A strong Pacific storm system brought snow, sleet and freezing rain to many areas of the Interior Northwest February 7th through 9th.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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 PDT wrote it up.
A strong Pacific storm system brought snow, sleet and freezing rain to many areas of the Interior Northwest February 7th through 9th.
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 Feb 8, 3:45 AM PST, 15 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
345 AM PST Wed Feb 8 2017
Updated aviation discussion
.SHORT TERM...Today through Thursday night. A winter storm is
bearing down on the two state area with a mix of snow and freezing
rain expected today and tonight. A challenge will be with the timing
of the above freezing warm air advection that will turn the frozen
pcpn to all rain.
Until then numerous winter storm warnings are in place across north
central oregon and into southern Washington. Abundant moisture will
move into the region today and snow is expected to develop this
morning and persist into this afternoon. Warm air over Central
Oregon and the John day highlands and will slowly move north and
turn frozen pcpn into liquid mainly south of the state line by this
evening. Meanwhile the warm air aloft will overrun the colder sub
freezing temps sfc temps and freezing rain will occur across the
ykm/kittitas valleys including the gorge. Portions of the columbia
basin will experience frozen pcpn before it turn to all rain this
evening.
Elsewhere and along the east slopes of the washington cascades the
snow will accumulate with expected accumulations of greater than
half a foot of snow by this evening.
Along the blue mountains several inches of snow is expected before
turning to all rain this evening and the potential for rapid snow
melt creating some flooding is possible. Also windy conditions are
expected in the grande ronde valley.
The warmer air is forecast to mix down to the surface across the
entire area Thursday and all rain is expected into Thursday night.
.LONG TERM....Friday through Tuesday. No major weather concerns
are anticipated during the extended period. A shortwave trough
quickly moving across WA/OR late Friday and Friday night will lower
snow levels from 3000-4000 feet Friday to around 1500 feet Friday
night. The east slopes of the WA/OR Cascades...the Blue Mtns...and
the Wallowa Mountains may observe 3-5 inches of new snow. Less than
one inch can be expected elsewhere...and little to no accumulation
is forecast for the Columbia Basin and surrounding valleys.
Precipitation will taper off behind the system. Any precipitation
on Saturday will be isolated to scattered mountain snow showers.
This will be followed by drier and warmer conditions Saturday night
through Tuesday. Those hoping for warmer temperatures will be happy
to know that near seasonal temperatures in the afternoon are
expected. The only caveat will be areas that will observe
radiational fog--mainly the Columbia Basin and surrounding valleys--
that could linger through the day. Due to an average of about 10
hours of sun in early to mid February...this may be enough to burn
off fog during the afternoon hours. Wister
&&
.AVIATION...12Z TAFs...Another winter storm is on the way...and this
one will bring snow and freezing rain to portions of central and
northeast Oregon and south central and southeast Washington today
and tonight. Current temperature at KBDN is 41F while KRDM is 26F.
KRDM should warm above freezing by the time precipitation arrives
around 19Z so both KBDN and KRDM should observe only rain and
occasional MVFR conditions. The other terminal airports will not be
so lucky and snow, sleet and freezing rain will affect travel.
Conditions will primarily be IFR/LIFR...possibly LIFR at KDLS. 2-5
inches of snow accumulation and up to one quarter inch of ice
accumulation will occur along the runways at KDLS, KYKM, and KPSC.
Up to 2 inches of snow and ice accumulation up to one quarter of an
inch are possible at KPDT and KALW. Winds will generally be less
than 10 knots at all TAF sites. Wister
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 32 35 52 35 / 80 90 70 20
ALW 31 36 51 37 / 80 90 80 30
PSC 31 31 41 32 / 80 90 80 10
YKM 30 30 40 27 / 90 90 80 10
HRI 32 32 44 32 / 80 90 70 10
ELN 27 27 39 26 / 100 100 80 10
RDM 41 40 52 33 / 80 80 50 20
LGD 35 36 48 35 / 80 90 70 30
GCD 39 38 51 32 / 90 80 50 30
DLS 33 32 44 34 / 100 100 80 20
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...Winter Storm Warning from 10 AM this morning to 10 AM PST
Thursday for ORZ041.
Winter Storm Warning from 10 AM this morning to 4 AM PST
Thursday for ORZ510.
Winter Weather Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 10 PM PST
this evening for ORZ044-507-508.
Wind Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 3 PM PST Thursday for
ORZ049.
WA...Winter Storm Warning from 10 AM this morning to 10 AM PST
Thursday for WAZ024-026>028-520-521.
Winter Weather Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 10 PM PST
this evening for WAZ029.
&&
97/85/85The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 heavy snow, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter storm produced a snow accumulation of 12 inches with an ice accumulation of 0.38 inches on top of the snow. Occurred 1 mile NNW of Glenwood in Klickitat county.
Total snow accumulation of 7 inches, 5 miles NNW of Goldendale in Klickitat county. Also snow changed to freezing rain in the afternoon for an accumulation of 0.13 inches on top of the snow.
Measured snow accumulation of 5 inches at Tieton in Yakima county.
Measured snow accumulation of 6 inches, 1 mile SE of Ellensburg in Kittitas county.
Measured snow accumulation of 4 inches at West Richland in Benton county.
Ice and sleet accumulation of 0.25 inches at Walla Walla in Walla Walla county. Started as snow then changed to freezing rain and sleet. Mixed with snow in the evening, after this report.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, February 2017
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: 682824, 682825, 683369, 683370, 683371, 683372.