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| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 1880 |
| Dissipated | After January 19, 1880 |
| Extratropical cyclone | |
| Lowest pressure | 955 hPa (mbar); 28.20 inHg |
| Winter storm | |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | Unknown |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | Unknown |
| Damage | At least several million dollars (1880 USD) |
| Areas affected | British Columbia, Pacific Northwest |
The Great Gale of 1880 was an intense extratropical cyclone (possibly deeper than 955 millibars or 28.20 inHg) that impacted the Northwest United States on January 9, 1880.[1][2]
The greatest snowstorm, and perhaps overall worst storm in SW Washington and NW Oregon history, was that dubbed the ‘Storm King’ event of January 9, 1880.... Little data is available for the so-called ‘Storm King’ of January 1880, but it appears the storm center came ashore just south of Astoria, Oregon, on January 9th when a barometric pressure of 28.45” was registered in the town. Portland bottomed out at 28.56.[3]
Winds gusted over 70 mph in Portland, probably exceeding 100 mph along the Pacific coast causing extensive damage and several deaths.
Along the coast, wind gusts probably exceeded 100 mph. Enormous damage was done to the forests of both Oregon and Washington (where a few days earlier Seattle had just gained over 5 feet of snow). Great tree losses were reported; Outside of Portland, 500 to 600 trees were blown down over just 10 miles of railroad tracks. [3]
Gusts of an estimated 138 miles per hour (222 km/h) destroyed buildings, barns, and fences. The storm blew a three-masted schooner onto the beach at Coos Bay where it broke in two.[4]
- ^ Wolf Read (January 13, 2004). "The January 9, 1880 "Storm King"". Retrieved January 13, 2007.
- ^ Burt, Christopher C. (2004), Extreme Weather: A Guide and Record Book, W.W. Norton & Co., p. 235, ISBN 0-393-32658-6
- ^ a b Burt, Christopher C. (January 20, 2012). "The Pacific Northwest's Greatest Storm: The 'Storm King' of January 1880". WunderBlog Archive. The Weather Company, LLC. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
- ^ Mass, Cliff (2008). The Weather of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. p. 81. ISBN 9780295988474.