January 2012 Pacific Northwest snowstorm

The January 2012 Pacific Northwest snowstorm was a large extratropical cyclone that brought record snowfall to the Pacific Northwest in January 2012.[1] The storm produced very large snowfall totals, reaching up to 50 inches (1,300 mm) in Oregon.[2] A 110 mph (180 km/h) wind gust was reported at Otter Rock, Oregon.[3] A mother and child were killed in Oregon after the car they were in slid into a creek,[4][5] while a man was killed in the Seattle area.[6] About 200,000 homes were without power in the Greater Seattle area after the storm.[6]

January 2012 Pacific Northwest snowstorm
Satellite view of Oregon and Washington on January 23, 2012, showing clouds and snow
TypeExtratropical cyclone
Winter storm
Blizzard
Ice storm
FormedJanuary 16, 2012
DissipatedJanuary 20, 2012
Lowest pressure992 mb (29.3 inHg)
Maximum snowfall or ice accretion50 in (1,300 mm) snowfall — reported in Mount Hood Meadows, Oregon
Damage$50 million (2012 USD)
Casualties3 fatalities
Areas affectedWashington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, British Columbia

Meteorological synopsis

The storm was first noted just off the coast of British Columbia on January 16, with a central pressure of 1,018 millibars (30.1 inHg).[7] The center of the low pressure area had then moved south to about 300 miles (480 km) off the Oregon Coast. At the same time, the storm had attained peak intensity of 992 millibars (29.3 inHg).[8] The storm then began to move closer to the coastline, and by 2000 UTC on January 18, the storm was located about 40 miles (64 km) off the coast of Washington.[3] By 0200 UTC the next day, 28.9 inches (730 mm) of snow had already fallen in Stanley, Idaho.[9]

Impact

United States

The National Weather Service (NWS) began issuing severe weather warnings for the whole of the Pacific Northwest on January 17 and 18. A hurricane-force wind warning was issued for offshore Oregon at about 1600 UTC on January 18.[10] A storm warning was also issued for parts of California and Oregon.[11] Numerous flights were cancelled due to heavy snow and rain.[12] The NWS office in Missoula, Montana, said that this storm ranked in the top seven of the top snowfall events in the area.[13]

Interstate 5 near Centralia, Washington, was closed temporarily due to powerlines brought down by snowfall; the standard detour route was also blocked by trees and powerlines.[14] Amtrak service between Portland and Seattle was canceled due to trees and debris left on tracks.[15] More than 12 Oregon highways were closed due to storm damage, and many more were partly closed.[16] Oregon Route 213 near Molalla closed for several days due to an undermined roadbed beside a culvert.[17]

Non-winter weather events

Rainfall
Flooding of the Willamette River in Salem, Oregon, in the aftermath of the storm

A Pineapple Express event brought heavy precipitation to Western Oregon,[18] generally more so than to western Washington, with most precipitation in the form of rain instead of snow. Eugene broke its precipitation record for January 18, and Salem came within 0.07 inches (1.8 mm) of breaking its record for January 19.[19] The weather was attributed to La Niña.[18]

Precipitation recorded at select Pacific Northwest locations, January 18–20
Place Precipitation (inches)
Salem, Oregon[19]
5.25
Eugene, Oregon[19]
4.34
Astoria, Oregon[19]
4.10
Portland, Oregon[19]
3.50
Olympia, Washington[19]
3.05
Tofino, British Columbia[20]
2.31
Seattle, Washington[19]
1.91
Medford, Oregon[19]
1.74
Quillayute Airport (Washington)[19]
1.37
Victoria, British Columbia[21]
0.94
Klamath Falls, Oregon[19]
0.83
Vancouver, British Columbia[22]
0.72
Redmond, Oregon[19]
0.25

See also

References
  1. Brown, Dan (17 January 2012). "Conditions Improving". WGGB. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  2. "Storm Summary Number 7 for Western U.S. Winter Storm". Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 4 December 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  3. "Storm Summary Number 3 for Western U.S. Winter Storm". Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. NOAA. Archived from the original on 1 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  4. "Storm Paralyzes Northwest, Killing One". The Wall Street Journal. 19 January 2012. Archived from the original on 22 January 2012.
  5. Wilson, Kimberly A.C. (19 January 2012). "Family member finds body of Albany woman in Periwinkle Creek". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
  6. "Child Dies During Pacific Northwest Storm". Huffington Post. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  7. "North American surface analysis January 16, 2012 09z". Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. NOAA. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  8. "Storm Summary Number 2 for Western U.S. Winter Storm". Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. NOAA. Archived from the original on 4 December 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  9. "Storm Summary Number 4 for Western U.S. Winter Storm". Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. NOAA. Archived from the original on 3 December 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  10. "Hurricane Force Wind Warning". National Weather Service. NOAA. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  11. "Storm Warning". National Weather Service. NOAA. Archived from the original on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  12. "Winter storm cancels some flights to Pacific Northwest". Mercury News. 18 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  13. "Public Information Statement". National Weather Service. NOAA. Archived from the original on 20 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  14. "Both directions of I-5 near Centralia back open". KPTV. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  15. "Amtrak service canceled between Portland and Seattle". KPTV. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  16. "ODOT's Oregon highway status report". KPTV. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  17. "Highway 213 could be closed in Molalla area for days". KPTV. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  18. Pierce, Steve (January 19, 2012). "La Nina Slams Pacific Northwest – Editorial Blog". Community.statesmanjournal.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  19. "Quality Controlled Local Climatological Data". National Climatic Data Center. NOAA. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  20. "Daily Data Report for January 2012: Tofino A, British Columbia". National Climate Data and Information Archive. Environment Canada. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  21. "Daily Data Report for January 2012: Victoria Int'l A, British Columbia". National Climate Data and Information Archive. Environment Canada. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  22. "Daily Data Report for January 2012: Vancouver Int'l A, British Columbia". National Climate Data and Information Archive. Environment Canada. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
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