Portland open! The National Weather Service can't predict when the freeze will ease, because the storm cuts power to its Portland computers. No one was reported injured at this location. The Storm began to unfold with an unexpected heavy snow storm on the morning of New Years Day, which was Thursday, January 1st. The next day it was nearly 100 degrees warmer when the high reached 45 degrees. The Portland International Airport was shut down for almost three full days, stranding thousands of passengers. Out east, so much electric was pulled down. Portland General Electric also reported numerous outages. (Associated Press. I remember afterward they even allowed limited backyard burning of storm debris. Portland's all-time record low was set on February 2, 1950 at 3 below zero. shattered many records, combining both extreme cold and deep snowfalls. Your email address will not be published. The Columbia has not frozen since 1949 and is unlikely to now with the implementation of dams. (Historically, snowfall has been measured in two locations: downtown and at either the Portland airport or nearby at the NWS office on Northeast 122nd Ave.). the Pacific Northwest throughout the 201718 winter. Red Kelly, 91, Canadian Hall of Fame ice hockey player (Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs) and . of the three times in history that Portland has been below zero! silver storm : a coating of ice on trees and other exposed objects : GLAZE, The Dictionary of American Regional English entry for the phrase says its been known in Canada since 1770 and is especially used in Oregon and Washington. The most notable events include; the bitterly cold winter of 1978-1979, the record setting snow storms of January 1980, the summer heat wave of August 1981, the windstorms of November 1981 and December 1995, the severe arctic blast of February 1989, the record flood of February 1996, the historic ice storm of January 2004, the Vancouver tornado . Typically, Seattle hogged the glory when punk-or, courtesy of re-branding, "alternative rock"-boiled over in the early '90s. After adjustments, if you continue to experience problems, please contact us. February, 1933, which set all-time cold records across several People walk by a collapsed tree in Lake Oswego, Ore., Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. 1, January 1979, p. 7. totalled only about half of 1950's) Also of interest regarding Portland area ice storm closures, cancellations, service disruptions Friday Updated: Dec. 23, 2022, 9:33 a.m. | Published: Dec. 23, 2022, 6:54 a.m. MAX lines from Gateway to the Portland. Please Contact Us. The air above is warmer than the air below so it is the beginning of a thaw. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Organization Call PBOT Maintenance Dispatch 24/7 at 503-823-1700 for any emergency hazards or if the drain is still clogged after removing surface debris. ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol For a few, it was that or suicide, y'know?". If interested in Portland's recent severe winter cold waves, click here. It may not be as frequent, but it will still be a possibility. They were brought to Portland by Colonel Henry E. Dosch. 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; A silver thaw occurs when rain lands on a frozen surface and flash freezes. Clear surface debris only. Above is the abstract of the item that you're interested in viewing from the Vanderbilt Television News Archive's collection. Past Events Last year, Portland recorded 11.8 inches in January. The average temperature for the month was only 6.3F. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The event tells the story of what occurred from our perspective on the ground. Listing of all city measures and initiatives from 1970 to 1979 - Links to text of some measures is available A storm in the winter of 1917 had enough force to down these powerlines near Northeast Weidler Street and 19th Avenue. View other clips in this broadcast . It was not uncommon for the Columbia River to freeze over, allowing people to walk across it. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The KGW station in downtown Portland hit 31 degrees around 7 a.m., KGW meteorologist Chris McGinness said. Wind speeds of 100 to 115 mph were recorded along the Oregon Coast. Photo by Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian. Michael Lloyd/The Oregonian, Feb. 7, 2014--A dog and its owners make their way along Iron Mountain trail in Tryon Creek State Park, set between Lake Oswego and Portland, that was was turned into a wintry snow park. This view looks north on Southwest Sixth Avenue near Washington Street. According to the National Weather Service, sleet and freezing rain can create ice that is dangerous for drivers and people on foot. Instagram: Oregonianmusic. Grants account confirmed,The Columbia River is so much blocked up with ice that navigation is almost entirely prevented., Five years later in January 1857, The Oregonian wrote, The roofs of several buildings have been crushed by the weight of snow upon them. With '60s idealism long gone rancid, punk's blaring sound and willfully obnoxious aesthetics found fertile soil in Oregon. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Read all about Portlands worst winter storms, As we transition from fall to winter, snow has already hit Seattle, and colder than average weather is predicted for. Road Reports Instant Silver Thaw memory. We'll send you a newsletter with what you need to know every week. The second coldest reading ever occurred on January 2nd, when the temperature dropped to 27F below zero. Portland Power and Light Co. reported 15,000 homes were without power. The worst of the freezing rain Sunday night was in in the Gorge near Multnomah Falls. Yes, it is a coincidence that the totals of 10 and 1 are glued to this event. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Multiple locations were found. We will always have the incoming rain from the Pacific Ocean too. Although not frequent, it isnt rare. brutal winters ever experienced in the Portland area. Jan 10/AP: .a three-day ice storm in Oregon closed schools and offices in Portland froze traffic on the Columbia River and left thousands without electricity. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The storm will pull away from Maine Tuesday morning with light freezing drizzle and snow showers . With a cold winter predicted for 201718, it would be a good idea to stock up on boots, gloves, a de-icer, and snow tires. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. Submit Report Tired old men with sunken cheeks stand outside the card room entrance smoking cigarettes. I remember that extremely cold winter of 1978-79 very well. Whether you await this season with trepidation or excitement, lets take a look at some of the most severe winter weather in the Portland area. December 2016 was not as major, but notable due power outages and timing. Contact Information. To me that was like, they're warning parents? not been beaten-- such low temp. Your email address will not be published. Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes. David Greenwald | The Oregonian/OregonLive Portland's been visited by a number of major storms and snowfalls over the decades. Portland, Oregon, Ice Storm. A postcard for Tyrrell Trips in Washington Park, circa 1908. showed a pronounced and steady decline in Portland snowfall over * Retired painting contractor and carpet-layer Walter Powell and his son Michael join forces to form what amounts to a bookselling revolution-juxtaposing new and used titles on the same shelf. December, document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to Vintage Portland and receive notifications of new posts by email. Global Warming is highly suspect in a long-term analysis Mr. Pierce did Portland, Oregon Ice Storm 2004 PDX. temperature for January 1888 was an even 22.0 degrees F, which Portland had a better than 2 week cold period that started around Christmas 1978 and continued into January 1979. Tidbit: Floods are going to become more common, so its vital to learn how to prepare, no matter where you live. To judge by the artifacts-fuzzy videos, yellowed fanzines, beyond-out-of-print vinyl-the scene then shared much in common with the scene now. Snow and ice storms are not unusual in Portlands weather history, but they have become more unusual over the past 50 years. Oregonian news accounts report that after the ice storm 75,000 customers were without electrical power, and reported that ice in the area was 1-2 inches thick. Should we be prepared for more snow and ice events? Storm Spotters/Skywarn 21, No. "It was some time in '76, and I went into this import-record store and asked if they had any Sex Pistols," Shirley recalls. The climate is cold and dry in the winter. * The Blackfish Gallery-soon to become one of Portland's most successful artists' co-ops-opens its doors for the first time. Deadliest American Disasters and Large-Loss-of-Life Events, (10 or more lives lost with notable exceptions), 1979 Jan 9-10, Ice Storm, Portland, Multnomah County, OR 5, 2022 Sep 28-29, Hurricane Ian, FL (139-140), esp. a total of 44.5 inches, while winter 2008-2009 is (as of Climate Maps The winter of 1949-50 came in third with This is key to the development of freezing rain and ice. This was a record amount for a single snowstorm. The DOJ wants to criminalize the most common . The highest temperature in the first ten days of the month at Portland Airport was 33F, and lows were in the teens. The earliest decade having 183 inches of snowfall, while the 2000-2010 decade recorded only ), Taylor and Hatton: A severe ice storm occurred in the Portland area as a very active and wet Pacific storm moved across the state. Radar Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). This storm includes another Portland record: the single highest snowfall day, 15.5 inches on Jan. 21, according to NOAA data via WeatherDB. Extreme temperatures blast the Northwest. Taylor and Hatton: "A severe ice storm occurred in the Portland area as a very active and wet Pacific storm moved across the state. So what would have been an ice storm will just become a cold rain storm, kind of that sort of thing.. var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', Paul Loikith, a climate scientist at Portland State University, has more about climate change and the projection of ice storms in the future: I dont think that we need to worry much about climate change causing ice storms to get worse or more frequent in the Willamette valley or in Portland. Support OregonLive. We had two systems move in that didnt bring in enough warm air to scour out the cold. The half-inch of rain that fell on the 9th and 10th mostly turned to ice. Bands debuted in basements or at the Earth Tavern, Urban Noize or the Long Goodbye. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. is that neat long brick building still there ? Welcome! The graphic above shows a bunch of white lines stacked tightly next to each other, with cold arctic air (represented by purple), protruding into Washington and Oregon. Isolated from the centers of cosmopolitan cool, the locals made their own fun. Observation History WW critics view the resulting images, on display at Marylhurst's Mayer Gallery, with a certain disdain. Most of those marks were so extreme that they are still easily | This provincial movement of the socially desperate packed unexpected aftershocks. I tried to drive my Moms 1977 Monte Carlo down to the train station. early-season cold invasion occurred approx. The city of Seneca recorded the state's all-time low temperature of -54 degrees. The Columbia has not frozen since 1949 and is unlikely to now with the implementation of dams. Hemp protein powder provides a convenient way to get the nutrients necessary to maintain a healthy diet. And DJ, I wonder if well ever have a silver thaw again. Lownsdale Square after a winter storm, 1979. 1999, p. 75. It was not uncommon for the Columbia River to freeze over, allowing people to walk across it. The brutal winter of 1950 delivered 41 inches of snow to the. Text Products Briefing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Nirvana acknowledged its debt with a contribution to a Wipers tribute album; the "Seattle scene" documentary Hype showers attention on Clackamas County's own Dead Moon. Sometimes this reaches the surface, other times it is a layer aloft that creates an icy scene due to sleet. (see below). Whether you await this season with trepidation or excitement, lets take a look at some of the most severe winter weather in the Portland area. Portland was considered a logger's town. Portland, Oregon City Auditor - Official Web Site. We used to buy guns from one of its long term residents. Climate Normals/Averages Wind speeds of 100 to 115 mph were recorded along the Oregon Coast. The highest temperature in the first ten days of the month at Portland Airport was 33F, and lows were in the teens. However, the February 2021 ice storm was one of the most demanding ice storm to impact the Willamette Valley. Five people died in the storm. (Taylor and Hatton. * Portland historian E. Kimbark MacColl publishes The Growth of a City, an influential look at Portland power and politics in the first half of the century. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Last year, Portland recorded 11.8 inches in January. At least 200,000 people remained without power in the Portland, Oregon, area Sunday after a winter storm blanketed the Pacific Northwest with ice and snow and made travel treacherous. On Dec. 4, 2007, floods cover large areas of Vernonia, a town about 25 miles northwest of Portland. jams and icebreakers at work on the rivers to keep the Port of Accessed 7-21-2018 at: https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-8BC0A3ED-2187-4C7F-BE98-52110FE6327B.pdf. The term silver thaw is a complete misnomer. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. (Btw, PGE really sucks at updating) even the steel arms streetlights mount to were bent down. Because of the relatively warm Pacific Ocean air nearby. second-coldest all-time low of 10 below was set on January 31, -- David Greenwalddgreenwald@oregonian.com Check out our viewer photos, and share yours with us on KOIN 6 News Facebook page, tweet at us, or tag us on Instagram. Floods are going to become more common, so its vital to learn how to prepare, no matter where you live. It started with a rush of arctic air coming straight from the belly of the beast, the Columbia Basin. North Portland residential area, circa 1955. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Hotel_(Portland,_Oregon), https://www.portland.gov/parks/lownsdale-square. ", TIMELINE: 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004, FEATURES: Hell on Wheels: John Callahan | Neil Goldschmidt's Web of Power | Gus Van Zant: The Camera Man | Homer's Odyssey: Matt Groening | Quadruple Expresso: MAX Makes Tracks | Nike's Achilles' Heel | Biting Our Time: Restaurants Revisited | Highway to Hell. Following weeks of speculation, political wrangling and tied council votes, City Commissioner Connie McCready succeeds Goldschmidt as mayor. From January 12th to the 14th, a winter storm dumped an estimated 18.4 inches of snow. Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes. Corvallis: Oregon Sate University Press, 1999. Sewing Circle! However, while the amount of snow has steadily decreased, snowstorms have suddenly recurred in the past few years. lornajarrettblanchard Six rivers in the state recorded record-high crests. Briefing This will not change unless the geography of the Pacific Northwest is altered. When snow is on the ground, it keeps the surface cold. That was one of the worst silver thaws that I can remember. Hamilton Hotel was located at 1024 SW 3rd Ave. Now the Hatfield Federal Courthouse. * After asking for the resignations of his entire cabinet, President Carter appoints Neil Goldschmidt as his new Secretary of Transportation. 5 NCC, EDIS, NOAA, Asheville, NC. The region could get up to an inch of . Seasons (Equinoxes/Solstices), Past Weather But the disaffected children of a depressed, third-tier West Coast timber town were just getting started. Climate/Almanac Data Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. setting all-time record lows for the dates that in 2011 have still PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Freezing rain and ice coated much of Oregon and southwest Washington Sunday as a wicked winter storm continued its hold on the . Sixteen inches of snow came to Portland on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, 1937, paralyzing traffic for several days. If you digest the list below, you may remember a few of these ice storms (supplied by KOIN 6 Meteorologist Steve Pierce). We didnt have a major sleet event (although there was a time of mixed precipitation), we had more of a freezing rain event, that lead to major ice accretion. (Studio) Ice storm in Portland, OR, reported Scenes shown from KOIN-TV newstape. (Knock on wood). The amount of snow compared to the amount of ice accumulation when the event was all wrapped up, was around 10 inches in Portland to 1 inch of ice (nearby communities). Water began rising in the city streets wit ice floes blocking the drains. I was nearly hit by an iced over tree branch that snapped and fell while on my way to visit a friend who lived on SE 28th Avenue. Don't put leaves in the street. Hazards Page Wer, Eric Sterns one-man old world variety show, Two-alarm fire in Park Plaza apartment sends one resident to hospital, PSU students join thousands of demonstrators at #J20 protest. Heavy rains forced rivers over their banks, turning Thanksgiving into a nightmare for homeowners and travelers. Climate Records News never stops. At the base of this monument are two howitzers used in the defense of Fort Sumter (misspelled as Sumpter on the plaque) in 1861. degrees, both breaking the old "coldest month" record Those were the two record snow events for Portland. The city was under-equipped for the snowfall that set a 40-year record. When the upper air is warm enough to rain liquid rain and the ground and the air at ground level are below freezing, the rain freezes when it hits the ground. of living in true "Snow Belt" cities, with weeks-long In the course of nearly 30 years, the micro-underground founded by Sage, Shirley and their comrades has mutated into a sprawling local music ecosystem. is 16.1 degrees below normal, equivalent to raising the city to Lee County (62), NC/5, VA/1145-146, 1797 Sep 8, Gale, slave ship General Nichols founders off FL/GA coastal border 132, 2022 Sep 4, floatplane crash in Puget Sound off Whidbey Island, WA all 10, 2022 July 27-28 downpour, flash flooding, eastern KY, esp. { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; We call this a wind shift and a deal-breaker for valley snow. Climate Graphs But in the cold Keep an eye on Oregonlive.com for weather updates, road conditions and school closure information. The channels that are built in between the Cascades, are the funnels that keep injecting the Willamette Valley with cold air. 4800 feet-- the elevation of Santiam Pass! And despite the calculated viciousness of the sound and styles, some remember the first wave for its naivet as much as its angst. Early punk is nearly as dated now as Sinatra's first solo work was in 1979. Winter Storm Severity Index (WSSI), Current Conditions * The Oregon Dairy Products Commission defends its failure to use black models in its billboards by claiming that "blacks can't digest milk.". Never lift storm drain grates. Office History A winter season record of 52.9 inches of snow fell over the area and the average temperature during the winter was a record low of 14.1F. The definition there is A freezing rain; see quotations followed by numerous quotations dating from 1936 (Adams Cowboy Lingo 203 West, A silver thaw was rain that froze as it hit through 1980 (Portland OR) During the silver thaw we could hear the trees cracking during the night. 1924. People had been coming in all day, asking about this British band they'd never heard of. contender since. * The Lotus Cafe and Card Room "has a forbidding faade with a reputation to match. as the "worst ever" for many decades later. * After 123 years of local ownership, the Blitz-Weinhard brewery at Northwest 11th Avenue and West Burnside Street is sold to Pabst Brewing of Milwaukee, Wisc. Over about a five-week period from December through mid-January, five separate winter storms plagued Oregon's largest city. Shopped there many times when vintage was really vintage! Today-when the slickest Nike product designer is apt to sport wicked tattoos-it's hard to imagine the horror inspired by punk's S&M-clad pioneers. However, while the amount of snow has steadily decreased, snowstorms have suddenly recurred in the past few years. Sunrise/Sunset Tables Frozen Rivers! The story behind the significant snow and ice is much deeper than those two digits. Reactionary big, OP: New houseless measures dehumanize in the name, The Vanguard introduces: Greenspaces After 2 blocks of white knuckling, I turned around! See more Columbus Day Storm photos from The Oregonian archives. 968-969. The Oregonian on January 1, 1979 forecast a high of 25 and low temp. It doesnt rain ice droplets. The air will still be cold east of the mountains, especially with extremes. The mean One person died and several people were seriously injured in the October 1967 storm. category, the really outstanding events of Winter 1950 were two out Jan. 8-9, 1980: An ice storm hammered the Portland area almost a year to the day after a similar storm that paralyzed the city. Freezing rain left. With a number of transmission lines and substations knocked out of service and additional tree limbs at risk of falling on power lines amid more expected freezing . 10 inches on the ground.January 1950's snowfall dwarfs modern Yet the hormonal racket of a bygone age has proven as vital to Portland's social fabric as any urban planning innovation or City Hall upheaval. Ice storm totals ranged from minor (glaze) to major (1.50) in Oregon City. * A new technology-the color copier- re-energizes a flagging art form: Xeroxing your naked body. to Portland, Oregon (27 degrees), to Medford, Oregon (20 degrees), The flood of 1996 began with heavy snowfall and a cold snap. A vicious ice storm closed down the Gorge in 2018. That analysis in 2016 as "coldest ever." Material supplied by VTNA may be used for educational analysis or research only. SW Washington Street and SW 6th Avenue, circa 1962. The planes were damaged when strong winds pushed the crafts together. John Shirley remembers punk rock's rude awakening in Portland well. But Portland bands like the Wipers, Dead Moon and Poison Idea did much of the blueprint work for the grunge revolution. and long-lasting snows! * A solar eclipse darkens the Pacific Northwest for two minutes beginning at 8:13 on the morning of Feb. 26. Rooftop view of SW 1st Avenue looking north from SW Columbia Street, 1944. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, "Our scene was small," he says. The tall granite obelisk is topped with a bronze replica of a soldier in the Second Oregon Volunteer Infantry, part of the first large American fighting force ever sent overseas. Weather Radio Storm freezes many activities in Portland. Daily-News-Miner, Fairbanks, AK, 1-20-1979, p. The air was eventually warm enough through the profile of the atmosphere from Portland south, but the ground was still frozen from the previous blast of cold air and snow. Even with a warming climate, we have to take into the consideration that we have the secret weapon of the Gorge. The storm delayed mail from Salem, slowing the legislature. Damaging winds blew across most of Oregon as a cold front moved east. Activity Planner Why? Photo courtesy of the National Weather Service. Watches, Warnings, & Advisories Universal experiences, News: PSU students navigate enrollment Drought Monitor The unlikely star from New York, known as 'The Hedgehog', transcended the porn industry to become a bona fide celebrity, appearing in films, TV and music videos. All rights reserved (About Us). The surface charts tell the story from a meteorological perspective. KGW meteorologist Matt Zaffino answers your questions about the forecast, the ice storm timeline and how it might impact holiday travel. Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes. Text Products Original caption published Dec. 26, 1964: An abandoned Christmas tree on the porch of home in Rufus tell the story of a town that longed for a white Christmas, but celebrated Christmas in the mud, digging out after a flood. Wreckage of two planes at McNary Field in Salem. Local Forecasts Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). The final system that brought in rain, wasnt overly impressive, but the ground was freezing. As we transition from fall to winter, snow has already hit Seattle, and colder than average weather is predicted for the Pacific Northwest throughout the 201718 winter. There are even pictures of cars being driven across snow anymore. The term itself is obsolete for all but the diehards. cold and huge losses of livestock and other damage, and was remembered records are found for cities "Storm freezes many activities in Portland." Daily-News-Miner, Fairbanks, AK, 1-20-1979, p. As might be expected of a city where even the most restive kids relied on Parade for their subcultural news, Portland was nowhere near the cutting edge. 2008 was a year to remember, but its big Dec. 20-22 storm fell a few inches short of making the top 10 Portland snowstorms to hit downtown. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, What Every Parent Needs to Know About Fentanyl, US, Netherlands pledge more support for Ukraine, MAX stabbing victims families ask for publics help, Fisherman lost at sea after hooking huge tuna, Trump trounces DeSantis in mock primary match-up:, In pictures: Snow, ice storm hammer Portland area, Top items you will want on hand if your area floods, If your kid is fascinated with reptiles, then theyre, Wallet Wednesday: Americans to live sensibly in, One wounded in shooting near Union Gospel Mission, Who is Solomon Pea, the GOP candidate arrested in, Portland woman pleads guilty to Jan. 6 charge, Trump pushes Facebook to unblock his account, Retail sales slumped in December as Americans braced, This McDonalds menu item free for 1 day only, Passenger video captures moments before Nepal crash, Canby art gallery welcomes artists of all levels, Wrestling star Jay Briscoe dies in car accident at, McCarthy goes on attack against red-state Senate, WA is the 2nd-worst state to drive in, report says, Big waves, surging king tides to swamp the OR Coast, Retriever Towing sued by Oregon DOJ for tow practices, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. You can see some of the ice and snow photos that we received during the February 11-14 timeframe in the slideshow below.