest solid or high end
small craft advisory winds are likely with this front, with an
outside chance at gales. Weak high pres will bring more benign
conditions for the second half of the week.
Seas have increased a bit this afternoon and are currently running
at around 12 ft. This will build further to around 14 to 16 ft
this evening and remain fairly steady through Mon morning. A more
significant long-period NW swell to arrive later Mon and push seas
to around 20 ft. Expect seas to peak during the late afternoon or
early evening. Have issued a high surf advisory for the coastal
zones. Seas gradually subside late Mon night and Tue, eventually
dropping to around 10 ft by late Tue. Pyle
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...High Surf Advisory from noon Monday to 1 AM PST Tuesday for
Central Oregon Coast-North Oregon Coast.
Winter Storm Warning until 6 PM PST Monday for Cascades in Lane
County-Northern Oregon Cascades.
WA...High Surf Advisory from noon Monday to 1 AM PST Tuesday for
South Washington Coast.
Winter Storm Warning until 6 PM PST Monday for South Washington
Cascades.
PZ...Gale Warning until 7 AM PST Monday for Coastal Waters from Cape
Shoalwater WA to Florence OR out 60 nm.
Small Craft Advisory for hazardous seas until 2 PM PST this
afternoon for Coastal Waters from Cape Shoalwater WA to
Florence OR out 60 nm.
Small Craft Advisory for Rough Columbia River Bar until 10 AM
PST Monday.
&&
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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.1 heavy snow, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
The Timberline NWAC site recorded 16-18 inches of snow, which was also similar to ODOT reports around that area. Elevations below 5000 feet recorded 8-14 inches of snow.
Generally saw 6-11 inches of snow with the greatest amount 11 inches at McKenzie SNOTEL at 4770 feet.
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, November 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: 667828, 667829.