A potent cold front moving under a low level jet early Wednesday morning produced strong southwest wind gusts of 55 to 65 mph across Oregon and Washington during the early morning hours of January 13th, 2020.
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 PDT wrote it up.
A potent cold front moving under a low level jet early Wednesday morning produced strong southwest wind gusts of 55 to 65 mph across Oregon and Washington during the early morning hours of January 13th, 2020.
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 12, 9:22 PM PST, 38 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pendleton OR 922 PM PST Tue Jan 12 2021 Updated Aviation Discussion EVENING UPDATE...Low pressure system with deep moisture plume currently pushing a warm front across the forecast area this evening while rain showers are spreading northward across eastern WA and across portions of northeast OR. A cold front will follow closely behind tonight and revitalize showers across most of eastern WA and northeast OR while breezy to windy conditions will develop across the central OR and the Columbia Basin behind the frontal boundary. River and stream levels will continue to rise tonight and tomorrow, however, current river forecasts have many locations cresting right below bankfull. Will continue to monitor current precipitation trends and river stages as this system moves through the region. Tomorrow afternoon, upper level ridge will build into the region with drier and calmer conditions that will persist into Thursday. Made minor adjustments to winds and QPF to reflect current trends. Lawhorn/82 AVIATION...06Z TAFs...Low pressure system will produce precipitation impacts at all sites overnight, while possible MVFR vsby conditions will occur with precipitation. Cigs will mostly be VFR through the period, though cigs may dip into MVFr conditions at site DLS/YKM overnight as well. Precipitation will end from west to east tomorrow afternoon with clearing skies by the evening. Winds will generally be 15-25kts with gusts up to 35kts possible through tomorrow, becoming light tomorrow evening. LLWS will continue to be a concern at sites PDT/ALW/RDM/BDN overnight tonight. Lawhorn/82 PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 139 PM PST Tue Jan 12 2021/ SHORT TERM...Tonight through Thursday night...The forecast area is currently in the warm sector of a weather system which is moving across the region today. It will continue to move across the region tonight and Wednesday. The cold front with this system will move through the region late Wednesday into Wednesday night. Snow levels are quite high so most of the precipitation will be in the form of rain, with snow only on the highest peaks and ridges. There will also be a period of freezing rain in the northern Blue Mountains and the Grande Ronde Valley this afternoon and evening. Ice accumulations will be less than a quarter of an inch. Am expecting no more than an inch or two of snow in the mountains due to such high snow levels. The main concern with this forecast package is the chance for small streams and creeks rising to above bankfull. So far, river forecasts have rivers and streams reaching only to bankfull levels (or action stage), and therefore have a Small Stream Flood Advisory, and River Statements in effect for the WA Cascade east slopes. There may also need to be one issued eventually for the eastern mountains, but am expecting less rainfall there. A flood potential outlook is in effect for other areas than the WA Cascade east slopes. Another main concern for this afternoon through Wednesday morning, before the cold front with this system moves through, are strong gusty southerly winds. Currently there are wind advisories in effect for the Foothills of the Southern Blue Mountains, and for the Grande Ronde Valley, until 4 PM PST this afternoon, and 10 AM PST Wednesday respectively. These advisories currently look good. Snow levels will lower behind the cold front Wednesday night into Thursday with decreasing valley rain showers and mountain snow showers with little to no additional accumulations. After that high pressure aloft will build over the region for Thursday into the early extended period. However, there may still be some rain and snow showers over the Cascades. 88 LONG TERM...Friday through Monday...Ridging shifting off to the east as a weak and fairly dry front/trough works into the PacNW. Expect a chance of mountain snow with slight chance for low elevations rain showers. Precip should quickly end Friday night with dry, cooler northwest flow for Saturday. Another weak and even drier front/trough will slide through Saturday night into Sunday with just mainly a few mountain snow showers expected with likely dry conditions for the low elevations. Dry, northwest flow likely again expected for early next week, although some ensemble members are hinting at another potential system for Tuesday. Near to slightly above normal temps continue into the long term with highs in the 40s to lower 50s. Nighttime lows in the 20s to lower 30s. Some locally breezy winds possible with passing fronts Fri and Sun, otherwise light winds expected. 84 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... PDT 44 51 27 45 / 80 40 0 0 ALW 46 54 31 46 / 80 50 0 0 PSC 46 56 31 45 / 70 10 0 0 YKM 39 51 26 42 / 80 10 0 0 HRI 45 54 29 45 / 70 20 0 0 ELN 35 45 26 40 / 80 20 0 0 RDM 40 50 28 50 / 80 30 0 0 LGD 37 44 23 40 / 80 80 0 0 GCD 42 48 26 48 / 60 60 0 0 DLS 43 52 34 45 / 90 40 0 0 && .PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...Wind Advisory until 10 AM PST Wednesday for ORZ049. WA...None. && EVENING UPDATE...82 AVIATION...82
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A non-tstm wind gust of 63 mph was measured 1 mile SSE of Moro, OR at 2:15AM PST on Jan. 13th. A non-tstm wind gust of 63 mph was measured 2 miles NW of Wasco, OR at 2:27AM PST.
A non-tstm wind gust of 62mph was measured 8 miles WSW of Echo, OR at 2:30AM PST on Jan. 13th. A non-tstm wind gust of 60mph was measured at the ASOS at the Hermiston Municipal Airport at 3:53AM PST Jan. 13th.
A non-tstm wind gust of 68mph was measured by the ASOS at the Pendleton, OR Airport at 3:53am PST on Jan. 13th. A non-tstm wind gust of 63mph was measured 3 miles N of Helix, OR at 12:17am PST on Jan. 13th. A trained spotter in Pilot rock, OR reported that siding was ripped off one side of their house at an estimated time of 2:00am PST on Jan. 13th. A social media post originating in Pendleton, OR reported a roof was blown off a structure at an estimated time of 3:14am PST on Jan. 13th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, January 2021
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: 934990, 934996, 935003.