Past and present snowstorms
Statement as of 12:15 PM PST on December 22, 2008
Plenty of snow has fallen across the region this past weekend... as
well as last week. Following puts a historical perspective on the
snowfall at a few locations.
This is the biggest December snowstorm since the December 1968
storm... which left 8 to 14 inches of snow across Portland and
Vancouver areas. It is the biggest snowstorm of the winter season
since the January 1980 storm.
However... this said... this storm will not rank in the top 5
snowstorms for many locations due to bigger snow events between the
late 1800s to mid 1900s.
Listed are the snowfall totals for the snowiest months... along with
storm total from the heaviest storm of that month in parentheses.
A storm is defined from the onset of steady precipitation until the
end of the showery period behind the storm. Often... this may be a 1
to 3 day period. The 2008 storm is from Saturday morning through
Monday morning.
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Portland downtown (period of record: 1880-present)... .
2008 storm total 11-13 inches
biggest snowstorms 1893 Jan-Feb 31.8 inches
1916 Jan-Feb 27.9 inches
1884 Dec 22.3 inches
1943 Jan 19.2 inches
1919 Dec 17.5 inches
1937 Jan-Feb 16.8 inches
1980 Jan 16.3 inches
1950 Jan 16.1 inches
1890 Jan 13.2 inches
1956 Jan 13.0 inches
1950 Jan 12.8 inches
1887 Jan 12.0 inches
1964 Dec 11.8 inches
snowiest decembers 1884 34.1 inches
1892 29.0 inches
1919 17.5 inches
1964 13.4 inches
1909 10.3 inches
1968 10.1 inches
snowiest months (all winter) 1890 Jan 35.3 inches
1884 Dec 34.1 inches
1950 Jan 32.9 inches
1916 Jan 32.9 inches
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Portland Airport (period of record: 1940-1996 snow data)... ..
At the Airport... 2008 storm so far... 7-8 inches
at National Weather Service (period of record: 1996 to present)
2008 storm so far 12.0 inches (14.5 for dec)
biggest snowstorms 1950 Jan 22.0 inches
1968-69 Dec-Jan 14.8 inches
1951 Mar 12.9 inches
1980 Jan 11.4 inches
1995 Feb 11.0 inches
1964 Dec 10.7 inches
snowiest decembers 1968 15.7 inches
1964 11.0 inches
1972 6.1 inches
snowiest months (all winter) 1950 41.0 inches
1969 18.3 inches
1968 15.7 inches
1951 12.9 inches
1980 12.4 inches
1964 11.0 inches
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Vancouver (period of record: 1896-present)...
2008 storm so far... 12-13 inches
biggest snowstorm 1916 Jan-Feb 20.9 inches
1919 Jan-Feb 19.2 inches
1919 Dec 18.3 inches
1943 Jan 16.0 inches
1950 Jan 13.0 inches
1930 Jan 12.7 inches
1923 Feb 11.7 inches
snowiest decembers 1919 18.3 inches
1922 10.7 inches
1972 8.3 inches
snowiest months (all winter) 1950 Jan 35.3 inches
1916 Jan 22.1 inches
1930 Jan 18.5 inches 1919 Dec 18.3 inches
1909 Jan 18.0 inches
1943 Jan 16.0 inches
1937 Feb 15.7 inches
1901 Jan 15.2 inches
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Astoria Airport (period of record: 1892-present)...
2008 storm so far... 4 to 7 inches
biggest snowstorm 1969 Jan 19.1 inches
1964 Dec 16.0 inches
1922 Dec 12.5 inches
several storms of 6-8 inches
snowiest decembers 1964 19.0 inches
1922 12.5 inches
snowiest months (all winter) 1950 Jan 26.9 inches
1969 Jan 26.3 inches
1964 Dec 19.0 inches
1943 Jan 13.8 inches
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NWS Portland climate staff