Very strong winds aloft were transported to the surface over portions of central Oregon during the morning of January 23rd via both mountain wave and downslope mechanisms. Significant tree damage and power outages were reported between La Pine and Sunriver and in the Sisters area.
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.
Very strong winds aloft were transported to the surface over portions of central Oregon during the morning of January 23rd via both mountain wave and downslope mechanisms. Significant tree damage and power outages were reported between La Pine and Sunriver and in the Sisters area. While in-situ wind measurements are sparse in these areas, the Sisters airport reported a gust of 64 knots (74 mph) and a weather spotter near Three Rivers measured a gust of 61 knots (70 mph) with a handheld anemometer. Isolated marginally severe gusts around 50 knots (58 mph) were also observed along some of the more exposed ridge tops of north central Oregon. The upper slopes of Mt Bachelor also saw winds approaching 87 knots (100 mph) that prompted closure of all ski lifts.
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 Jan 23, 6:13 AM PST, 1 hour 47 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
613 AM PST Wed Jan 23 2019
.UPDATE...The winds were gusting along the east slopes of the
Oregon cascades and issued a high wind warning for this area along
with advisories in and around redmond/bend and further northeast
toward lexington. Expect the winds to increase even more later
this morning. Meanwhile persistant upslope flow continues in the
blues where a winter storm warning remains in place above 4k feet.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 230 pM PST Wed Jan 23 2019/
SHORT TERM...Today through Thursday night. The bulk of a storm
system had pushed east of the area while an upslope flow of moisture
was producing showers in the area mountains. The snow showers will
persist during the morning hours and a winter storm warning remains
for the blue mountains above 4k feet with final snow totals expected
between 8 and 12 inches. Snow levels are forecast to increase toward
5k feet by midday. Elsewhere showers will continue along the
foothills of the blue mountains and along the east slopes of the
wa/or cascades. Also pressure gradients remain tight producing windy
conditions in north central Oregon with much stronger winds expected
in the simcoe highlands this morning. As the system slowly moves
away the winds and pcpn will lessen this afternoon.
Drier conditions can be expected tonight as a ridge of high pressure
builds into the region and this will persist into Thursday.
Temperatures are expected to remain above normal for Wednesday and
Thursday.
LONG TERM...Friday through Wednesday...Upper level Pattern will be
dominated by a pronounced ridge through Sunday. This will result in
mostly fair weather except for late night and morning fog/stratus
across the valleys. The fog and stratus may have a tendency to
dissipate in the afternoons with a higher sun angle this time of
year. Late Sunday and into Monday a dry cold front will drop
southward across the area and this should give a break from the
stagnant conditions for a day or two and also knock the temperatures
from slightly above normal to slightly below normal for this time of
year. The ridge is forecast to rebuild over the area for the middle
of the week. There will be little chance for significant
precipitation through the period. 78
AVIATION...12Z TAFS...VFR conditions will prevail through the day
today. Winds will be on the increase this morning with s-sw winds of
15-25 KT and some higher gusts except lighter winds at KYKM. Winds
will have a tendency to diminish this afternoon. A few -SHRA may
affect the KALW site today. Expect stratocumulus clouds to be around
today at 3-6 thousand feet. With abundant low level moisture around
tonight expect low clouds and fog to form especially after 06Z, with
the potential for some LIFR CIGS and VSBYS near the end of the
forecast period. 78
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 50 35 47 33 / 30 10 0 0
ALW 50 37 48 35 / 40 10 0 0
PSC 53 35 48 34 / 10 0 0 0
YKM 51 30 46 31 / 20 0 0 0
HRI 55 35 49 34 / 10 0 0 0
ELN 46 31 45 30 / 20 0 0 0
RDM 52 27 49 27 / 30 10 0 0
LGD 45 35 44 30 / 60 30 0 0
GCD 48 33 47 30 / 40 20 0 0
DLS 55 36 50 35 / 40 0 0 0
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...Wind Advisory until 4 PM PST this afternoon for ORZ508.
High Wind Warning until 1 PM PST this afternoon for ORZ509.
Wind Advisory until 1 PM PST this afternoon for ORZ511.
Winter Storm Warning until 10 AM PST this morning for ORZ502.
Wind Advisory until 8 AM PST this morning for ORZ510.
WA...Winter Storm Warning until 10 AM PST this morning for WAZ030.
High Wind Warning until 8 AM PST this morning for WAZ521.
&&
97/PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
316 AM PST WED JAN 23 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 SSW SPOUT SPRINGS 45.69N 118.10W
01/23/2019 E8.0 INCH UMATILLA OR MESONET
HIGH RIDGE SNOTEL. RECORDED BETWEEN 4 PM TUESDAY AND 1 AM
WEDENSDAY.
0200 AM HEAVY SNOW 9 SW SKI BLUEWOOD 45.98N 117.94W
01/23/2019 E9.0 INCH WALLOWA OR MESONET
MILK SHAKES SNOTEL. RECORDED BETWEEN 6 PM TUESDAY AND 2
AM WEDNESDAY.
0300 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 NNW SKI BLUEWOOD 46.11N 117.85W
01/23/2019 E9.0 INCH COLUMBIA WA MESONET
TOUCHET SNOTEL. 4 PM TUESDAY UNTIL 3 AM WEDNESDAY.
&&
MVESCIOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
420 AM PST WED JAN 23 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0356 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 13 WNW BICKLETON 46.08N 120.54W
01/23/2019 M64 MPH YAKIMA WA MESONET
HIGHBRIDGE RAWS SITE.
&&
MVESCIOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
507 AM PST WED JAN 23 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0456 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 13 WNW BICKLETON 46.08N 120.54W
01/23/2019 M71 MPH YAKIMA WA MESONET
HIGHBRIDGE RAWS.
&&
MVESCIOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
641 AM PST WED JAN 23 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0454 AM HEAVY SNOW SKI BLUEWOOD 46.08N 117.84W
01/23/2019 M9.0 INCH COLUMBIA WA PUBLIC
9 INCHES NEW SNOW SINCE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
&&
MVESCIOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
716 AM PST WED JAN 23 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1201 AM SNOW SNOQUALMIE PASS 47.42N 121.41W
01/23/2019 M6.5 INCH KITTITAS WA COCORAHS
6.5 INCHES OF NEW SNOW FELL BETWEEN 12PM TUESDAY AND 12AM
WEDNESDAY. ELEVATION 2654 FEET.
&&
JASPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
731 AM PST WED JAN 23 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0729 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 NNE LA GRANDE 45.39N 118.07W
01/23/2019 M5.8 INCH UNION OR TRAINED SPOTTER
5.8 INCHES OF NEW SNOW SINCE 4PM WEDNESDAY. ELEVATION
2835 FEET.
&&
JASThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
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: 793927.