A strong upper low drifted over the northern Cascades during the afternoon hours of the 10th. This brought cold air aloft, leading to spotty showers and even a stray thunderstorm or two.
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The episode as NWS PDT wrote it up.
A strong upper low drifted over the northern Cascades during the afternoon hours of the 10th. This brought cold air aloft, leading to spotty showers and even a stray thunderstorm or two. At least one funnel cloud was reported near Ellensburg in the Kittitas Valley. The funnel did not appear to reach ground and no damage was reported. While other storms occurred, none were especially strong.
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 Sep 10, 9:10 AM PST, 1 hour 51 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pendleton OR 1010 AM PDT Tue Sep 10 2019 .SHORT TERM...A large scale upper level trough of low pressure is over the western U.S. today with a center over the Pacific Northwest. There are several small disturbances rotating through and around the low center which will cause showers throughout the day and into the evening and could even produce a few thunderstorms but nothing strong or severe. showers will decrease rapidly after sunset and come to an end for most of the area around or after midnight. Winds will be light but temperatures will continue to be cooler than normal today and overnight. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 211 AM PDT Tue Sep 10 2019/ SHORT TERM...Today through Thursday night. Large upper low will remain over the Pacific northwest today. Water vapor imagery indicating a short wave will be moving across the region and models are showing a better chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms. Otherwise expect a partly to mostly cloudy day with temperatures similar to yesterday. The showers and storms will continue into the evening then dissipate. Upper ridge building in Wednesday with decreasing clouds. A few lingering showers over the northeast Oregon mountains. Several degrees warmer with highs in the 70s. The ridge will be over the area on Thursday with a weak system passing by to the north. This will bring some mid and high level clouds. 850mb temps indicate several degrees of warming and highs will be in the mid 70s to mid 80s. 94 LONG TERM...Friday through Monday. A weak shortwave will pass by to the north and it looks like it will only bring in some clouds and breezy conditions. Mainly dry west to northwest flow for Saturday. The next system will approach the area late Saturday night with an upper low reaching southwest Canada and a frontal system along the Cascades by late Sunday. The low will continue dropping south over Washington and Oregon Sunday night and remain over the area through Monday with showers for most of the area. The low will also bring in some cold air with snow levels Monday ranging from around 6000- 7000 feet in the Washington Cascades to around 7000-7500 over central Oregon and the Wallowas. Temperatures will be near normal Friday and Saturday then be about 3-5 degree below normal through early next week. 93 AVIATION...18Z TAFs...Mainly VFR conditions will continue for the next 24 hours. An upper low pushing east will continue give the area an unstable atmosphere with off and on rain showers today, along with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evening. Best chance for thunderstorms will be over the mountains, but could be near the central Oregon TAF sites from 23-02z. Most TAF sites have a combination of -SHRA and VCSH with showers decreasing overnight. Ceilings will generally be BKN-OVC above 5K feet AGL. Brief MVFR CIGS and VIS possible under heavier showers. Winds in general will be less than 10kts. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... PDT 73 50 76 49 / 30 30 10 0 ALW 75 52 77 53 / 40 30 10 0 PSC 78 54 80 52 / 20 20 0 0 YKM 74 51 79 50 / 40 30 0 0 HRI 78 53 80 51 / 20 20 0 0 ELN 73 50 76 48 / 50 40 10 0 RDM 68 41 73 41 / 50 50 0 0 LGD 67 46 70 43 / 60 60 10 10 GCD 67 44 70 44 / 70 60 10 0 DLS 75 53 78 52 / 30 30 0 0 && .PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...None. WA...None. && 91/84/84
The Pendleton radar (KPDT), 188 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:58 UTC.
1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Several pictures on social media depicting a funnel cloud. No ground circulation confirmed and no damage reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, September 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: 856777.