Heavy Snow — Central Columbia River Gorge, Washington

2022-01-03 · Central Columbia River Gorge, Washington

Event narrative

A very active frontal system brought heavy snow to the Columbia River Gorge on the 3rd with snow totals between 12 and 22 inches. This resulted in the closure of SR-14 which connects western and eastern Oregon and Washington.

Wider weather episode

The first of two strong Pacific fronts brought high winds to the coast as well as gusty winds to the Willamette Valley and interior lowlands of southwest Washington. This storm generated large seas impacting the coastline, and combined with rising river levels and high astronomical tides, resulted in some flooding along the coast due to poor drainage. In addition to the wind and rain, heavy snow fell in the mountains and in the Columbia River Gorge where transportation corridors between western and eastern Oregon and Washington were temporarily closed due the heavy snow accumulation.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1004960. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.