Heavy Snow — Cascades in Lane County, Oregon

2020-01-13 · Cascades in Lane County, Oregon

Event narrative

The Cascade Summit SNOTEL (CSTO3) at 5100 feet elevation reported 13 inches of snow over 12 hours.

Wider weather episode

A broad upper level trough resided over much of the western United States and Canada, with a baroclinic zone and strong jet stream pointed towards southern Oregon and the Great Basin. The strong jet combined with strong surface onshore flow and steep lapse rates maintined snow showers over the region. This created the necessary conditions for a a heavy snow event at elevations above 2000 feet.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 873239. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.