THE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER

COLLEGE PARK, MD


STORM SUMMARY MESSAGE



STORM SUMMARY NUMBER 01 FOR WESTERN U.S. STORM
NWS HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
700 PM PST SUN DEC 16 2012

...STRONG PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM AFFECTING THE NORTHWESTERN U.S.
WITH RAIN...SNOW AND WIND...      

BLIZZARD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE OLYMPICS AS WELL AS THE
CASCADES AND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS IN WASHINGTON AND OREGON.

WINTER STORM WATCHES...WARNINGS...AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES
ARE IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE AREA OF THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE
NORTHWESTERN STATES AND NORTHERN U.S. ROCKIES.

COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR AREAS ALONG THE PUGET
SOUND.

HIGH WIND WATCHES AND WARNINGS AS WELL AS WIND ADVISORIES ARE IN
EFFECT FOR MANY AREAS AT HIGH ELEVATIONS IN THE NORTHWESTERN
STATES AND NORTHERN U.S. ROCKIES.

FOR A DETAILED GRAPHICAL DEPICTION OF THE LATEST
WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES...PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV

AT 600 PM PST...A STRONG PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WAS RAPIDLY
APPROACHING THE COAST OF THE NORTHWESTERN STATES. A SURFACE LOW
WITH A CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 972 MB...28.70 INCHES...WAS CENTERED
230 MILES WEST OF THE COAST OF WASHINGTON STATE. A WARM FRONT
EXTENDED EASTWARD FROM THE LOW INTO COASTAL OREGON. NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE RADARS AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATED A LARGE
AREA OF PRECIPITATION SPREADING INTO WASHINGTON AND NORTHWESTERN
OREGON. IN COASTAL AREAS THE PRECIPITATION WAS FALLING AS LIGHT TO
MODERATE RAIN. AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE CASCADES...MODERATE
SNOW WAS FALLING. MOISTURE STREAMING IN FROM THE PACIFIC WAS ALSO
BRING LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW TO PORTIONS OF CALIFORNIA INCLUDING THE
SIERRA AS WELL AS FARTHER INLAND OVER THE INTERMOUNTAIN STATES.
STRONG WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND HIGHER WERE REPORTED AT
HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON.                       
                                                                  

...SELECTED STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL IN INCHES FROM 400 AM PST SAT DEC
15 THROUGH 600 PM PST SUN DEC 16...

...CALIFORNIA...
SIMS 2 NW                             8.0                    
ALTURAS                               5.0                    

...IDAHO...
COLBURN 3 W                           7.0                    
HOLDEN VILLAGE                        7.0                    
LOOKOUT PASS                          6.0                    
NEWMAN LAKE 9 N                       5.0                    
MOSCOW 5 NNE                          4.0                    
VICTOR 2 SW                           4.0                    
GARDEN VALLEY 2.7 NW                  3.9                    

...OREGON...
HOOD RIVER 5.1 SW                     7.0                    
ELGIN 9.8 N                           5.0                    
PARKDALE 3.5 NE                       4.8                    
BURNS 1 E                             4.0                    

...WASHINGTON...
PESHASTIN 5.3 SSW                     4.0                    

...SELECTED STORM TOTAL RAINFALL IN INCHES FROM 400 AM PST SAT DEC
15 THROUGH 600 PM PST SUN DEC 16...

...OREGON...
ASTORIA                               1.54                    
FLORENCE 5.9 NNE                      1.43                    
NEHALEM 4.1 ESE                       1.35                    
BROOKINGS 4.2 ENE                     1.23                    

...WASHINGTON...
QUILLAYUTE                            1.47                    
YACOLT 9 N                            1.30                    

...SELECTED PEAK WIND GUSTS IN MILES PER HOUR EARLIER IN THE
EVENT...

...OREGON...
MARYS PEAK                            88                    
MT HEBO                               82                    
NEWPORT                               76                    


THE STRONG SURFACE LOW RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STORM IS FORECAST TO
MOVE ONSHORE IN WASHINGTON BY MONDAY MORNING. RAIN...SNOW AND WIND
WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE ACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT AS THE STORM
APPROACHES. HIGH WINDS OF 55 TO 75 MPH ARE FORECAST TO SPREAD TO
LOWER ELEVATIONS OF COASTAL OREGON AND WASHINGTON TONIGHT AS THE
SURFACE LOW DRAWS NEARER...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGE TO TREES
AND POWER LINES. WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE ACROSS
COASTAL AREAS THROUGH LATE MONDAY AS THE STORM MOVES INLAND. HEAVY
SNOW ACROSS THE INTERMOUNTAIN STATES WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF BY
EARLY TUESDAY. AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN...WITH LOCALLY
HIGHER AMOUNTS...WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH TUESDAY. AT THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS OF THE WESTERN STATES...AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 3 FEET OF
SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY.      

THE NEXT STORM SUMMARY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL
PREDICTION CENTER AT 100 AM PST. PLEASE REFER TO YOUR LOCAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS
EVENT.

RYAN




Last Updated: 945 PM EST SUN DEC 16 2012