Atmospheric River in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies this Weekend

A Pacific storm and atmospheric river will impact the Pacific Northwest states and northern Rockies this weekend, bringing locally heavy low elevations rain and heavy high elevation snow in the mountains. By Sunday over the Interior Northwest, rain combined with snowmelt will increase the risk of flood hazards. Flood Watches are in effect. Read More >

Overview

On October 28, 2018, an EF-0 tornado briefly developed in North Portland around 3 PM. The tornado was on the ground for approximately two minutes and caused some minor damage, including snapping some tree limbs and a few small tree trunks. Three semi-truck trailers were overturned in a parking area near Marine Drive, with some minor roof damage observed on a nearby building. A National Weather Service storm survey team rated the tornado an EF-0 with estimated peak wind speeds of 74 mph, based upon this observed damage.

Tornado

Tornado:

Tornado - North Portland
Multnomah County, Oregon

Date	October 28, 2018
Time (PDT)	2:58 PM - 3:00 PM
EF Rating	EF-0
Est. Peak Winds	74 mph
Path Length	1.25 miles
Max Width	20 yards
Path Start Lat/Lon	45.58967 / -122.67787
Path End Lat/Lon	45.60059 / -122.65983
Injuries/Deaths	0
Survey Summary: Minor tree damage was observed at several locations, including at the Portland Meadows facility, on MLK Boulevard near Union Court, and at a park along NE Bridgeton Road. Three semi-truck trailers were overturned in a parking area near Marine Drive. Minor roof damage also was noted to a building southwest of the intersection of NE 2nd Avenue and Marine Drive.

Track Map

Overview of tornado path and damage.


Semi truck trailer overturned in a parking lot near Marine Drive. (Credit: NWS Storm Survey)	Semi truck trailer overturned in the parking lot. (Credit: NWS Storm Survey)	Small birch tree trunks snapped. (Credit: NWS Storm Survey)	Minor tree limb damage. (Credit: NWS Storm Survey)

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The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0 Weak 65-85 mph	EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph	EF2 Significant 111-135 mph	EF3 Severe 136-165 mph	EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph	EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph

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Atmospheric River in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies this Weekend

October 28, 2018 North Portland Tornado Event Summary