Blizzard — Blue Mountains, Oregon

2001-11-28 · Blue Mountains, Oregon

Wider weather episode

A blizzard struck Wallowa County during the morning. A wind gust of 64 mph was recorded at 10:30 am 3 miles north of Joseph. 20 large trees were downed a Wallowa Lake State Park, which is 7 mile north of Joseph. One tree fell across a summer cabin, causing extensive damage. Power was lost to the state park for 10 hours as power lines were cut by falling trees in several places. Law enforcement reported blizzard conditions along highway 82 between Minam and Joseph. During the late morning and early afternoon, visibilities were reduced to 500 feet as 3 to 8 inches of snow fell along this route. Over higher terrain in the northern part of the county, snow amounts were higher. One foot of snow fell in Flora at an elevation of 4400 feet.The Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon also experienced blizzard conditions. By late morning, every road across the northern Blue Mountains was closed. Numerous fallen trees closed Highway 204 near Tollgate. Interstate-84 became impassable near Meacham due to winds and poor visibility. Highway 395 was closed near Battle Mountain due to an overturned tractor-trailer.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5272753. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.