Heavy Snow — Northern Blue Mountains, Oregon

2021-12-18 to 2021-12-20 · Northern Blue Mountains, Oregon

Event narrative

The Milk Shakes SNOTEL reported 10 inches of new snow during the snow event period. The High Ridge SNOTEL also reported 10 inches of new snow during the snow event period.

Wider weather episode

An upper level weather system pushed a cold front into the Pacific Northwest late Dec. 18th, where the frontal boundary had stalled across southeast Washington and northeast Oregon through Dec. 20th where the stationary frontal boundary had weakened in the afternoon. As a result, bands of rain, freezing rain, and snow were produced across portions of the forecast area during the 19th and 20th, with snow being reported across the lower elevations in the Columbia Basin and mountain locations across southeast Washington and northeast Oregon.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1004288. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.