Thursday, November 5, 2009

Winter Weather Advisory

..WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS
EVENING TO 4 AM PST SUNDAY FOR THE CASCADES OF SOUTH
WASHINGTON...NORTH OREGON AND LANE COUNTY...

A STRONG PACIFIC FRONTAL SYSTEM ALONG THE COAST WILL TRACK INLAND THIS
EVENING BRINGING WET AND WINDY CONDITIONS TO THE CASCADES FOLLOWED
BY RAPIDLY FALLING SNOW LEVELS. AS PRECIPITATION RATES INCREASE
THIS EVENING SNOW LEVELS INITIALLY RANGING BETWEEN 6000 AND 7000 FT
WILL FALL TO 3500 FT NORTH AND 4500 FT SOUTH THROUGH FRIDAY
MORNING. 6 TO 10 INCHES OF NEW SNOW ARE EXPECTED TO FALL OVERNIGHT.

STRONG ONSHORE FLOW COMBINED WITH COLD UNSTABLE AIR ALOFT WILL
ENHANCE POST FRONTAL SNOW SHOWERS FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT
WITH SNOW LEVELS BETWEEN 3000 AND 4000 FT. SEVERAL SHORTWAVE
TROUGHS ROTATING INLAND OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WILL INCREASE
SNOW FALL RATES AT TIMES BUT ON AVERAGE SNOW FALL RATES ARE
EXPECTED TO RANGE BETWEEN 4 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW PER 12 HOUR PERIOD
BRINGING STORM TOTALS OF 2 TO 3 FEET OF NEW SNOW THROUGH SATURDAY
NIGHT.

..HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR THE
NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON COAST...

A STRONG COLD FRONT IS MOVING TOWARDS THE COAST THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL
MOVE ONSHORE AROUND 9 PM THIS EVENING. AS THE FRONT APPROACHES...SOUTH
WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH WILL OCCUR.

AFTER THE FRONT MOVES ONSHORE TONIGHT...WINDS WILL DECREASE FROM THE NORTH
TO SOUTH.

A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON.

A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM PST
SATURDAY.

LARGE SWELL GENERATED BY A STORM IN THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL BUILD TONIGHT
THROUGH FRIDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY...BRINGING HIGH SURF
CONDITIONS TO THE COAST. THE LARGEST SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE FRIDAY
AFTERNOON. HAZARDS FROM HIGH SURF CONDITIONS ALONG THE SHORELINE WILL BE
ENHANCED DURING THE HIGH TIDES AROUND 3 TO 4 PM IN THE AFTERNOON FRIDAY
AND SATURDAY.

HIGH TIDE OF 10.3 FT AND AN ANOMALY OF AROUND 1 FOOT WILL BRING THE HIGH
TIDE LEVEL TO AROUND 11.1 FT THIS AFTERNOON. AT THIS LEVEL...MINOR
FLOODING IS EXPECTED IN AND NEAR THE TOWN OF RAYMOND.

TIDES WILL BE LOWER AT SUBSEQUENT HIGH TIDES. CONSULT LOCAL TIDE TABLES
FOR TIMES AND HEIGHTS OF TIDES IN YOUR AREA.

A HIGH SURF ADVISORY MEANS THAT HIGH SURF WILL AFFECT BEACHES IN THE
ADVISORY AREA...PRODUCING RIP CURRENTS AND LOCALIZED BEACH EROSION.
EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION ALONG BEACHES. UNPREDICTABLE AND DESTRUCTIVE
WAVES MAY WASH OVER BEACHES...JETTIES AND OTHER STRUCTURES WITH NO
WARNING. BEACH EROSION IS POSSIBLE. THIS IS NOT A TIME TO BE NEAR THE
WATER.

Ready now, Steady later

Preparing for a disaster is one of those projects it's easy to put off. Don't wait; do it now. Rarely do you get a warning that a disaster is on its way in time to do much about it. At worst, planning ahead can make the difference between surviving or not. At the least, an emergency kit and a clear plan will help your family and neighbors be more comfortable while you wait it out.

Oregon is vulnerable to vaious types of natural hazards, from severe winter storms to earthquakes and floods. We also need to be prepared for thereats from aiforne chemicals, fires, tainted water or acts of aggression.

Many regional and national organizations have web sites, blogs and other communications dedicated to disaster preparedness. Oregon Emergency Management suggests you visit www.ready.gov for information about "Sheltering in Place," prepareing a 72 hour kit and making a disaster plan. There are diagrams and lists you can review and print out to help. The Red Cross also has a very useful site, www.oregonredcross.org. Check your local emergency management agencies for twitters and blogs like this one.

OEM's twitter is www.twitter.com/baileyjn. This is where we will post emergency information during disasters and education information when things are calmer.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

More Weather news

NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES-CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY- SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GOVERNMENT CAMP...DETROIT...
SANTIAM PASS...MCKENZIE BRIDGE...OAKRIDGE...WILLAMETTE PASS...
COLDWATER RIDGE VISITORS CENTER...MOUNT ST. HELENS

..SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL OVER THE CASCADES IS EXPECTED FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...

A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL RAPIDLY STRENGTHEN INTO A POWERFUL STORM TODAY AND THURSDAY. WHILE THE CENTER OF THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE GULF OF ALASKA...IT WILL PUSH A STRONG COLD FRONT ONSHORE INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST THURSDAY.

SNOW LEVELS WILL START OFF WELL ABOVE THE CASCADE PASSES EARLY THURSDAY...BUT ARE EXPECTED TO FALL QUICKLY AS THE FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE CASCADES THURSDAY EVENING. BY FRIDAY MORNING...
ACCUMULATING SNOW IS POSSIBLE AS LOW AS SOME OF THE CASCADE PASSES. WITH COOL UNSETTLED WEATHER EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEHIND THE FRONT...SNOW SHOWERS MAY CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS LOW AS 3000 TO 4000 FEET IN ELEVATION.

POTENTIAL SNOWFALL OF 2 TO 4 FEET ARE POSSIBLE AT AND ABOVE THE PASSES FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...WITH THE HEAVIEST ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED ABOVE THE PASSES.

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
342 AM PST WED NOV 4 2009
ORZ001>004-WAZ020-021-050500-
NORTH OREGON COAST-CENTRAL OREGON COAST-
COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON-
CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-WILLAPA HILLS-
SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ASTORIA...CANNON BEACH...TILLAMOOK...
LINCOLN CITY...NEWPORT...FLORENCE...VERNONIA...JEWELL...TRASK...
GRANDE RONDE...TIDEWATER...SWISSHOME...FRANCES...RYDERWOOD...
RAYMOND...LONG BEACH...CATHLAMET
342 AM PST WED NOV 4 2009


...WIND...RAIN...AND HEAVY SEAS TO ARRIVE LATER THURSDAY...
A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL RAPIDLY STRENGTHEN INTO A
POWERFUL STORM TODAY AND THURSDAY. WHILE THE CENTER OF THIS LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE GULF OF ALASKA...IT
WILL PUSH A STRONG COLD FRONT ONSHORE INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
THURSDAY.

WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT MAY GUST AS HIGH AS 50 TO 60 MPH
NEAR THE BEACHES AND COASTAL HEADLANDS LATER THURSDAY...AS WELL AS
ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE COAST RANGE. THE FRONT WILL
LIKELY BE ACCOMPANIED BY A PERIOD OF HEAVY RAIN...WHERE WHERE 1 TO
3 INCHES OR RAIN ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. RAIN
CONTINUES AT TIMES INTO SATURDAY...WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2
INCHES OF RAIN EXPECTED.

ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA STORM SYSTEM WILL
BE THE VERY LARGE OCEAN SWELL EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AS THE STORM
STRENGTHENS. THIS SWELL MAY BEGIN IMPACTING THE SOUTH WASHINGTON
AND NORTH OREGON COAST WITH HIGH SURF AS EARLY AS THURSDAY
MORNING...AS SWELL OF 25 TO 30 FEET WILL CREATE CHAOTIC SURF ZONE
THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. THE HEAVY SURF MAY PROVIDE THE
POSSIBILITY FOR MINOR COASTAL FLOODING DURING HIGH TIDE...AND THE
LARGE BREAKERS MAY PRODUCE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ALONG THE BEACHES.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

National Veterans Awareness Week

On October 30th, Governor Kulongoski made a proclamation declaring November 9th - November 15th to be National Veterans Awareness Week. Here is the proclamation:


Monday, November 2, 2009

Winter Weather

...Enjoy the great outdoors in the Pacific Northwest this winter season, but keep and eye or ear on the changeable weather...The National Weather Service issues a variety of winter weather watches, advisories and warnings.

Always check the latest weather forecast before heading out and take the warnings issued by the National Weather Service seriously. Before winter weather threatens this season, you should prepare a winter safety kit for you vehicle. Such kits are also available at many retail and auto supply stores.

Remember, if you become stranded on the roads during a storm, run the motor about 10 minutes each hour for heat, but keep the window open a bit for ventilation. Also, keep the exhaust pipe clear of obstruction to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Finally, make yourself visible to rescuers by turning on the dome light at night while running the motor.

Avoid overexertion when outdoors. Heart attacks can kill during and after storms, because shoveling snow or freeing stuck vehicles can be quite stressful.

A valuable companion when heading out this cold season is a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio, the voice of the National Weather Service. It provides you with the latest weather conditions and forecasts. You can purchase such radios at many local electronics or department stores, and over the internet.

Use the 511 phone and internet traveler information services provided by state transportation departments to info on road conditions, road work, vehicle restrictions, and road closures, before you travel.

Finally, if you need more information on winter weather safety, winter weather brochures, or NOAA Weather Radio, please contact your nearest National Weather Service office by phone, or by web.

For questions about local Severe Weather Preparedness, contact your local NOAA National Weather Service Office:
local office
on the web at...
contact by phone
Medford
weather.gov/medford
541-773-1067
Seattle
weather.gov/seattle
206-526-6087
Spokane
weather.gov/spokane
509-244-6395
Pendleton
weather.gov/pendleton
541-276-4493
Portland
weather.gov/portland
503-261-9246
Boise
weather.gov/boise
208-334-9861
Pocatello
weather.gov/pocatello
208-233-0834
Missoula
weather.gov/missoula
406-329-4840