An incoming front brought high winds to the Oregon coast and Cascades.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 MFR wrote it up.
An incoming front brought high winds to the Oregon coast and Cascades.
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 Jan 16, 8:43 AM PST, 5 hours 57 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Medford OR
843 AM PST Wed Jan 16 2019
.UPDATE...Light precipitation is overspreading the area this
morning, with heavier precipitation falling in the Mount Shasta
area due to stronger upsloping there. Wind and rain will intensify
through the day, with snow above roughly 4500 feet, as the
offshore storm system makes its way closer to the area. Several
headlines remain in effect, including Winter Weather, Wind, and
High Surf Warnings and Advisories, and no major changes are
expected today.
The current forecast appears to be right in line with observations
across the area, so no major updates are necessary. For more
information and details on the forecast, see the previous
discussion below. -BPN
&&
.AVIATION...For the 16/12Z TAFs...LIFR fog/low cloud is impacting
Roseburg again this morning. This should lift faster than it has
though the last few mornings as winds aloft increase in advance of a
frontal system moving in from the Pacific. While still mainly VFR
elsewhere today, there will be increasing areas of mountain
obscuration and lowering ceilings. Steady precipitation will be
focused in the Mount Shasta region, western Siskiyou County and
the SW Oregon coast ranges, where MVFR to IFR will prevail with
terrain obscured.
Gusty south to southeast winds, perhaps exceeding 30 knots, will
affect the Rogue and Shasta Valleys as well as the east side.
Strongest gusts will be this afternoon and evening prior to the
front moving inland. Expect plenty of turbulence on
departures/arrivals for all terminals. Offshore flow in advance of
the front will block the strongest winds from surfacing at North
Bend much of the TAF period, but this may result in a period of low-
level wind shear this evening. -Spilde
&&
.MARINE...Updated 800 AM PST Wednesday 16 January 2019...South winds
and gales are expected to develop this afternoon as a cold front
approaches the region. Seas then rapidly and substantially increase
tonight into Thursday ahead of a much stronger front with gales and
a very high long period southwest swell. Seas will likely peak in
excess of 30 feet Thursday. These very hazardous conditions are
being driven by deep low pressure located near 40N 141W that will
move east-northeastward well offshore, but close enough to bring the
strong front through Wednesday night into Thursday. After the peak
in seas Thursday, seas remain very high with dangerous bar
conditions into Friday. Yet another front is likely to bring
additional gales and very steep seas Friday night into Saturday. The
active pattern will persist through the weekend.
Seas will remain very high Thursday night through Friday morning as
weak high pressure briefly builds into the area. With a long period
and very high swell, there will be hazardous surf conditions
Thursday through Friday. Please see the Coastal Hazard Message
/PDXCFWMFR/ for more information on the impacts and timing.
Improving conditions are expected with high pressure building in
from the southwest early next week. -Spilde
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 410 AM PST Wed Jan 16 2019/
DISCUSSION...A relatively weak trough is moving through the
forecast area this morning. South to southeast winds remain
breezy, including in the Rogue and Shasta Valleys, as this initial
trough continues through. Radar shows some light precipitation
stretching from around Crater Lake southeast to Lakeview/Adel with
snow levels hovering around 4500 feet. This band will continue
moving from southwest to northeast, bringing some light snow to
the northeastern portions of the forecast area. Amounts should
remain below advisory criteria, but if you are traveling through
these areas this morning be prepared for wintry travel. Additional
precipitation is moving into Siskiyou and Modoc counties, and
snow levels are hovering around 3500 to 4000 feet, so expect some
wintry travel there this morning as well. All in all we're only
expecting around 1 to 2 inches through late this morning with this
initial trough, with up to 3 inches possible in higher elevations.
The main event moves in later this morning/early afternoon, and
winds and precipitation will increase as this next stronger system
moves towards the Oregon Coast today. Strong southerly flow will
bring ample amounts of moisture to portions of Northern California
and the Coast/Coast Range, while other areas will remain relatively
dry. Valleys both west and east of the Cascades will see
significantly less precipitation as strong winds bring the drying
effect of downsloping off the surrounding higher terrain. Winds will
increase late this morning and peak this afternoon and evening. Wind
advisories and High Wind warnings remain in effect for these strong
winds, and details can be found at NPWMFR.
Snow levels will hover around 4000 to 4500 feet through this
morning, then rise to around 4500 to 5000 feet. Periods of moderate
to heavy snow are expected later this morning into Thursday morning,
especially for the higher terrain of Siskiyou County. Winter weather
products have been issued for this, and details can be found at
WSWMFR. The heaviest precipitation is expected Wednesday afternoon
and evening, and rainfall rates will approach 0.50" per hour in the
South Central Siskiyou County area. We're not expecting the highest
rainfall rates to impact burn scars, and we don't expect significant
snowmelt given the moderate-height snow levels, so we haven't issued
any flood products at this time. The main rainfall impacts will be
some ponding on water on roadways below 4500 feet and some rises in
local streams and creeks.
Although conditions will improve some Thursday, breezy conditions
and showers will continue through at least Thursday evening. A warm
front will nudge into the area Friday into Saturday as upper level
ridging builds. Saturday into Sunday is looking like it could be
quite a wet period for the area. Models are showing an atmospheric
river taking aim at the coast Saturday morning and continuing into
Sunday night. Details will change as we get closer to the time, but
current indications show around 3 to 4 inches possible in the
coastal range of Curry County during this time. Beyond this event,
models show high pressure building off the Pacific Coast early next
week with dry conditions persisting through next week. /BR-y
&&
.MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...Wind Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 4 PM PST Thursday for
ORZ029>031.
High Wind Warning from 1 AM to 4 PM PST Thursday for ORZ021-022.
High Surf Warning from 7 AM Thursday to 4 PM PST Friday for
ORZ021-022.
Wind Advisory until 1 AM PST Thursday for ORZ026.
CA...Wind Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 4 PM PST Thursday for
CAZ084-085.
Winter Weather Advisory until 10 PM PST Thursday for CAZ080>083.
Winter Storm Warning until 10 PM PST Thursday above 5500 feet in
the for CAZ082.
High Wind Warning until 1 AM PST Thursday for CAZ081.
Pacific Coastal Waters...Small Craft Advisory until 1 PM PST this afternoon for
PZZ350-356-370-376.
Gale Warning from 1 PM this afternoon to 4 PM PST Thursday for
PZZ350-356-370-376.
Hazardous Seas Warning from 4 PM Thursday to 10 AM PST Friday
for PZZ350-356-370-376.The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Squaw Peak RAWS recorded several gusts exceeding 77 mph during this interval. The peak gust was 83 mph recorded at 16/1639 PST.
The ODOT sensor at Humbug Mountain recorded several gusts exceeding 57 mph during this interval. The peak gust was 68 mph recorded at 17/0601 PST.
The Port Orford Nos/NWLON recorded a gust to 58 mph at 17/0330 PST.
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, January 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: 793255, 793252, 793251.