Heavy Snow — Southern Willamette Valley, Oregon

2014-02-06 · Southern Willamette Valley, Oregon

Event narrative

Snow came fast and furious into the South Willamette Valley and continued heavy at times throughout the day. Most locations saw 5 to 10 inches of snow. The highest measured snow amounts follow. Two trained spotters reported 11.5 inches of snow at Corvallis and 9.3 inches of snow at Philomath. A public report provided 9 inches in Albany, and an amateur HAM radio operator relayed 7 inches of snow in Halsey.

Wider weather episode

A preceding cold arctic air mass combined with a moist Pacific storm resulted in widespread heavy snow for Northwest Oregon including the coast and the Willamette Valley. Warmer air quickly moved in from the south mid-morning and the snow changed to freezing rain. East winds through the Columbia River Gorge maintained colder air to the north where the precipitation fell mainly as snow.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 506569. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.