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; 12 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, 2:42 PM PST, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
242 PM PST Sun Jan 2 2022
Updated aviation discussion
...SHORT TERM... Tonight through Tuesday night...The last remnants
of a ridge of high pressure will move eastward this evening as the
next winter storm moves ashore in western Washington and Oregon.
It will then impact the Cascades through the evening and overnight
hours bringing copious amounts of snow. Some nearby areas will
see precipitation overnight. Finally, during Monday the moisture
begins to work eastward and affect other areas of the region.
Southwesterly flow ahead of the approaching storm will increase as
the pressure gradient tightens between this storm and high pressure
to the east. This will allow for increasing winds beginning tonight,
especially over the Blue Mountain Foothills, central Oregon, and the
Grand Ronde Valley, where they it has been quite windy all day. High
wind warnings and wind advisories have been posted for these
locations. The increasing southwesterly flow will also bring in
warmer air, and temperatures will rise through the night, with
many areas reaching their lows this evening. The winds will
continue quite strong through the day on Monday. With gusty winds
and snow on the ground, blowing snow can be expected.
Behind the main trough and cold frontal passage on Monday, northwest
flow sets up over the area, going into Tuesday and continuing into
Tuesday night. This will set up for additional snow, mainly over the
mountains. Therefore, have upgrade winter storm watches to
warning for the Blues, all other headlines are unchanged.
Temperatures look to finally moderate a bit, with highs Monday and
Tuesday mainly in the 30s and 40s. Tuesday, will probably be a
couple degrees cooler than Monday. Overnight lows will be in the 20s
and 30s.
.LONG TERM...
Wednesday through Sunday...EOFs show general minor discrepancies in
both timing and amplitude of upper ridge over the Pacific NW through
the period. It does flatten the ridge on Friday as a weak
disturbance moves through the flow. This scenario is reflected well
in the Ensemble means too. As the ridge builds into the region,
isentropic lift will provide widespread precipitation Wednesday and
Thursday. The precipitation will begin to taper off Friday over the
Basin, but continue over the mountains into Saturday. By late
Saturday, the atmosphere begins to dry out under the northwest flow
aloft as the next ridge builds off the coast. At this time, Sunday
appears to be a dry day, even for the mountains. Daytime highs will
begin below normal on Wednesday, warm to above normal Thursday
through Saturday, and back to normal Sunday. Earle
&&
.AVIATION...
00Z TAFs...VFR conditions will decrease to MVFR or less as ceilings
fall and a mix of precipitation begins to spread across the region,
except KDLS will remain MVFR or less through the period. Windy
conditions are expected along the Blue Mountain Foothills and
Central Oregon tonight and continue into late morning. Winds will be
generally 10 kts or less at KDLS and KYKM. However, winds will pick
up dramatically this evening at KPDT, KALW, KRDM and KBDN to 25-35
kts with higher gusts and continue into late morning before dropping
to 10-20 kts in the afternoon. Earle
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 23 43 27 38 / 0 80 20 40
ALW 24 41 30 39 / 0 80 20 20
PSC 22 41 29 39 / 10 70 10 10
YKM 18 34 18 34 / 90 90 20 20
HRI 20 44 27 38 / 10 80 10 30
ELN 17 29 18 29 / 80 80 10 50
RDM 30 40 25 41 / 10 100 70 40
LGD 21 38 23 33 / 0 80 80 60
GCD 23 38 25 37 / 0 70 80 50
DLS 26 38 30 38 / 60 90 40 60
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...Winter Storm Warning until 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
ORZ050-506>508.
Winter Storm Warning from noon Monday to 4 PM PST Tuesday for
ORZ502-503.
High Wind Warning until 4 PM PST Monday for ORZ049.
WA...Winter Storm Warning until 4 PM PST Monday for WAZ520-521.
High Wind Warning from 7 PM this evening to 4 PM PST Monday for
WAZ029.
Winter Storm Warning from noon Monday to 4 PM PST Tuesday for
WAZ030.
Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM PST Monday for WAZ026-027.
&&
SHORT TERM...77
LONG TERM....81
AVIATION...81PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
101 PM PST SUN JAN 2 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1156 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 SSE ISLAND CITY 45.27N 118.00W
01/02/2022 M59 MPH UNION OR AWOS
AWOS STATION KLGD LA GRANDE/UNION COUNTY
AIRPORT.
1042 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 SSE MISSION 45.60N 118.64W
01/02/2022 M56 MPH UMATILLA OR MESONET
MESONET STATION OD181 I84 WB AT MISSION
MP219.61.
1215 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 ENE MISSION 45.68N 118.58W
01/02/2022 M58 MPH UMATILLA OR MESONET
MESONET STATION AS881 PENDLETON.
1252 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 SSE MISSION 45.58N 118.62W
01/02/2022 M57 MPH UMATILLA OR MESONET
MESONET STATION OD184 I84 WB AT CABBAGE HILL
MP222.35.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
355 PM PST SUN JAN 2 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 7 SSE LA GRANDE 45.23N 118.01W
01/02/2022 M62 MPH UNION OR MESONET
MESONET STATION ODT18 7.4 S ISLAND CITY
(ODOT).
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
11 heavy snow, 3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A Cocorahs observer 17 miles NW of Roslyn, WA measured 17 inches of new snow in a 24 hour period ending at 0700 PST on Jan. 3rd. A public report indicated 12 inches of new snow had fallen 12 miles NW of Tieton, WA at 1000 PST on Jan. 3rd.
A trained spotter 10 miles NE of Goldendale, WA measured 11 inches of new snow in a 24 hour period ending at 1600 PST on Jan. 3rd. A trained spotter 16 miles WSW of Goldendale, WA measured 7 inches of new snow in a 24 hour period ending at 1600 PST on Jan. 3rd.
A Cocorahs observer 2 miles ENE of West Valley, WA measured 7.4 inches of new snow in a 24 hour period ending at 0700 PST on Jan. 3rd. A trained spotter 3 miles E of Selah measured 5 inches of new snow at 1000 PST on Jan. 3rd.
The Cocorahs observer WA-KL-16 1 mile NW of White Salmon, WA measured 15 inches of new snow at 0700 PST on Jan. 3rd.
The Cocorahs observer WA-KL-6 near White Salmon, WA measured 7 inches of new snow at 0700 PST on Jan. 4th.
The Ski Bluewood ski area 18 miles SSE of Dayton, WA measured 14 inches of new snow in a 24 hour period ending at 0446 PST on Jan. 5th.
The Co-op observer at the Easton Dam in NW Easton measured 27 inches of new snow in a 24 hour period ending at 0800 PST on Jan. 6th. The Cocorahs observer WA-KT-7 8.9 miles E of Cle Elum, WA measured 18.5 inches of new snow at 0700 PST on Jan. 6th.
A media partner indicated 15 inches of new snow had accumulated 5 miles WSW of Ellensburg, WA at 0652 PST on Jan. 6th. A public report indicated 18 inches of new snow had accumulated 1 mile ENE of Ellensburg, WA at 0730 PST on Jan. 6th.
The Co-op observer SNNW1 at Sunnyside, WA measured 6 inches of new snow at 0730 PST on Jan. 6th. A trained spotter 3 miles E of Selah, WA measured 13 inches of new snow at 0814 PST on Jan. 6th.
A social media report indicated 6 inches of new snow accumulated in Benton City, WA at 0730 PST on Jan. 6th. A Cocorahs observer 3 miles SSW of Richland, WA measured 7.5 inches of new snow at 0700 PST on Jan. 6th.
A Cocorahs observer 1 mile WNW of White Salmon, WA measured 7 inches of new snow at 0700 PST on Jan. 6th.
The mesonet station HWYEB 10.9 N West Richland measured a 80 mph wind gust at 0500 PST on Jan. 7th. The ASOS KPSC measured a 59 mph wind gust at 1435 PST on Jan. 7th.
The mesonet station AV493 Maryhill 8 miles SSE of Goldendale, WA measured a 75 mph wind gust at 1016 PST on Jan. 7th. The mesonet station FW8280 Lyle 14 miles ENE of Bingen, WA measured a 61 mph wind gust at 0930 PST on Jan. 7th.
The mesonet station XLOR Loroc Island Light 27 27 miles S of Mabton, WA measured a 61 mph wind gust at 1151 PST on Jan. 7th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, 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: 1005192, 1005193, 1005194, 1005195, 1005196, 1005198, 1005200, 1005202, 1005203, 1005204, 1005197, 1005206, 1005205, 1005208.