Winter Storm — Western Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

2014-11-13 · Western Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Event narrative

A combination of heavy snow and ice resulted in slick driving conditions for the Western Columbia River Gorge. Areas in the gorge measured a quarter of an inch of ice whereas other areas had 5 to 8 inches of snow.

Wider weather episode

An early cold snap hit the Pacific Northwest before moist Pacific air moved in and resulted in one of the earliest snow, sleet, and freezing rain events in northwestern Oregon. Sleet and freezing rain in particular created hazardous commutes for tens of thousands in the western and eastern suburbs of Portland. Farther south, 1/2 of freezing rain accumulated on trees in the coast range foothills outside of Corvallis and Dallas, Oregon. Upwards of a quarter of an inch of ice fell around Dallas, Oregon. Some snow fell, but accumulations were primarily restricted to the Cascade valleys and the central Columbia River Gorge.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 548508. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.