Winter has arrived in Oregon! This morning has seen sub-zero temperature readings in eastern Oregon. The temperature at the Crane Prairie RAWS site (CPFO3) east of Seneca plummeted to -15 F this morning after a high yesterday of 24 F. SE of Bend at the Horse Ridge RWIS site (ODT33) the temperature also dropped to -15 F while Meacham ASOS along I-84 in the Blue Mountains recorded a minimum temperature of -11 F.
A new low temperature record of +2 F was established in La Grande along I-84 this morning:
RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
1040 AM PST WED DEC 7 2016
...NEW DAILY RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE FOR DECEMBER 7TH...
STATION PREVIOUS NEW RECORDS
RECORD/YEAR RECORD BEGAN
LA GRANDE(CITY), OR 3 / 1978 2 1887
A small correction, if I may. Meacham, Oregon is not located along I-82 but along I-84 as it goes up to almost 5,000 feet across the Blue Mountains. I-82 does not go that high. Meacham is just about the coldest place in Oregon due to its elevation in Eastern Oregon. Only Seneca, Oregon has been colder, recording a -54 F in February 1933. By comparison, Meacham was a balmy -52 F at the same time, according to Wikipedia.
Similarly, La Grande, Oregon is located along I-84 not I-82.
Gordon J. Fulks, PhD (Physics)
Corbett, Oregon USA
Oops. I-84 now replaces I-82 in my post. Thanks for correcting my goof.
-Mark Albright