A 39 year old man was found deceased in an irrigation ditch in Medford on the morning of 11/12/2018. Evidence collected indicated that hypothermia was the cause of death.
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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 39 year old man was found deceased in an irrigation ditch in Medford on the morning of 11/12/2018. Evidence collected indicated that hypothermia was the cause of death. The low temperature in Medford that morning was 25 degrees.
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 Nov 11, 7:56 PM PST, 5 hours 4 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Medford OR 756 PM PST Sun Nov 11 2018 .DISCUSSION...Current observations are showing extremely dry air across southern Oregon and northern California. The driest air is occurring along the mid to upper slopes and ridges of the coast range and in the Siskiyous/Marble Mountains. The dewpoint temperature at KMFR is rising, and there are some thin cirrus clouds moving overhead. This suggests that temperatures will be cold once again tonight, but not nearly as cold as the crossover temperature (the dewpoint temperature at the time of the afternoon high temperature). The crossover temperature was around 12 degrees! I did drop temperatures a little below guidance across the area, but do anticipate the cirrus clouds to help keep us somewhat warmer than we could see. The main concern for tonight will be the poor humidity recoveries across the area. We have opted for a headline in our fire weather products since the east winds won't be as strong tonight. Please be cautious if you have to burn anything. -Schaaf && .MARINE...Updated 800 PM PST Sunday 11 November 2018...Seas are gradually subsiding and relatively light winds will turn southerly overnight tonight. Southerly winds will gradually increase (but remain below small craft advisory levels) Monday as a weak front approaches. This front takes its sweet time moving in, and thus sub- advisory south winds and seas continue through Tuesday. The front finally moves onshore Wednesday, and we're not expecting anything of significance to marine interests until late Wednesday night when a steep westerly swell around 10 feet moves in behind the front. BR-y/Keene && .PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 413 PM PST Sun Nov 11 2018/ Updated aviation discussion. DISCUSSION...As anticipated yesterday, models continue to trend towards higher heights and a very weak ridge pattern instead of a zonal flow pattern as indicated yesterday. This will shunt the bulk of the moisture north of the area with a few sprinkles possible in northern Douglas and Coos county and north of Crater Lake. With the offshore flow the very dry conditions, more like something we would normally see in August, will continue into Tuesday at least. Even barrel burning has the potential be hazardous! A weak ridge builds behind the exiting "front" with weak offshore flow developing Friday, with will push out some of the moisture from the onshore flow with the "front". The reticent stubborn ridge is now showing to shift east even later and the next front that bring actual precipitation now doesn't look to move in until Monday. Sven AVIATION...For the 12/00Z TAFs...VFR conditions are being reported across most of the forecast area except for the immediate coastline where some smoke is reducing visibility to 5SM near Gold Beach. Aside from local smoke and the Umpqua Basin, all other locations are expected to remain VFR through tomorrow. It's possible that conditions remain VFR through the TAF period in the Umpqua Basin, but confidence is low in this given the time of year and the fact that low ceilings have occurred the past several nights. At this point we expect a rather brief period of IFR conditions at KRBG early Monday morning, clearing to VFR by mid morning. Additionally, gusty downslope southeast winds over the southern end of the Rogue Valley may create some bumpy conditions on approach from or climb out to the south at KMFR. Br-y/Keene && .MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...None. CA...None. Pacific Coastal Waters...None.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.
A 39 year old man was found deceased in an irrigation ditch in Medford on the morning of 11/12/2018. Evidence collected indicated that hypothermia was the cause of death. The low temperature in Medford that morning was 25 degrees.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold/Wind Chill, Jackson County | 2018-11-12 | 39 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
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, November 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: 785131.