Localized blizzard conditions in the Grande Ronde Valley on 12/1/19 due to Strong winds of 50-55 mph and falling/Blowing snow.
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.
Localized blizzard conditions in the Grande Ronde Valley on 12/1/19 due to Strong winds of 50-55 mph and falling/Blowing snow.
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 1, 2:56 AM PST, 3 hours 4 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
256 AM PST Sun Dec 1 2019
.SHORT TERM...Today through Tuesday. A low pressure system over
the epac was spinning a band of snow through the region from south
to north. This band had produced 1 to 3 inches of snow and is
expected to push north and into Washington shortly. Behind this
band is another area of snow that is forecast to move north this
morning and additional accumulation is expected. Thus winter
weather advisories remain in place mainly over the western
sections that also includes portions of the John Day highlands. A
challenge remains along the foothills of the blue mountains and
some locations were experiencing a sse downslope wind that had
warmed temps above freezing. Also pressure gradients were tight
and breezy winds can be expected in the Grande Ronde Valley.
Some drier air works its way into the region from the south
Sunday afternoon while snow showers linger especially in the area
mountains into Sunday night and Monday. The low pressure drifts
south and our area should become mostly drier Monday night and
Tuesday. Temperatures remain below normal although afternoon high
temps rebound in Central Oregon that could climb into the 40s
Tuesday afternoon.
.LONG TERM...Tuesday night through Saturday. Mainly dry Tuesday and
Wednesday with a weak system moving through mainly northern
Washington. Flow starts to turn southwest on Thursday with some
moisture being transported into the region and a few showers over
the mountains. On Friday, the flow becomes stronger from the south
as the next system approaches. There are still some differences in
strength/timing, but should see precipitation spread from southwest
to northeast on Friday/Friday night and continue on Saturday as
upper level low moves inland. Snow levels will be rising, but some
colder air may remain just east of the Washington Cascades, with
snow levels Friday night ranging from 3000 feet along the Washington
Cascades to 4000-5000 feet for central and northeast Oregon. Most
area should see snow levels 3000-4000 feet on Saturday.
&&
.AVIATION...12z Tafs...Some periods of MVFR cigs and vsby are
possible with light snow at most sites across the region through 18z
and may linger over YKM through 21z. After 21z, conditions will
improve with VFR through the evening. Patchy fog expected overnight
and early Monday that may cause some IFR with low stratus across the
region. 93
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 32 20 31 22 / 60 20 10 0
ALW 33 21 33 24 / 60 20 10 10
PSC 30 19 31 21 / 70 10 10 0
YKM 31 18 32 21 / 80 10 10 0
HRI 31 19 31 22 / 70 10 10 0
ELN 30 21 33 24 / 70 20 10 0
RDM 33 17 36 22 / 60 20 10 10
LGD 31 24 35 26 / 70 20 10 10
GCD 31 23 37 24 / 80 40 10 10
DLS 33 26 34 27 / 80 20 10 10
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM PST this afternoon for ORZ041-
505-506-510-511.
Winter Weather Advisory until 1 PM PST this afternoon for ORZ509.
WA...Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM PST this afternoon for WAZ024-
521.
&&
97/93/93The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Blizzard conditions with winds 50-55 mph and low visibilities 2 NW of Union and 1 SW of Union.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, December 2019
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: 868051.