Freezing rain and ice in the Columbia River Gorge.
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 PQR wrote it up.
Freezing rain and ice in the Columbia River Gorge.
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 Portland, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 25, 8:41 PM PST, 5 hours 19 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Portland OR
841 PM PST Sun Dec 25 2022
Updated Aviation and Marine Sections
.SYNOPSIS...Freezing temperatures continue in the Columbia Gorge and
adjacent Cascade valleys. This sets the stage for additional rounds
of freezing rain for those areas, potentially through Tuesday morning
before a strong frontal system finally scours cold air out of the
Gorge. Otherwise, the upcoming week looks milder but rather wet as a
series of Pacific frontal systems pushes through the region. Tuesday
is looking particularly wet and windy as most models suggest a strong
low pressure system will impact the Pacific Northwest which cloud
bring strong winds to the coast and possibly to the interior lowlands
as well.
&&
.SHORT TERM...Tonight through Wednesday. The next system is taking
shape between 130W and 140W with a sharp shortwave trough rotating
towards B.C. An initial shortwave to spread rain to the coast this
evening, but the upper trough rotates closer overnight and will drive
a cold front to the coast Monday morning. This front stalls/weakens
inland as yet another upper trough follows a similar track. This
will lift the front as a warm front Monday night bringing moderate
rain. This stronger system will push a low closer to the coast
Tuesday morning for potential wind issues at the coast. Deterministic
models are in fair agreement with a low pressure ranging from about
972 to 979 mb near the WA coast Tuesday afternoon. GEFS/EPS ensembles
are in better agreement today, generally clustering the low centers
on the north WA coast. In addition to the southerly wind, may have
to watch for the bent back occlusion westerly to northwesterly winds
reaching the coast as the low tracks inland. Potential wind issues
arise inland Tuesday afternoon and evening as the aforementioned low
tracks into western WA. Right now looks like a solid Wind Advisory
criteria with gusts 40 to 50 mph. Will issue a High Wind Watch for
the coast and coastal mountains for Tue. Will defer to next shifts
for potential wind statements for inland areas.
Still dealing with ice/freezing rain, though now the focus is in the
Gorge and Upper Hood River Valley (UHRV). With no strong system
moving across the Cascades to flush out the cold air will continue to
see a shallow freezing layer in the Gorge/UHRV. Freezing
temperatures in UHRV are generally below about 1000-1500 ft right
now. But tonight will see the freezing layer re-enforced as the next
system approaches, increasing the easterly gradient. With expected
QPF
have converted the Winter Storm Watch to an Ice Storm Warning. The
Western Gorge, mainly towards Cascade Locks could see around 1/2 inch
late tonight and early Monday morning, the transition to all rain
later Monday afternoon. A different story for the central Gorge and
UHRV where 1/2 to 1 inch ice is expected since they will be in the
cold air longer. May have to extend the warning there but increasing
southwest flow around 850 mb Tuesday afternoon could be enough to
shallow the cold air.
The details remain uncertain, but it does appear this system will
also have access to an atmospheric river which could lead to some
hydro issues Tuesday into Wednesday, especially considering the
lingering snow and ice in some areas.
.LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY)...
The strong jet across the northeast Pacific remains directed at the
Pacific Northwest through Thursday then begins to buckle as the
jet stream splits and heads into California. As a result will see
continued active weather with lows spinning up under the jet and
curling up to near the PacNW to bring more rain and wind. Snow
levels will be down to around Cascade pass levels during this time. A
turn to less active/impactful weather appears to be on the horizon
late in the week as weak upper ridging develops offshore as the
jetstream heads into California. NCEP Clusters are in good agreement
in this transition.
&&
.AVIATION...06Z TAFs: Generally MVFR or lower conditions across
the area as of 0430Z. Areas of LIFR have developed in the interior
valleys, especially in the central Willamette Valley. Do not
expect much change through 12Z Monday. A slight increase in
southeast to south wind over the interior lowlands may help to
reduce the LIFR conditions. Offshore flow through the Gorge will
intensify overnight through Monday morning, with strongest gusts
40-50 kt at the west end of the Gorge. This will promote an
increased threat of freezing rain, especially for areas below
about 1000 feet MSL east of KCZK. Overall conditions expected to
deteriorate into IFR/low- end MVFR Monday morning through early
afternoon as the next frontal system traverses the area. Some
improvement likely Monday afternoon in the post-frontal air mass.
Conditions worsen over the coastal areas late Monday afternoon
through 06Z Tuesday as precipitation increases with the approach
of a much stronger weather system.
For detailed Pac NW aviation weather information, go online to:
http://weather.gov/zse
KPDX AND APPROACHES...Generally MVFR at the terminal and vicinity
as of 0430Z. IFR conditions were noted in the Tualatin River
Valley. Little change through 12Z Monday at the terminal and
eastward toward the Gorge. IFR or lower conditions may become more
prevalent over western approaches. The KTTD-KLDS pressure
difference increases to around -9 mb early Monday morning. This
yields gusts 30-35 kt at KTTD and up to 50 kt in the most wind-
prone areas at the west end of the Gorge. Flight conditions lower
into a mix of IFR to low-end MVFR after 12Z Monday. Temperature
expected to remain just above freezing near KTTD so -FZRA not
expected. Some improvement is likely Monday afternoon in the
post-frontal air mass, but MVFR still expected to be the dominant
category. Weishaar
&&
.MARINE...A very active weather pattern will continue through
mid-week. Gale force wind is slow to get going Sunday evening, but
still expecting gusts to around 40 kt overnight through Monday
morning. There will be a short lull early Monday afternoon through
late evening before an even stronger system impacts the waters.
The 12Z and available latest 00Z Monday model runs show good
continuity from their previous runs and have come into a little
better agreement regarding the Monday night-Tuesday system. The
NAM, GFS and ECMWF operational runs show a central low pressure
around 970 mb near the south end of Vancouver Island 18Z Tuesday.
The landfall location is a little more north compared to the
Saturday runs. The NAM model surface low track is much more north
than its previous runs. In any event, the NAM and GFS suggest
boundary layer wind speeds of 50-55 kt valid 06Z Tuesday. The GFS
actually shows boundary layer speeds to 60 kt. The 12Z EPS
ensembles continue to show peak gusts to 60 kt at buoy 46050. The
GEFS ensembles are slightly lower, around 50-55 kt.
Seas build to around 20 ft late Sunday night and will continue
near 20 ft into Monday afternoon. Still not anticipating meeting
High Surf Advisory criteria based on our local Coastal Flood Index
(CFI) tool. Conditions will be close, but the southwest swell
direction will result in a little less energy impinging upon the
coastline. Wave guidance continues to advertise peak waves in the
25 to 30 foot range late Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday night.
The National Blend of Models (NBM) 90th percentile peak wave
heights are around 28 ft. The ECMWF wave model shows a core of 30
ft seas from around Cascade Head to Cape Shoalwater. The
combination of extra high tides of 9.5 ft at Toke Point Tuesday
afternoon, a 2.5 ft surge/anomaly yields a coastal flood index of
21, per the CFI tool. Coastal flood conditions are met with a CFI
of 22. Should the surge/anomaly reach 3.0 ft, with waves above 25
ft, coastal flood criteria would be reached. Weishaar
&&
.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...High Wind Watch from late Monday night through Tuesday
afternoon for Central Coast Range of Western Oregon-Central
Oregon Coast-Coast Range of Northwest Oregon-North Oregon Coast.
Ice Storm Warning from midnight tonight to 4 AM PST Tuesday for
Central Columbia River Gorge-Upper Hood River Valley.
Ice Storm Warning from midnight tonight to 6 PM PST Monday for
Western Columbia River Gorge.
WA...High Wind Watch from late Monday night through Tuesday
afternoon for South Washington Coast-Willapa Hills.
Ice Storm Warning from midnight tonight to 4 AM PST Tuesday for
Central Columbia River Gorge.
Ice Storm Warning from midnight tonight to 6 PM PST Monday for
Western Columbia River Gorge.
PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 10 PM PST Monday for Columbia River
Bar.
Gale Warning from 1 AM to 7 AM PST Monday for Columbia River
Bar.
Gale Warning until 8 AM PST Monday for coastal waters from Cape
Shoalwater WA to Florence OR out 60 nm.
Hazardous Seas Warning from 8 AM to 10 PM PST Monday for
coastal waters from Cape Shoalwater WA to Florence OR out 60 nm.
Storm Watch from Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon for
coastal waters from Cape Shoalwater WA to Florence OR out
60 nm.
&&
www.weather.gov/portland
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www.twitter.com/NWSPortlandPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
800 PM PST SUN DEC 25 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1000 PM AVALANCHE 2 WSW COOK 45.71N 121.68W
12/24/2022 SKAMANIA WA DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
WSDOT REPORTS SNOW SLIDE BLOCKED BOTH LANES
OF SR14 NEAR COOK-UNDERWOOD ROAD.
&&
CN2 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
The Underwood CoCoRaHS reported about 0.7 inch ice. An observer said it was the most treacherous conditions they have seen at their house in terms of traction.
The Underwood CoCoRaHS reported about 0.7 inch ice. An observer said it was the most treacherous conditions they have seen at their house in terms of traction.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, December 2022
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: 1094008, 1094012.