Imagine being on your afternoon walk, a mile from home, when a decent afternoon turns into a sudden monsoon.
That’s exactly what happened to Phil on Sunday March 13, 2011. I know because he posted it on my Facebook Weather Page.
Or how about this: you’re driving down Highway 26 near Sandy when a huge tree drops into power lines and nearly on top of your car. That happened, too, as you see in this image taken by the Oregon State Police.
Late day wind and rain were in the forecast for a couple of days before the storm hit. But I’ll tell you right now IÂ did not expect 125,000 customers (both PGE & Pacific Power) to lose power.
Tropical Storm Force Gusts Hit Oregon, SW Washington
- 54mph Salem, Oregon
- 55mph Portland, Oregon
- 55mph Vancouver, Washington
- 71mph  Eugene, Oregon
The winds picked up like someone flipped a switch.
That ‘switch’ was a strong cold front moving through. These fronts sometimes help bring powerful winds from up above us down to the surface. Fronts also create a natural change in wind direction as they pass by.
And in many cases, the storm center or center of low pressure (the ‘L’ you see on TV weather maps) creates un-even pressure over the northwest–sending air racing toward the ‘L’ which we notice as wind. Also, intense rain creates its own wind. So, put these factors together and you have a sudden, damaging wind. And lots of people without power!
Bruce,
Is there a reason you folks have taken the “detailed conditions” out of you weather section of your web? It’s the place where if I put in a zip code I would see hour to hour details of the present and predicted weather to come. Many days ahead were also there. Please bring it back as was used a lot for my personal and business planning. Please let me know. Thanks.
Tom
Tom,
We just re-designed koinlocal6.com and I really think it’s much easier to read and use. But, I want you to have the information you need so let me talk with our web folks and I’ll do my best to get that back on there. I know that is a popular feature! In the meantime, have a great Monday! Bruce
Bruce,
Thanks for letting me know that you’ll put in a word for those of us that use the details section. I wish the print was larger on new design as is extremely small for us older folk. That’s the one’s over 50 or so. Was the details thing something that you got from national weather or was it all you guys’ stuff? Thanks again. I am very close friends with Pete and Brenda. And Beemer, of course, as it was me who matched them up; being friends with Beemer’s breeder. Have a great day, my favorite weather guy.
Tom
I watched for the high winds and rain all morning, then went to a show in the afternoon with my family and never knew they hit until I was checking the news last night. I take it all this went down between 3:00 and 4:45 pm?
Kristi–it sure did. Our peak winds were between 3:30 and 4pm. Then everything else was downhill after that. So you’re right…you missed it. Maybe that’s for the best!
The wind blew down half the large pine in my backyard. Fortunately the house and garage seem ok.