A powerful Pacific Low brought windy conditions and rain to much of the Inland Northwest December 18th. In Redmond, a large tree fell nearly missing a home.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 powerful Pacific Low brought windy conditions and rain to much of the Inland Northwest December 18th. In Redmond, a large tree fell nearly missing a home. Widely scattered wind gusts to 45 to 56 knots (52 to 65 mph) were reported across the region as very strong winds aloft occasionally mixed to the surface.
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 Dec 18, 2:08 AM PST, 3 hours 52 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
208 AM PST Tue Dec 18 2018
.SHORT TERM...Today...Lots of short term concerns for today with the
primary one being the potential for high winds. Very strong westerly
low and mid level jets will move over the area this morning with
the best potential for damaging winds over central Oregon due to
isentropic downglide. Numerous advisories and warnings are currently
in effect through mid afternoon for central and NE Oregon and
southern Washington. Have just added the John Day Highlands to the
High Wind Warning for today based on the output from The HRRR
showing significant areas of 50+ kt surface wind gusts through late
morning and early afternoon and the fact the core of the jet
traverses this area. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for
the Cascade East Slopes and judging by the area cameras it appears
that snow levels are right around 2500 feet. Snow levels should rise
next several hours to above pass level. Other area of snow is in the
Blue Mountains. Snow levels there are above 4500 feet. By around
daybreak they should rise to 5500-6000 feet. If this occurs may be
able to lower the Advisory for this area by 7 AM. 78
Tonight through Friday... A fast moving system will continue to
bring the potential for valley rains and lingering mountain snow
tonight into early Wednesday, though most precip should diminish by
sunrise outside of the higher mountain elevations. Winds will
improve as the bulk of jet stream energy shifts eastward, though
breezy west/southwest winds are likely to persist for a couple of
hours beyond sunset in the wake of a passing front.
Broad upper ridging to build in through the day on Wednesday with
dry and rather warm weather for the latter half of December with
highs in the low to mid 50s in the basin. Additionally, skies look
to be only partly cloudy over much of the area, so it should be a
very pleasant day for getting outside for some late December
sunshine.
Our next storm system will rapidly approach from the west overnight
Wednesday night into Thursday. This storm promises to bring another
round of strong winds to northern and central Oregon, as well as
valley rain and mountain snow Thursday into Thursday Night. Snow
levels will rise in advance of the system, generally ranging from
4500 to 5500 ft, limiting total snow amounts outside of the higher
mountains. The fast moving nature of the storm will also generally
limit total liquid precipitation in the basin. This system will exit
the region early Friday, with cooler drier weather expected heading
into the weekend.
.LONG TERM...Saturday through Monday. Saturday should start off
mainly dry, but the next system will be moving through Saturday
night into Sunday. Model are diverging on the overall pattern for
early next week, so confidence is low, but trend is for a colder
system to move through with a mix of rain and snow and temperatures
near normal. 93
&&
.AVIATION...12z Tafs. Strong winds and periods of rain will be seen
at most locations today. A cold front will move through this
afternoon. Winds at all TAF sites, with the exception of DLS, will
have gusts 20-35 knots. There is the potential for gusts to 45-55
knots at BDN and RDM through 00z. VFR conditions will prevail but
there may be periods of MVFR in rain. The system should be moving
east tonight with decreasing wind and rain after 03z. 93
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 54 37 49 35 / 90 40 10 10
ALW 53 43 50 40 / 90 40 10 10
PSC 54 43 50 40 / 60 10 0 10
YKM 48 36 47 35 / 80 40 20 20
HRI 55 40 51 37 / 80 20 10 10
ELN 45 33 42 32 / 90 60 20 40
RDM 52 32 49 33 / 90 40 10 10
LGD 45 37 44 35 / 90 60 20 20
GCD 47 35 45 34 / 60 50 10 10
DLS 51 41 49 40 / 90 70 20 20
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...High Wind Warning until 3 PM PST this afternoon for ORZ506-509-
511.
Wind Advisory until 3 PM PST this afternoon for ORZ049-507-508-
510.
Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM PST this morning for ORZ502.
WA...Wind Advisory until 3 PM PST this afternoon for WAZ521.
Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM PST this morning for WAZ030-
520.
&&
78/79/93/93The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A large tree fell nearly hitting a residence in Redmond.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, December 2018
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: 790339.