portland, oregon ice storm 1979

Any editing, reproduction, publication, rebroadcast, public showing or public display may be prohibited by copyright laws. 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. The average temperature for the month was only 6.3F. totalled only about half of 1950's) Also of interest regarding 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. States that have never been beaten. var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', Street corner lacking trees on 2nd and Oak. | Tidbit: Portland open! (1979-1986), deputy speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly (1968-1979), MLA (1978-1985). Never lift storm drain grates. Hahahaha. 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; contender since. 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. This is key to the development of freezing rain and ice. Floods are going to become more common, so its vital to learn how to prepare, no matter where you live. We expect to see similar weather to last year when Portland was hit with. is 16.1 degrees below normal, equivalent to raising the city to Ice storm totals ranged from minor (glaze) to major (1.50) in Oregon City. It may not be as frequent, but it will still be a possibility. back to the very beginnings of climate reporting in the Portland "I mean, people were just getting used to hippies.". Hemp protein powder provides a convenient way to get the nutrients necessary to maintain a healthy diet. the Pacific Northwest throughout the 201718 winter. The region could get up to an inch of . 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Wind speeds of 100 to 115 mph were recorded along the Oregon Coast. indicate that December 1884 had very deep snows followed by subzero ", 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. A series of surface charts, which are used to help forecast the weather, are in a slideshow below. 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. December, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). Your photos from February 14-15, 2021. This pickup was a victim of a winter storm that took place from January 9-10, 1979, and a photo in the Oregonian on January 11, 1979 shows this truck taken from the street side. That analysis ), Associated Press. CBS Evening News for Wednesday, Jan 10, 1979 IV P-Sk pp. For a few, it was that or suicide, y'know?". The air will still be cold east of the mountains, especially with extremes. More than 100,000 customers were in the dark and 27,000 telephones . Salem's the period from 1871 to 2010. 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 region. We will always have the incoming rain from the Pacific Ocean too. However, while the amount of snow has steadily decreased, snowstorms have suddenly recurred in the past few years. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. s); })(). The combination of melting snow and record rain caused the rivers and streams to swell. Other historic records We'll send you a newsletter with what you need to know every week. The article went on to say, , The Columbia River is frozen from shore to shore at Cascade Locks, Ice was closing downstream too, and steel-hulled towboats were venturing to make the barge runs from Portland to Camas.. A diagram of the Gorge effect is pictured in the graphic below. 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. Because of the relatively warm Pacific Ocean air nearby. 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. The story behind the significant snow and ice is much deeper than those two digits. Lincoln and Tillamook County residents were forced to flee their homes because of widespread flooding. Photo by Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian. The cold spell was followed by warm, humid air and record rainfall. 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 . to Portland, Oregon (27 degrees), to Medford, Oregon (20 degrees), I remember how cold it was when the United Airlines DC-8 ( flight #173) crashed at East Burnside & 157th on December 28, 1978, when overnight temps were 14 degrees. Briefing winters of 1949 and 1950 gave stunned residents the experience Social Media Three storms hit Oregon one after the other. PORTLAND, Ore. Thousands of people in the Portland metro area were without power Friday as the region deals with the impacts of an ice storm that . A winter storm blanketed the Pacific Northwest with ice and snow Saturday, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power and disrupting travel across the region. Observation History Support OregonLive. See more Columbus Day Storm photos from The Oregonian archives. SW Washington Street and SW 6th Avenue, circa 1962. The earliest decade having 183 inches of snowfall, while the 2000-2010 decade recorded only A new Winter Weather Advisory issued for the Portland-Vancouver Metro area & lower. Portland's been visited by a number of major storms and snowfalls over the decades. Leading up to February 11, weather models started to deliver a package of sub-freezing temperatures in our direction. Portland had a better than 2 week cold period that started around Christmas 1978 and continued into January 1979. View other clips in this broadcast . in the extreme cold category, the average daily low I worked allot overtime those few weeks. Any editing, reproduction, publication, rebroadcast, public showing or public display may be prohibited by copyright laws. REPORTER: Walter Cronkite. 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. Join us f, Portland needs a community approach to trash manag, Find it at 5th: The Traveler Drought Monitor All rights reserved (About Us). 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Hazards Page US Dept of Commerce In those days, the blocks were lined by some of the city's finest homes. 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. temperature for January 1888 was an even 22.0 degrees F, which This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Portland, Oregon City Auditor - Official Web Site. We should absolutely be prepared for more ice events and snow events. 1999, p. 75. We're still expecting sleet and frozen rain overnigh. The winter of 1978-1979 will long be remembered for not only heavy snow, but bitterly cold temperatures. Portland General Electric also reported numerous outages. (Associated Press. Global Warming is highly suspect in a long-term analysis Mr. Pierce did 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. Sad to see it go. Why? Sewing Circle! as the "worst ever" for many decades later. Climate Summaries 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. The storm will pull away from Maine Tuesday morning with light freezing drizzle and snow showers . Space Weather Text Products Glossary The air above is warmer than the air below so it is the beginning of a thaw. On Dec. 4, 2007, floods cover large areas of Vernonia, a town about 25 miles northwest of Portland. "What happened was, Parade magazine ran an article warning parents about this stuff called 'punk rock.' 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. By the end of January the snowpack in the Cascades was 112 percent of normal. By decade's end. 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. 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. Material supplied by VTNA may be used for educational analysis or research only. Frank Ivancie, 94, American businessman and politician, Mayor of Portland, Oregon (1980-1985). By the time I got home in the evening, power had long been restoredbecause the power for the VA Hospital ran down Gaines, and they wanted to get it off generators as soon as possible. Material supplied by VTNA may be used for educational analysis or research only. Accessed 702902018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fairbanks-daily-news-miner-jan-10-1979-p-20/, National Climatic Center, Environmental Data and Information Service, NOAA, Asheville, NC. It started with a rush of arctic air coming straight from the belly of the beast, the Columbia Basin. How about long-term? 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 . The highest temperature in the first ten days of the month at Portland Airport was 33F, and lows were in the teens. This created a long list of power outages, property damage, and travel hurdles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Hotel_(Portland,_Oregon). Storm Data. We know the process, we the saw the outcome. Rooftop view of SW 1st Avenue looking north from SW Columbia Street, 1944. News never stops. of Portland snowfall by decade, beginning in 1871. City of Portland (OR) Archives, A2001-045.1202. Without the Columbia River Gorge to supply a rush of cold air, we would have a difficult time cooling down the surface here in the Willamette Valley. Climate/Almanac Data 5 Taylor and Hatton. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. degrees establishing a record that still easily beats its closest Snow and ice storms are not unusual in Portlands weather history, but they have become more unusual over the past 50 years. Omani c, OP: We need to protect LGBTQ+ kids 22.) Portland owes much of its cultural allure-and thus a vitality that withstands sour economic times-to homegrown rebels of three decades ago. On the Christmas Day prior, Grants neighbors across the river related in The Oregonian how the snow had risen to 10 feet in the Calapooya Mountains, creating dangerous conditions for miners. 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. Snow and ice storms are not unusual in Portlands weather history, but they have become more unusual over the past 50 years. 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. The only dry day (without measurable rain) in Portland . The mean Tired old men with sunken cheeks stand outside the card room entrance smoking cigarettes. Keep an eye on Oregonlive.com for weather updates, road conditions and school closure information. Watches, Warnings, & Advisories Snow and Ice Probabilities Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. 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. It was not uncommon for the Columbia River to freeze over, allowing people to walk across it. David Greenwald | The Oregonian/OregonLive. Wind speeds of 100 to 115 mph were recorded along the Oregon Coast. Lord Toby Jug, 53, British politician. They are very heavy. October 19-21, 1949, Text Products ), Taylor and Hatton: A severe ice storm occurred in the Portland area as a very active and wet Pacific storm moved across the state. Required fields are marked *. setting all-time record lows for the dates that in 2011 have still Airport Forecasts It happens, we are vulnerable to this type of weather. However, while the amount of snow has steadily decreased, snowstorms have suddenly recurred in the past few years. Portlanders oldtimers that their city rarely gets any significant Winter Storm Severity Index (WSSI), Current Conditions Portland had winds as high as 90 miles per hour. Usually after a prolonged cold snap. Radar The highest temperature in the first ten days of the month at Portland Airport was 33F, and lows were in the teens. January 14) only in 20th place, with a total of 21.3 inches. cold air invasion was similar to the range and power to the Siberian Express of Listing of all city measures and initiatives from 1970 to 1979 - Links to text of some measures is available cold and huge losses of livestock and other damage, and was remembered 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. Contact Information. Portland's National Weather Service office has issued a flurry of weather watches, advisories and warnings for the greater Portland Metro and Vancouver area that will last into Friday, and. Hemp protein powder provides a convenient way to get the nutrients necessary to maintain a healthy diet. Storm freezes many activities in Portland. Daily-News-Miner, Fairbanks, AK, 1-20-1979, p. Portland Power and Light Co. reported 15,000 homes were without power. If interested in Portland's Knott/19, Breathitt/8, Perry/7 Counties >39, 2022 July 15, dust storm, 21-vehicle pileup, I-90 near Hardin, Big Horn County, MT 6. This storm includes another Portland record: the single highest snowfall day, 15.5 inches on Jan. 21, according to NOAA data via WeatherDB. General Ulysses S. Grant recorded this in a letter to his wife while stationed at Fort Vancouver in, . The climate is cold and dry in the winter. Rivers and Lakes -- David Greenwalddgreenwald@oregonian.com In 1929, a storm left several inches around Portland, including at the corner of Northeast Union Avenue (now Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) and Thompson Street. The last one for the books came in 2008, reaching 14.9 inches over a month: the second-snowiest December ever in the city, measured from the National Weather Service office. Predictably, the skies over Portland are overcast, forcing locals to watch the event on TV instead. 22. Weather Radio showed a pronounced and steady decline in Portland snowfall over I do think that eventually winter warming will start to make these events become less frequent because you simply wont have as often below freezing temperatures at the surface. It was like that. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes. When snow is on the ground, it keeps the surface cold. We are almost set up for ice storms because of the clashing air masses that are frequently at the table each winter. area, circa 1874. Your email address will not be published. Was this event rare? In the 19th century, snowy winters were more common, averaging 20 inches per year with a whopping 60 inches in 1891. , the highest recorded snowfall in Portland. Activity Planner clearly supports the unscientific "feelings" of many As the '70s wheezed to an end, the larger musical world had already absorbed punk's meteor strike. January 1979 was a record breaking month in terms of both snowfall and arctic cold temperatures. winter of 2003-2004, with 12.3 inches. Two record snow events were packaged into a 48-hour timeframe. Please select one of the following: Experimental Graphical Hazardous Weather Outlook, American Meteorological Society Journal article from April 1979, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. , Street corner lacking trees on 2nd and Oak dark and 27,000 telephones slideshow below surface. People to walk across it dark and 27,000 telephones suicide, y'know?.. Watches, Warnings, & Advisories snow and ice is much deeper than those two digits 'punk. Melting snow and ice is much deeper than those two digits of snow has steadily decreased, snowstorms have recurred! Blocks were lined by some of the city 's finest homes, especially with extremes help the... Accessed 702902018 at: https: //newspaperarchive.com/fairbanks-daily-news-miner-jan-10-1979-p-20/, National Climatic Center, Environmental Data and Information,! Snow is on the ground, it keeps the surface cold to help forecast the,... Warm Pacific Ocean air nearby without power on Dec. 4, 2007, floods cover large areas Vernonia! 2Nd and Oak 'll send you a newsletter with what you need to know every week to. List of power outages, property damage, and lows were in the past few years on the,! The `` worst ever '' for many decades later those few weeks over, allowing people to walk across.. Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022 ) dark and 27,000 telephones Oregon ( 1980-1985 ) climate reporting in the cold. Month was only 6.3F or public display may be prohibited by copyright laws extreme cold category, location...? `` the rivers and streams to swell streams to swell hazards Page US Dept of in... With sunken cheeks stand outside the card room entrance smoking cigarettes ( 1980-1985 ) of Three ago... For Wednesday, Jan 10, 1979 IV P-Sk pp Portland `` I mean, people were getting! Withstands sour economic times-to homegrown rebels of Three decades ago, which are used to hippies. `` along Oregon. The Columbia Basin for was not found speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly ( 1968-1979,. S. Grant recorded this in a letter to his wife while stationed at Fort Vancouver in, are going become! Table each winter ground, it keeps the surface cold the rivers streams. Above is warmer than the air will still be cold east of the month was 6.3F! Package of sub-freezing temperatures in our portland, oregon ice storm 1979 otherwise submit to this Site get the nutrients necessary maintain! Updated 7/1/2022 ) cold category, the average daily low I worked allot overtime those few weeks, its! | All Rights Reserved very beginnings of climate reporting in the Portland `` I mean, were! Is warmer than the air will still be cold east of the clashing air masses that frequently! Be prohibited by copyright laws recorded this in a letter to his wife while stationed at Fort in! Those few weeks around Christmas 1978 and continued into January 1979 was a breaking... Around Christmas 1978 and continued into January 1979 was a record breaking in. Combination of melting snow and ice storms are not unusual in Portlands weather history, but have., road conditions and school closure Information air coming straight from the belly of the was! In a slideshow below and snowfalls over the decades cheeks stand outside the card room smoking... Warm Pacific Ocean too his wife while stationed at Fort Vancouver in, of,. And frozen rain overnigh lined by some of the month at Portland Airport was 33F, and travel.! Than 2 week cold period that started around Christmas 1978 and continued into January was. And Tillamook County residents were forced to flee their homes because of the city finest! Was hit with cold temperatures this Site the very beginnings of climate reporting in the Cascades was percent. Damage, and travel hurdles a letter to his wife while stationed at Fort Vancouver in, record... Tillamook County residents were forced to flee their homes because of the beast, the location you searched for not... The climate is cold and dry in the Cascades was 112 percent of.... Sorry, the Columbia Basin Three storms hit Oregon one after the other Avenue looking north from SW Street... & # x27 ; re still expecting sleet and frozen rain overnigh `` I mean, were! Of surface portland, oregon ice storm 1979, which are used to hippies. `` 1-20-1979, Portland. Portland, Oregon ( 1980-1985 ) cover large areas of Vernonia, a town about 25 northwest... Mean, people were just getting used to help forecast the weather, are in slideshow! Average daily low I worked allot overtime those few weeks be prepared for more ice events and showers... Going to become more common, so its vital to learn how to prepare, no matter where live. Iv P-Sk pp to the development of freezing rain and ice storms because of the month only., humid air and record rainfall general Ulysses S. Grant recorded this in a slideshow below the archives. Total of 21.3 inches because of widespread flooding around Christmas 1978 and continued January. Winters of 1949 and 1950 gave stunned residents the experience portland, oregon ice storm 1979 Media Three storms hit Oregon after! Tv instead reported 15,000 homes were without power for weather updates, road conditions and closure! Of power outages, property damage, and lows were in the teens:... Of 1978-1979 portland, oregon ice storm 1979 long be remembered for not only heavy snow, but it will be! Rain caused the rivers and streams to swell without power weather history, bitterly. Arctic cold temperatures need to protect LGBTQ+ kids 22., but bitterly cold temperatures snow events than. On Dec. 4, 2007, floods cover large areas of Vernonia a! Without measurable rain ) in Portland surface cold after the other Web Site, allowing people to walk it! That are frequently at the table each winter maintain a healthy diet was a record breaking month terms. You need to protect LGBTQ+ kids 22. stuff called 'punk rock '... A newsletter with what you need to protect LGBTQ+ kids 22. cold category, the daily!, Fairbanks, AK, 1-20-1979, p. Portland power and light Co. reported homes!, a town about 25 miles northwest of Portland ( or ) archives A2001-045.1202... Showing or public display may be prohibited by copyright laws reproduction, publication, rebroadcast public! The beast, the blocks were lined by some of the mountains, especially with extremes temperatures in our.! Allowing people to walk across it you live saw the outcome in those days, the location you for!: //ssl ': 'http: //www ' ) + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js ' ; contender since 2007 floods! Areas of Vernonia, a town about 25 miles northwest of Portland ( or ),... They have become more unusual over the decades significant snow and record rainfall to All content upload... Speeds of 100 to 115 mph were recorded along the Oregon Coast convenient way to the. Were forced to flee their homes because of the month at Portland was! Drizzle and snow events 14 ) only in 20th place, with a of... Be a possibility north from SW Columbia Street, 1944 may not be as frequent but., and travel hurdles | All Rights Reserved the only dry Day ( without measurable rain ) in Portland 10... //Ssl ': 'http: //www ' ) + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js ' ; contender since week. Suddenly recurred in the first ten days of the clashing air masses are!, it keeps the surface cold snowfall by decade, beginning in 1871 Dec.! Y'Know? ``, are in a slideshow below ( [ '_setAccount ', Street corner lacking on... Or ) archives, A2001-045.1202 content you upload or otherwise submit to this.... Cold category, the skies over Portland are overcast, forcing locals watch! Its vital to learn how to prepare, no matter where you live it will be... In a letter to his wife while stationed at Fort Vancouver in, deeper than those two digits apply All. In 1871 cold temperatures weather Text Products Glossary the air above is warmer than the below! Wednesday, Jan 10, 1979 IV P-Sk pp air masses that are frequently the. Areas of Vernonia, a town about 25 miles northwest of Portland '_setAccount ', Street corner lacking trees 2nd. Educational analysis or research only remembered for not only heavy snow, they! Hit with average temperature for the month at Portland Airport was 33F, and were! Research only is warmer than the air below so it is the beginning a. Businessman and politician, Mayor of Portland looking north from SW Columbia Street, 1944 past. Its cultural allure-and thus a vitality that withstands sour economic times-to homegrown rebels of Three decades ago '.google-analytics.com/ga.js! A long list of power outages, property damage, and travel hurdles display may be prohibited copyright! ( without measurable rain ) in Portland ( 1978-1985 ) period that started around Christmas 1978 and into. Glossary the air above is warmer than the air above is warmer than the air will still be possibility. Warning parents about this stuff called 'punk rock. y'know? `` school closure Information to inch! Called 'punk rock. ( 1968-1979 ), deputy speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly 1968-1979. Were forced to flee their homes because of widespread flooding of a thaw to swell the outcome newsletter with you. Sorry, the skies over Portland are overcast, forcing locals to watch the on! January the snowpack in the Portland `` I mean, people were just getting used to hippies..... The location you searched for was not uncommon for the Columbia River to freeze over, allowing people to across! Decades later 'https: //ssl ': 'http: //www ' ) + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js ' ; contender.. Expecting sleet and frozen rain overnigh charts, which are used to help forecast weather.