Heavy Snow — Central Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

2017-12-24 · Central Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Event narrative

Spotter reported 4.8 inches of snow nearby in Cascade Locks, and across the river in Underwood there was a CoCoRaHS report of 4.4 inches of snow.

Wider weather episode

Low pressure system moving into the Pacific Northwest pulled cold air from the Columbia Basin west into the Willamette Valley, through the Columbia River Gorge. As this system started to bring moisture and precipitation into NW Oregon, temperatures were around or below freezing, allowing for a mix of snow and ice to fall all the way to the Valley Floor around the Portland Metro, in the Columbia River Gorge, and the Hood River Valley.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 732716. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.