Winter Weather — Southern Willamette Valley, Oregon

2007-12-20 · Southern Willamette Valley, Oregon

Event narrative

A cold, unstable airmass settled over the area in the wake of a cold frontal passage. An automobile accident occurred on icy roadways when a hailstorm covered roadways with a few inches of hail in the Brownsville area. The accident occurred after a car slid into another lane and collided with a logging semi-truck.

Wider weather episode

A potent Pacific storm and associated cold front brought strong winds to the coast and heavy snow to the Cascades. Behind the front in the unstable airmass, snow levels dropped and cold air hung over the forecast area. Three car crashes were reported, one due to hail on the road, and two due to slick roads, which resulted in four indirect fatalities.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 70557. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.