A Pacific system brought snow to portions of eastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. Significant snow occurred over the Northern Blue mountains and along the Cascade east slopes.
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The episode as NWS PDT wrote it up.
A Pacific system brought snow to portions of eastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. Significant snow occurred over the Northern Blue mountains and along the Cascade east slopes.
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 Mar 6, 8:25 PM PST, 35 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
825 PM PST Mon Mar 6 2017
.UPDATE...An upper trough that moved across the forecast area today
is exiting to the east with a drier and more stable west to
northwest flow behind it. However...there are still some showers
over the northeast mountains and over the Cascades. There is still
some accumulating snow over over the Cascades but they are
decreasing. This may lead to being able to canceling a Winter
Weather Advisory early for the Oregon Cascade East Slopes
early...but will leave it be for now since there are still showers
over the Cascades. Another weather system will move into the region
on Tuesday bringing more low elevation rain and mountain snow to the
CWA. This system is likely to bring significant snow to the
mountains during the next day or two. As such there are a number of
Winter Weather Advisories and a Winter Storm Warning out for the
eastern and northeast mountains as well as the Washington Cascades
through midday Wednesday. Snow levels will be rising slowly for the
rest of the week resulting in more rain and less snow which may lead
to hydrological concerns for the end of the week. The weather
pattern will remain unsettled through the rest of the week as well.
&&
.AVIATION...06Z TAFs...VFR conditions will prevail overnight but
then conditions will worsen again on Tuesday as another weather
system moves into the region resulting in possible MVFR/IFR
conditions due to low clouds and visibility. Winds will become
locally breezy on Tuesday...especially in central Oregon near KRDM
and KBDN and also over the Blue Mountain Foothills affecting KPDT
and KALW. Wind speeds could reach 15 to 25 kts at times.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 325 PM PST Mon Mar 6 2017/
SHORT TERM...Tonight through Thursday...The upper level trough
exiting the region overnight will give way to a westerly flow
through the short term. There will be a series of shortwaves moving
through the westerly flow with each bringing a shot of precipitation
to the forecast area. The first is expected on Tuesday followed by
another Wednesday night and another late Thursday. Snow levels will
be on the rise Tuesday mainly over Oregon to 2000 to 4000 feet and
only slightly over southern Washington to 1000 to 2000 feet. This
means there will be some significant snow accumulations over the
mountains associated with this first shortwave on Tuesday and
highlights in the form of advisories and warnings will be issued.
Snow levels will continue to climb eventually reaching 4000 to 6000
feet over Oregon Wednesday and Thursday but only 1500 to 3000 feet
over southern Washington. Some mountain snow accumulations will also
occur with the second and third shortwaves and additional highlights
may be needed.
LONG TERM...Thursday night through Monday. No major changes were
made to the extended forecast. Scattered to numerous showers can be
expected each day...although there may be a brief break in
precipitation for most of the area Friday night. A strong zonal
flow will be present along the mid-latitudes...and a series of
embedded waves will bring rain and snow to the region. The GFS
continues to be colder than the ECMWF with lower heights and
thickness...but the differences are not as extreme as previous runs.
Overall...snow levels will vary significantly from north to south
and will generally run from 2000-3000 feet over south central
Washington upwards to 3500-5000 feet in central Oregon. There may
be periods of moderate to heavy snow in the mountains. Winds will
be occasionally breezy to windy. Wister
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 31 45 37 46 / 40 100 80 30
ALW 33 47 38 46 / 30 100 90 30
PSC 33 47 36 50 / 20 80 70 10
YKM 24 42 30 47 / 20 80 70 10
HRI 31 47 36 48 / 20 90 70 20
ELN 20 36 27 39 / 20 80 80 10
RDM 26 46 34 51 / 30 70 30 20
LGD 29 40 37 48 / 60 90 90 50
GCD 29 46 39 54 / 50 80 60 30
DLS 33 44 36 48 / 20 90 80 20
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...Winter Weather Advisory from 2 AM Tuesday to 4 AM PST Wednesday
for ORZ503.
Winter Weather Advisory until 4 AM PST Tuesday for ORZ509.
Winter Storm Warning from 2 AM Tuesday to 10 AM PST Wednesday
for ORZ502.
Winter Weather Advisory from 2 AM Tuesday to 10 AM PST Wednesday
for ORZ050.
WA...Winter Weather Advisory from 2 AM Tuesday to 4 AM PST Wednesday
for WAZ520.
Winter Storm Warning from 2 AM Tuesday to 10 AM PST Wednesday
for WAZ030.
Winter Weather Advisory from 2 AM to 3 PM PST Tuesday for WAZ521.
&&
88/85/88The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Measured snow fall of 11 inches 6 miles ENE of Easton in Kittitas county.
Measured snow fall of 10 inches at the Touchet SNOTEL, 3 miles NNW of Ski Bluewood in Columbia county.
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, March 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: 688577, 688576.