The flood of 1996 began with heavy snowfall and a cold snap. 4800 feet-- the elevation of Santiam Pass! Sad to see it go. The final system that brought in rain, wasnt overly impressive, but the ground was freezing. The average temperature for the month was only 6.3F. Water began rising in the city streets wit ice floes blocking the drains. Sorry, you have Javascript Disabled! brutal winters ever experienced in the Portland area. Vanderbilt Television News Archive Definition of silver thaw See more Columbus Day Storm photos from The Oregonian archives. ), Associated Press. Vol. 2008 was a year to remember, but its big Dec. 20-22 storm fell a few inches short of making the top 10 Portland snowstorms to hit downtown. Snow and Ice Probabilities Several persons narrowly escaped with their lives., In 1924, the Willamette River froze over, an occurrence more rare than the Columbia freezing. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; (Historically, snowfall has been measured in two locations: downtown and at either the Portland airport or nearby at the NWS office on Northeast 122nd Ave.). Over about a five-week period from December through mid-January, five separate winter storms plagued Oregon's largest city. But in the cold Taylor, George H. and Raymond R. Hatton. Portland had winds as high as 90 miles per hour. David Greenwald | The Oregonian/OregonLive Portland's been visited by a number of major storms and snowfalls over the decades. Predictably, the skies over Portland are overcast, forcing locals to watch the event on TV instead. This created a long list of power outages, property damage, and travel hurdles. Frozen Rivers! In places like Canby, it began to snow around . winter of 1919-1920 is still a record-holder in many categories This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Tidbit: 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Why? It was prehistoric-some place you just didn't want to be.". Storm Data. Briefing Department of Transportation worker John Loss strains to break a jam of debris that created a lake along U.S. 30 near the Linnton neighborhood in Portland. Most of those marks were so extreme that they are still easily As the '70s wheezed to an end, the larger musical world had already absorbed punk's meteor strike. Welcome! Omani c, OP: We need to protect LGBTQ+ kids To me that was like, they're warning parents? In the 19th century, snowy winters were more common, averaging 20 inches per year with a whopping 60 inches in 1891, the highest recorded snowfall in Portland. This pickup was a victim of a winter storm that took place from January 9-10, 1979, and a photo in the Oregonian on January 11, 1979 shows this truck taken from the street side. But Portland bands like the Wipers, Dead Moon and Poison Idea did much of the blueprint work for the grunge revolution. When snow is on the ground, it keeps the surface cold. Must have.". "You know the early punk thing where people would spit on bands? Heated Waterbeds. Heavy rains forced rivers over their banks, turning Thanksgiving into a nightmare for homeowners and travelers. However, the February 2021 ice storm was one of the most demanding ice storm to impact the Willamette Valley. The amount of snow compared to the amount of ice accumulation when the event was all wrapped up, was around 10 inches in Portland to 1 inch of ice (nearby communities). Roger Jensen/Oregonian file photo. We are long overdo for one. Students an, NEWS: President Percy speaks out on declining enro, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you out there. Because of the relatively warm Pacific Ocean air nearby. That analysis Leading up to February 11, weather models started to deliver a package of sub-freezing temperatures in our direction. "In that era, if you weren't from New York, L.A. or London, you didn't exist. Other historic records However, while the amount of snow has steadily decreased, snowstorms have suddenly recurred in the past few years. Sometimes this reaches the surface, other times it is a layer aloft that creates an icy scene due to sleet. snow anymore. The planes were damaged when strong winds pushed the crafts together. Material supplied by VTNA may be used for educational analysis or research only. Should we be prepared for more snow and ice events? Any editing, reproduction, publication, rebroadcast, public showing or public display may be prohibited by copyright laws. The KGW station in downtown Portland hit 31 degrees around 7 a.m., KGW meteorologist Chris McGinness said. We are looking According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's data from downtown Portland through the years, measured since 1880, here are the all-time biggest the city's seen so far. Watches, Warnings, & Advisories Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). View Local Storm Reports The storm delayed mail from Salem, slowing the legislature. 45 inches, a four-fold decrease, and one which They are horrible for infrastructure, but beautiful to behold. More than 100,000 homes had power outages. of living in true "Snow Belt" cities, with weeks-long The These totals didnt come from one single day event, it took a period of four days from start to finish. Today-when the slickest Nike product designer is apt to sport wicked tattoos-it's hard to imagine the horror inspired by punk's S&M-clad pioneers. Submit Report Every morning before I got up Id see the flashes and hear the sound of transformers blowing, and then take my shower and eat breakfast by candlelight. Hourly Forecast Graphs Floods are going to become more common, so its vital to learn how to prepare, no matter where you live. Lincoln and Tillamook County residents were forced to flee their homes because of widespread flooding. Quincy Scott illustation from the front page of The Oregonian on Feb. 9, 1933. jams and icebreakers at work on the rivers to keep the Port of The online Merriam-Webster dictionary has this entry: Bob Ellis/The Oregonian. REPORTER: Walter Cronkite. The worst of it: Temperatures dipping into the mid-teens. December 2016 was not as major, but notable due power outages and timing. Rivers and Lakes Text Products The storm delayed mail from Salem, slowing the legislature. On the Christmas Day prior, Grants neighbors across the river related in The Oregonian how the snow had risen to 10 feet in the Calapooya Mountains, creating dangerous conditions for miners. degrees establishing a record that still easily beats its closest By the end of January the snowpack in the Cascades was 112 percent of normal. . Looking back, the amount of snow Portland accumulated during the Feb. 11-14, 2021 storm was 10.1 inches. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning from 4 p.m. Thursday until 1 p.m. Friday, predicting a mix of light snow and freezing rain. Airport Forecasts October 19-21, 1949, Original caption published Dec. 26, 1964: An abandoned Christmas tree on the porch of home in Rufus tell the story of a town that longed for a white Christmas, but celebrated Christmas in the mud, digging out after a flood. January 14) only in 20th place, with a total of 21.3 inches. We'll send you a newsletter with what you need to know every week. Snow and ice storms are not unusual in Portlands weather history, but they have become more unusual over the past 50 years. The most notable events include; the bitterly cold winter of 1978-1979, the record setting snow storms of January 1980, the summer heat wave of August 1981, the windstorms of November 1981 and December 1995, the severe arctic blast of February 1989, the record flood of February 1996, the historic ice storm of January 2004, the Vancouver tornado . News accounts also indicate that the Interstate, Hawthorne, and Steel bridges were frozen closed. The Columbia River was almost frozen over with icebergs floating down the middle. Shirley ran the short-lived Revenge, stocking the rented hall with popcorn and soda liberated from a Salem movie theater. Activity Planner A winter storm blanketed the Pacific Northwest with ice and snow Saturday, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power and disrupting travel across the region. Climate Summaries This pickup was a victim of a winter storm that took place from January 9-10, 1979, and a photo in the Oregonian on January 11, 1979 shows this truck taken from the street side. how the snow had risen to 10 feet in the Calapooya Mountains, creating dangerous conditions for miners. View complete page of The Oregonian from January 16, 1950. Last year, Portland recorded 11.8 inches in January. var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', Forecast Discussion We didnt have a major sleet event (although there was a time of mixed precipitation), we had more of a freezing rain event, that lead to major ice accretion. With '60s idealism long gone rancid, punk's blaring sound and willfully obnoxious aesthetics found fertile soil in Oregon. We're still expecting sleet and frozen rain overnigh. of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers freezing over, with ice General Ulysses S. Grant recorded this in a letter to his wife while stationed at Fort Vancouver in, . We expect to see similar weather to last year when Portland was hit with. Office History totalled only about half of 1950's) Also of interest regarding The Christmas Weekend ice storm was the beginning of a long wet period; lots of (usually) weak weather systems bringing regular rainfall. winters of 1949 and 1950 gave stunned residents the experience States that have never been beaten. PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN) The Pacific Northwest's winter ice storm of 2022 is everything it was forecast to be: Frigid temperatures amid sleet, snow, high winds and a strong likelihood of. By decade's end. Although not frequent, it isnt rare. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Read all about Portlands worst winter storms, As we transition from fall to winter, snow has already hit Seattle, and colder than average weather is predicted for. shattered many records, combining both extreme cold and deep snowfalls. -- David Greenwalddgreenwald@oregonian.com Knott/19, Breathitt/8, Perry/7 Counties >39, 2022 July 15, dust storm, 21-vehicle pileup, I-90 near Hardin, Big Horn County, MT 6. Portland's been visited by a number of major storms and snowfalls over the decades. Unless, the cold air is so potent from the Gorge, that we can withstand the rush of warmer air. 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Taylor and Hatton: "A severe ice storm occurred in the Portland area as a very active and wet Pacific storm moved across the state. The people in the apartment building just to the north were unlucky enough to be without power for a week. To see this page as it is meant to appear, please enable your Javascript! Today's Portland scene is home both to throwbacks with Taliban-like faith in punk's fundamentals and experimental hybrid genres that would baffle the kids of the '70s. The article went on to say, The Columbia River is frozen from shore to shore at Cascade LocksIce was closing downstream too, and steel-hulled towboats were venturing to make the barge runs from Portland to Camas.. Oregonian news accounts report that after the ice storm 75,000 customers were without electrical power, and reported that ice in the area was 1-2 inches thick. Two record snow events were packaged into a 48-hour timeframe. Hamilton Hotel was located at 1024 SW 3rd Ave. Now the Hatfield Federal Courthouse. These five girls took advantage of a snowstorm in 1890 to do some sledding in the South Park Blocks. @tonygreiner typically in Portland it is when it rains ice droplets that cling to everything in sight and the weight of the ice on trees, branches etc can cause them to snap and break. Space Weather It was like that. We started the day with bitter cold temperatures and high winds that knocked down trees and power lines. Lownsdale Square after a winter storm, 1979. Jan 10/AP: .a three-day ice storm in Oregon closed schools and offices in Portland froze traffic on the Columbia River and left thousands without electricity. December, Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. Silver Thaw noun records are found for cities Tired old men with sunken cheeks stand outside the card room entrance smoking cigarettes. Frank Ivancie, 94, American businessman and politician, Mayor of Portland, Oregon (1980-1985). The surface charts tell the story from a meteorological perspective. It isnt the first time that it has happened. Lord Toby Jug, 53, British politician. (Studio) Ice storm in Portland, OR, reported Scenes shown from KOIN-TV newstape. Paul Loikith, a climate scientist at Portland State University, has more about climate change and the projection of ice storms in the future: I dont think that we need to worry much about climate change causing ice storms to get worse or more frequent in the Willamette valley or in Portland. The Storm began to unfold with an unexpected heavy snow storm on the morning of New Years Day, which was Thursday, January 1st. The Gorge is at a heightened position for this type of winter weather, but the valley is shortly behind. The highest temperature in the first ten days of the month at Portland Airport was 33F, and lows were in the teens. Sewing Circle! 110 Twenty-first Avenue South, Suite 704 Nashville, TN 37203, USA. If you are experiencing playback problems, check the minimum requirements and adjust your setup accordingly. of 14 degrees. WW critics view the resulting images, on display at Marylhurst's Mayer Gallery, with a certain disdain. * A new technology-the color copier- re-energizes a flagging art form: Xeroxing your naked body. clearly supports the unscientific "feelings" of many Although it is difficult to bring all the pieces together at once, it happens. recent severe winter cold waves, click here. Required fields are marked *. River Graphs One person died and several people were seriously injured in the October 1967 storm. Safety & Preparedness indicate that December 1884 had very deep snows followed by subzero The highest temperature in the first ten days of the month at Portland Airport was 33F, and lows were in the teens. Hahahaha. In the course of nearly 30 years, the micro-underground founded by Sage, Shirley and their comrades has mutated into a sprawling local music ecosystem. After 2 blocks of white knuckling, I turned around! This should continue for the immediate future. You can also email photos and videos to news@koin.com or share them on our Weather Photos page. With a cold winter predicted for 201718, it would be a good idea to stock up on boots, gloves, a de-icer, and snow tires. setting all-time record lows for the dates that in 2011 have still Most of Portland's underground music pioneers were bored locals. It started with a rush of arctic air coming straight from the belly of the beast, the Columbia Basin. I remember afterward they even allowed limited backyard burning of storm debris. Never lift storm drain grates. Organization Its possible there may be up to an inch of ice for some locations, with the west hills getting between a quarter- and a half-inch, with downtown Portland getting a tenth of an inch of ice. Wer, Eric Sterns one-man old world variety show, Two-alarm fire in Park Plaza apartment sends one resident to hospital, PSU students join thousands of demonstrators at #J20 protest. We expect to see similar weather to last year when Portland was hit with five snowstorms in a five week period. Instant Silver Thaw memory. At least 200,000 people remained without power in the Portland, Oregon, area Sunday after a winter storm blanketed the Pacific Northwest with ice and snow and made travel treacherous. showed a pronounced and steady decline in Portland snowfall over var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, 1999, p. early-season cold invasion occurred approx. Universal experiences, News: PSU students navigate enrollment Two men die from exposure. We should absolutely be prepared for more ice events and snow events. A strong wind gradient with the dense winter air, allowed for that cold east wind to take over. Out east, so much electric was pulled down. 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Five people died in the storm. (Taylor and Hatton. On the Christmas Day prior, Grants neighbors across the river related in. the icy Willamette River in downtown Portland, eg. (Btw, PGE really sucks at updating) even the steel arms streetlights mount to were bent down. We lost all the tops out of our fir trees and ending up with 1982: Smithsonian Letters Some NW regionalisms silver thaw = Freezing rain that coats everything with clear (silver) ice. DARE Vol. Hemp protein powder provides a convenient way to get the nutrients necessary to maintain a healthy diet. We call this a wind shift and a deal-breaker for valley snow. Street corner lacking trees on 2nd and Oak. Was this event rare? (see below). People walk by a collapsed tree in Lake Oswego, Ore., Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. Text Products It was prehistoric-some place you just didn't want to be." Isolated from the centers of cosmopolitan cool, the locals made their own fun. s); })(). PORTLAND, Ore. Thousands of people in the Portland metro area were without power Friday as the region deals with the impacts of an ice storm that . This was a record amount for a single snowstorm. Wild winds pried this 150-pound metal cross from the First Evangelical Church of North America at 921 S.W. Your photos from February 14-15, 2021. Portland open! Required fields are marked *. By the time I got home in the evening, power had long been restoredbecause the power for the VA Hospital ran down Gaines, and they wanted to get it off generators as soon as possible. "Our scene was small," he says. ranging all up and down the West Coast, from Olympia, WA (23 degrees), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Hotel_(Portland,_Oregon). The channels that are built in between the Cascades, are the funnels that keep injecting the Willamette Valley with cold air. Ice Storm 2004 was decidedly puny in comparison to many Above is the abstract of the item that you're interested in viewing from the Vanderbilt Television News Archive's collection. Portland, Oregon-- long-term cold and snow records and ice storms and silver thaws We are looking back to the very beginnings of climate reporting in the Portland area, circa 1874. * The Oregon Dairy Products Commission defends its failure to use black models in its billboards by claiming that "blacks can't digest milk.". Text Products I remember that extremely cold winter of 1978-79 very well. IV P-Sk pp. * Portland historian E. Kimbark MacColl publishes The Growth of a City, an influential look at Portland power and politics in the first half of the century. With a number of transmission lines and substations knocked out of service and additional tree limbs at risk of falling on power lines amid more expected freezing . Sally Brown found her car buried under the deep covering. back to the very beginnings of climate reporting in the Portland The rest of the world calls it an ice storm. Climate Graphs 'UA-22158412-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() 503-294-7625; @davidegreenwald that had been set in 1888, and both marks still standing tall It was not uncommon for the Columbia River to freeze over, allowing people to walk across it. All NOAA. Theyll continue to occur for quite a while. The Oregonian on January 1, 1979 forecast a high of 25 and low temp. PSU student club celebrates Omani heritage However, while the amount of snow has steadily decreased, snowstorms have suddenly recurred in the past few years. The brutal winter of 1950 delivered 41 inches of snow to the. Wind speeds of 100 to 115 mph were recorded along the Oregon Coast. Freezing rain left. Accessed 7-21-2018 at: https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-8BC0A3ED-2187-4C7F-BE98-52110FE6327B.pdf. This provincial movement of the socially desperate packed unexpected aftershocks. By decade's end they created a buzzing milieu of neo-Beat poetry readings, all-ages shows and Dadaist costume balls, staged in catch-as-catch-can venues. ", TIMELINE: 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004, FEATURES: Hell on Wheels: John Callahan | Neil Goldschmidt's Web of Power | Gus Van Zant: The Camera Man | Homer's Odyssey: Matt Groening | Quadruple Expresso: MAX Makes Tracks | Nike's Achilles' Heel | Biting Our Time: Restaurants Revisited | Highway to Hell. StormReady Keep an eye on Oregonlive.com for weather updates, road conditions and school closure information. Portland, Oregon, Ice Storm. (1979-1986), deputy speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly (1968-1979), MLA (1978-1985). It was not uncommon for the Columbia River to freeze over, allowing people to walk across it. The region could get up to an inch of . Tours It was mostly a snow event for those north of Portland altogether. The term itself is obsolete for all but the diehards.