OREGON AMS

WINTER WEATHERWRAP UP

Mark Nelsen

A Big Start turns

into a Big Snooze

“Classic El Nino”

WINTER 2009-2010

Winter Quiz

A) On the shoulder

B) In your driveway

C) In the middle lane

D) Just stay at home

Winter Quiz

A) On the shoulder

B) In your driveway

C) In the middle lane

D) Just stay at home

Winter Quiz

Huge Coastal Swell First WeekCape Disappointment – Photo By Tyler Mode

NOVEMBER 2009

Lots of lightning off/onshore continues… A crazy Fall on the Oregon Coast!

NOVEMBER 2009

November 6th…Lincoln City Tornado! Rated EF-0, Windspeed 65-85 mph

No fatalities or injuries

11 Homes damaged, 3 cars, 3 decks

Damage Path: 150 m X 80 m

NOVEMBER 2009

November 6th…Lincoln City Tornado! Rated EF-0, Windspeed 65-85 mph

No fatalities or injuries

11 Homes damaged, 3 cars, 3 decks

Damage Path: 150 m X 80 m

NOVEMBER 2009

Coastal Windstorm: November 16th Gradient didn’t line up for 50+ wind in Valley

NOVEMBER 2009

Heavy Snow in Cascades Rest of the Month Earliest opening at Mt. Hood Ski Bowl (3,700’) in years

NOVEMBER 2009

A decent valley windstorm…late Saturday night, November

22nd Low tracks by just north of KLS…quick southwest surge: 51 mph @ PDX

NOVEMBER 2009

Quiet Thanksgiving Week November 29th: First signs of Cold Air 6-7 Days Away!

NOVEMBER 2009

The Big Freeze Arrives Early In Month

Unusually early and dry…dewpoints below zero westside

DECEMBER 2009

The Big Freeze Arrives Early In Month

First Very Cold Morning…Dec. 8th

DECEMBER 2009

The Big Freeze Arrives Early In Month

Second Very Cold Morning…Dec. 9th

DECEMBER 2009

The Big Freeze Arrives Early In Month

Third Very Cold Morning…Dec. 10th

DECEMBER 2009

The Big Freeze Arrives Early In Month

Drain Your Pool in the Fall!

DECEMBER 2009

Freeze Leads to Big Snow/Ice Storm

Actually it didn’t…what a waste of cold air!

DECEMBER 2009

Chilly, lots of sun 2nd half of month.

The “Big Surprise” on December 29th…Trace-5” Snow!

DECEMBER 2009

Gusty East Wind 1st Week: Fun at Vista House

Weather Geeks go National!

JANUARY

Gusty East Wind 1st Week: Fun at Vista House

Keely Chalmers and Steve Pierce in a tender embrace…

JANUARY

Huge soaking of rain the first week (before sun & wind)

Ski Conditions head downhill

JANUARY

Sleepy Weather Time: Storms split or head to California

Very Warm…warmest January on record some spots

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2010

Sleepy Weather Time: Storms split or head to California

Very Warm…warmest January on record some spots

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2010

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

89-90

90-91

91-92

92-93

93-94

94-95

95-96

96-97

97-98

98-99

99-00

00-01

01-02

02-03

03-04

04-05

05-06

06-07

07-08

08-09

09-10

912

26

2018

1614

2624

11

2624

26 27

18

2422

19

2320

12

21 Winters At PDXWinter Minimum Temperature

2009-2010 SNOWFALL

2.5”(At Portland Forecast Office)

Earliest 1” at PDX: Nov. 11th, 1955

Latest 1” at PDX: Mar.10th, 1951(Since 1941)

0

5

10

15

20

25

99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10

1 0.1 0.6 0

12.3

01.9

3.5

0

24.2

2.5

Portland SnowfallThe Last 11 Years (Inches)

0

50

100

150

200

250

1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

Portland Snow By DecadeThe Last 130+ Years (In Inches)

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

84-85

85-86

86-87

87-88

88-89

89-90

90-91

91-92

92-93

93-94

94-95

95-96

96-97

97-98

98-99

99-00

00-01

01-02

02-03

03-04

04-05

05-06

06-07

07-08

08-09

09-10

52 53

48

53

6163

52

45

60

55

5962

51

45

51

59

4447

4947 48

5653

48 4951

Yearly Peak Wind Gust at PDX in MPH(All southerly except yellow=easterly)

First snow below 3,000’ since December!

Snowpack make up time…

Government Camp = 108”Snowiest March since 1976-1977

MARCH

Mountain Snowpack

Courtesy NRCS – Oregon Office

Mountain Snowpack

Courtesy NRCS – Oregon Office

First half was “normal”,

then rains kick in 2nd

week in May.

3rd Wettest May at PDX

- 4.75” (double the average)

SPRING 2010(March-May)

Several

“unusually windy”

fronts.

April 2nd & 5th

- 47 & 46 mph @ PDX

May 19th

- 45 mph @ PDX(48 mph is highest ever in May)

SPRING 2010(March-May)

Cool & Wet

Wettest ever at PDX

- 4.27”

Latest (first) 80 degree

temp at PDX

- June 12th

JUNE

Very Short!

11

SUMMER 2010

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

6087

-88

88-8

9

1989

-199

0

90-9

1

91-9

2

92-9

3

93-9

4

94-9

5

95-9

6

96-9

7

97-9

8

98-9

9

1999

-200

0

00-0

1

01-0

2

02-0

3

03-0

4

04-0

5

05-0

6

06-0

7

07-0

8

08-0

9

2009

-201

0

---AVERAGE------------------------------------------------------------------

Good Luck

Forecasters!