January 2012 Pacific Northwest snowstorm

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January 2012 Pacific Northwest snowstorm
High water from Mill Creek inducing minor flooding in Salem, Oregon
Satellite view of Oregon and Washington on January 23, 2012, showing clouds and snow
Type Extratropical cyclone
Winter storm
Blizzard
Ice storm
Formed January 16, 2012
Dissipated January 20, 2012
Lowest pressure 992 mb (29.3 inHg)
Maximum snowfall or ice accretion 50 in (1,300 mm) snowfall — reported in Mount Hood Meadows, Oregon
Damage $50 million (2012 USD)
Areas affected Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, British Columbia

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]

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

File:OR 22 offramp to West Salem (6738255817).jpg
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

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  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ 19.00 19.01 19.02 19.03 19.04 19.05 19.06 19.07 19.08 19.09 19.10 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

  • Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons
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