October 12, 2012
Today Is The 50th Anniversary Of The Columbus Day Storm
Naturally, Cliff Mass has a
detailed post
describing it.
It was the most powerful and destructive storm to strike the Northwest since the arrival
of European settlers.
AND it was probably the most powerful non-tropical cyclone to strike the lower-48 states during
the past century.
. . .
The winds during the storm were amazing (see graphic of peak gusts, courtesy Wolf Read).
Over 145 mph at Cape Blanco, 138 mph at Newport, over 130 mph at Mt. Hebo, 160 mph at
the Naselle radar site in SW Washington, 116 in Portland, and 100 mph in Renton (so those
people who put down Renton keep this in mind!).
Cross posted at
Jim Miller on Politics.
Posted by Jim Miller at October 12, 2012
04:18 PM | Email This
1. I recall listening (watching?) news reports as the storm worked its way north. One report noted the wind had blown the grandstand roof off of Multanomah County Stadium in Portland.
I also recall my dad hoisting water from the shallow well outside the milkhouse and packing buckets to the chicken houses and cattle barns...not to mention the house. We were all relieved (especially dad) when we saw Puget Power trucks (one week after the storm) repairing the power lines along the county road in front of our farm.
2. And speaking of windstorms, everyone up on the Peninsula recalls the February, 1979 storm that sunk the western span of the Hood Canal Floating Bridge. Local lore contends that the bridge tender observed wind gusts "pegging" the needle (110 mph) of an analog wind speed meter before deciding he'd better get off the bridge. I recall timber laid down like matchsticks all over East Jefferson County and numerous large barns and outbuildings destroyed by those hurricane force winds.
Years back older folks spoke of a similar storm in 1934. My dad remembered it well on my grandparents farm in Poulsbo and my mother recalled the storm at a time when she lived near the water in Bremerton with her widower father and younger sister. Another old pioneer remembered that storm toppling the smokestack at the Port Ludlow sawmill.
3. Should another such storm make its appearance, the wreckage will be on every TV screen and front page as incontrovertible evidence of global warming.
4. Great article. I was a young unknowing kid living in Portland at that time. What I remember was the huge number of fallen Doug Fir trees all around, on top of houses in some cases.
5. We used a combination of oil lamps, Coleman lantern and candles. Dad BBQ'd steaks. I was surprised that school was cancelled for the next day. You couldn't actually go around and look at the damage much, simply because there were too many trees down. You were limited to walking distance.
On the other hand, firewood was very cheap for a while afterward.
6. Lived in the South Sound on I-5 corridor. Had trees blown over in front and back yards. The tree in the front took out the water main. It was the start of hunting season the next day, I was 7 years old and we brushed our teeth with beer, yummy! Not really, no water or power for a week. We made it about 200 hundred feet up a logging road with my Dad and his buddy cutting fallen trees out of the way before turning back and going to the only restaurant with power for breakfast.
7. two weeks earlier on September 28, 1962 the View Ridge area was hit by a tornado that tore off a few roofs and toppled trees. Historylink has a Seattle Times account of the event, even quotes Mary Gates, mother of 7 year old "Trey" future head of Microsoft. Just search "Tornado with 100-m.p.h. winds hits Seattle and Juanita on September 28, 1962"- should find the Historylink article.
8. I have to say that for the past couple of hours i have been hooked by the amazing posts on this website. Keep up the great work.
9. Today the Seattle Times launched an ad campaign for McKenna This is wrong from a journalistic point of view because we rely on our journalists to avoid doing this at all costs, even when wealthy forces try to force the news their way.
But if your realize/remember that Mckenna is the guy who on his own used your money, our state's money, to challenge health care, your health benefits, which was clearly an anti people move and when you note that this is precisely why he was the Republican party's choice for gubernatorial candidate, you know you have to cut your ties with the times.
The Times thinks people will stop delivery and restart after the election but you can't do that. You have to stop delivery and not restart. W have very few ways to express our outrage but this is one. The Times will not be in my house again.