A prolonged period of northwest flow over the Pacific Northwest guided several rounds of moisture advection across the mountain zones, leading to upslope moderate to heavy snow showers nearly each day. Meanwhile, surface frontal systems and a series of shortwave troughs in the flow aloft produced moderate to heavy snow as well as some periods of freezing rain across the lower elevations.
Every event with a place to put it; 15 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 prolonged period of northwest flow over the Pacific Northwest guided several rounds of moisture advection across the mountain zones, leading to upslope moderate to heavy snow showers nearly each day. Meanwhile, surface frontal systems and a series of shortwave troughs in the flow aloft produced moderate to heavy snow as well as some periods of freezing rain across the lower elevations. Strong winds were also produced as a result of these shortwave troughs and surface frontal systems at the beginning and end of the prolonged winter weather conditions. During this extended period of winter weather, the I-84 and several state and US highways in Oregon and Washington closed for extended periods of time due to increased traffic accidents from ice and/or moderate to heavy snow accumulations on roadways.
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 2, 4:35 AM PST, 2 hours 25 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
435 AM PST Sun Jan 2 2022
updated the aviation discussion
SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...Current radar and
infrared satellite imagery showing dry conditions across the area
as mid to high level clouds are overhead. This is due to the upper
level ridge that is present over the Pacific Northwest. The ridge
will continue to exit to our east through the morning as zonal,
westerly flow aloft transitions to more southwesterly flow as a
strong upper level trough approaches from off the coast of British
Columbia. Isobars will continue to tighten as the incoming trough
erodes the exiting ridge, allowing for breezy to windy conditions
to occur through the Grande Ronde Valley as the pressure
gradients between the Lower Columbia Basin and the Treasure Valley
increase. This gradient will continue to strengthen through the
afternoon and evening to incur windy conditions through the Blue
Mountain foothills, Central Oregon, Ochoco-John Day Highlands,
Wallowa county, and the Grande Ronde Valley. A High Wind Warning
is currently in effect for these areas beginning late tonight and
extending until Monday afternoon as wind gusts of 50 to 65 mph
will be possible. Blowing snow will also be a concern in areas
with snowfall on the ground, which may lead to reduced
visibilities and hazardous travel - especially for high profile
vehicles and on east-west thoroughfares.
The incoming upper level trough will advect significant moisture
from the southwest and along the leading edge of the system,
initially providing snowfall over the Washington Cascades this
morning before extending south into the Oregon Cascades this
afternoon and eventually spilling over and along the east slopes
later this evening. Precipitation will continue through the Lower
Columbia Basin into Monday morning before slowly tapering off in
the late evening as the trough flattens due to a building upper
level ridge located off the west coast. Snow levels will be
increasing from Central Oregon and into the Lower Columbia Basin
through the day today, ranging from 2000-3500 feet by Monday
morning. This will keep the majority of precipitation at lower
elevations of the Basin as rain/wintry mix, however snow levels
will creep down into the Basin overnight into Tuesday to allow for
5-1.5 inches of snow to accumulate along the foothills of the
Blues and .1-.3 inches for lower elevations in the Basin. The
Cascades are expected to receive the bulk of their snowfall
tonight into Monday morning, as 10-20 inches will be possible
above 4000 feet, with the Blues picking up another 3-6 inches
during this timeframe. Winter Storm Warnings are already in effect
through the Washington and Oregon Cascades today through Monday
afternoon. A Winter Storm Watch has also been issued for the Blue
Mountains beginning Monday morning and extending through Tuesday
afternoon.
The trough axis continues east as the Pacific upper level ridge
continues to build, incurring northwest flow aloft to take over
beginning Tuesday morning and extending into the long term period.
This will keep snow falling along the Cascades and Blues into
Wednesday as snow amounts could reach into the 5-11 inch range
Tuesday. Temperatures will stay rather moderate through the
period, with highs staying in the upper 30s to low 40s and lows in
the upper 20s to low 30s across the Lower Columbia Basin. 75
LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...A series of weather
systems is expected to impact the pacnw through the extended. One
system is forecast to bring another round of rain/snow to WA/OR
Wednesday and Wednesday night on a slightly warmer southwesterly
flow aloft along with slowly rising snow levels. The bulk of the
pcpn should drift north into our WA zones by Thursday with some
drying possible mainly south of the OR/WA state line. Afternoon
temperatures are expected to climb above freezing and perhaps into
the 40s across central Oregon. Meanwhile the pcpn is expected to
return and effect the entire area by Friday. Although the gfs is
showing a potentially slower soln this weather system along with a
cold front is forecast to move across the region during the day
on Friday with lingering showers into Saturday and lowering snow
levels. The EOF patterns appear to be in line with the timing of
this system thus far. For the weekend drier conditions along with
colder temps are likely by Sunday although the timing appears to
be less certain.
AVIATION...lcl mvfr conditions are possible at taf site kdls
throughout the day in and near snow showers that are forecast to
effect and create similar conditions at taf sites kykm after 18z.
Otherwise a vigorous weather system will tighten pressure
gradients creating breezy to windy conditions at the remaining taf
sites after 20z while maintaining mostly vfr conditions. Wind
gusts over 40 mph are expected at taf sites kalw and kpdt after
04z.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 31 22 40 24 / 10 10 80 40
ALW 30 22 40 27 / 10 10 80 40
PSC 27 22 40 27 / 10 20 70 10
YKM 26 18 35 20 / 20 90 80 20
HRI 28 20 40 25 / 10 20 70 20
ELN 23 17 32 18 / 20 90 70 20
RDM 39 28 43 26 / 0 30 100 80
LGD 25 18 37 22 / 10 0 90 70
GCD 32 19 42 25 / 0 0 80 80
DLS 30 25 39 29 / 30 80 100 70
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...Winter Storm Warning from 4 PM this afternoon to 4 PM PST Monday
for ORZ509.
Wind Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 1 PM PST Monday for
ORZ510-511.
High Wind Warning from 7 PM this evening to 4 PM PST Monday for
ORZ049-050-506>508.
Winter Storm Watch from Monday afternoon through Tuesday
afternoon for ORZ502-503.
Wind Advisory until 10 AM PST this morning for ORZ049.
WA...Winter Storm Warning from 4 PM this afternoon to 4 PM PST Monday
for WAZ520-521.
High Wind Warning from 7 PM this evening to 4 PM PST Monday for
WAZ029.
Winter Storm Watch from Monday afternoon through Tuesday
afternoon for WAZ030.
Winter Weather Advisory from 4 PM this afternoon to 4 PM PST
Monday for WAZ026-027.
&&
SHORT TERM...75
LONG TERM....97
AVIATION...97The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 heavy snow, 6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The AWOS station KLGD measured a peak wind gust of 63 MPH at 0748 PST on Jan. 2nd. The mesonet station DW6879 1 mile south of Union, OR measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph at 0800 PST on Jan. 3rd.
A trained spotter 6 miles SSW of Three Rivers, OR measured 19 inches of new snow in a 24 hour period ending at 0800 PST on the Jan. 4th. The Cocorahs station OR-DS-35 2 miles WNW of Sisters, OR measured 14 inches of new snow over a 24 hour period ending at 0600 PST on Jan. 4th.
The Oregon DOT station OD181 at mile post 219 on west bound I-84 measured a 93 mph wind gust at 0606 PST on Jan. 3rd. The mesonet station AS881 4 miles ENE of Mission, OR measured a 68 mph wind gust at 1945 PST on Jan. 2nd.
The Oregon DOT station ODT43 5 miles WSW of Shaniko, OR measured a 69 mph wind gust at 0515 PST on Jan. 3rd. The North Pole Ridge RAWS station measured a 68 mph wing gust at 0248 PST on Jan. 3rd.
The SNOTEL site Madison Butte 17 miles S of Heppner, OR measured 8 inches of new snow at 0300 PST on Jan. 4th. The SNOTEL site Beaver Reservoir 14 miles SW of La Grande, OR measured 7 inches of new snow at 1200 PST on Jan. 4th.
The Cocorahs observer OR-DS-29 1.5 miles WSW of Bend, OR measured 7.5 inches of new snow at 0700 PST on Jan. 4th. The Co-Op observer PRI03 1.7 miles E of Prineville, OR measured 4 inches of new snow at 1000 PST on Jan. 4th.
The Rock Springs Snotel measured 6 inches of new snow over a 24 hour period ending at 1700 PST on Jan. 5th. A Cocorahs observer 7 miles NNW of Seneca, OR measured 6.4 inches of new snow at 0930 PST on Jan. 6th.
A trained spotter 10 miles E of Weston, OR measured 24 inches of new snow in a 48 hour period ending at 1700 PST on Jan. 4th. A report from a broadcast media report indicated that 14 inches of new snow had fallen 16 miles SE of Mission, OR at 0600 PST on Jan. 6th.
The SNOTEL site Bowman Springs 19 miles W of La Grande, OR measured 10 inches of new snow in a 24 hour period ending at 1600 PST on Jan. 5th. The SNOTEL site Lucky Strike 10 miles NNE of Ukiah, OR measured 9 inches of new snow in a 24 hour period ending at 1800 PST on Jan. 5th.
A social media report indicated 11 inches of new snow had fallen in Summerville, OR at 2132 PST on Jan. 5th. A Co-op observer 1 mile ENE of Cove, OR measured 5 inches of new snow in a 24 hour period ending at 0900 PST on Jan. 6th.
A social media report indicated 4 inches of new snow had fallen 1 mile SSE of Grass Valley, OR at 1938 PST on Jan. 5th. A social media report indicated 4 inches of new snow had fallen in Moro, OR at 0446 PST on Jan. 6th.
A Cocorahs observer 4 miles ESE of Mosier, OR measured 4.5 inches of new sow at 0700 PST on Jan. 6th.
The RAWS site PAF03 Patjens 8 miles WSW of Grass Valley, OR measured a 64 mph wind gust at 0948 PST on Jan. 7th. The RAWS site WSB03 Wasco Butte measured a 61 mph wind gust at 0914 PST on Jan. 7th.
The mesonet station AS881 4 miles ENE of Mission, OR measured a 61 mph wind gust at 0945 PST on Jan. 7th. The ASOS KPDT measured a 58 mph wind gust at 1235 PST on Jan. 7th.
The mesonet station XMRY 5 miles WSW of Rufus, OR measured a 67 mph wind gust at 1515 PST on Jan. 7th.
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, January 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: 1005172, 1005175, 1005173, 1005174, 1005183, 1005176, 1005180, 1005182, 1005185, 1005187, 1005181, 1005186, 1005188, 1005189, 1005190.