THE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER

COLLEGE PARK, MD


STORM SUMMARY MESSAGE



STORM SUMMARY NUMBER 02 FOR WESTERN U.S. STORM
NWS HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
100 AM PST MON DEC 17 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 IN THE NORTHWESTERN STATES...INCLUDING
COASTAL REGIONS AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS...AND NORTHERN U.S. ROCKIES.

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

AT 000 AM PST...A STRONG PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WAS RAPIDLY
APPROACHING THE COAST OF WASHINGTON STATE. A SURFACE LOW WITH A
CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 972 MB...28.70 INCHES...WAS CENTERED 85 MILES
WEST OF THE WASHINGTON COAST. A WARM FRONT EXTENDED EASTWARD FROM
THE LOW INTO COASTAL OREGON AND EXTREME NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HAS
BEGUN TO DISSIPATE. A COLD FRONT HAS MADE LANDFALL ALONG THE COAST
OF OREGON AND EXTREME NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA.  NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE RADARS AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF
PRECIPITATION SPREADING INTO WASHINGTON...NORTHWESTERN
OREGON...NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND PORTIONS OF IDAHO. 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 MODERATE TO
HEAVY RAIN AND MODERATE 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 000 AM 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...
YAKIMA 5 WSW                          6.2                    
ENTIAT 1 WNW                          6.0                    
LEAVENWORTH 1 S                       6.0                    
NW PLAIN                              6.0                    
SHELTON 28 NNE                        6.0                    
PESHASTIN 5.3 SSW                     4.0                    

...SELECTED STORM TOTAL RAINFALL IN INCHES FROM 400 AM PST SAT DEC
15 THROUGH 000 AM 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                           101                    
MT HEBO                               82                    
LINCOLN CITY                          81                    
NEWPORT                               76                    

...WASHINGTON...
CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT                   84                    


THE STRONG SURFACE LOW IS FORECAST TO MOVE ONSHORE IN WASHINGTON
BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING. RAIN...SNOW AND WIND WILL CONTINUE TO
INCREASE ACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT AS THE STORM APPROACHES. HIGH
WINDS OF 45 TO 50 MPH...AND GUSTS UP 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 CASCADES AS WELL AS THE
INTERMOUNTAIN STATES WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF BY EARLY TUESDAY. AN
ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 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 700 AM PST. PLEASE REFER TO YOUR LOCAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS
EVENT.

FANNING




Last Updated: 319 AM EST MON DEC 17 2012