1980 — Jan 8-10 — Snowstorm, OR (6) and WA (3) — 9
–13 AP. “Snow And Ice Blitz Western States.” Nashua Telegraph, NH, 1-11-1980, p. 2.
–12 Assoc. Press. “Fierce Northwest Storms Kill 12.” Nashua Telegraph, NH, 1-10-1980, p. 2.
— 9 Blanchard tally of OR and WA deaths (larger press numbers seem to include Rocky Mts.).
— 6 Taylor and Hatton. Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes. 1999, p. 105.
Oregon (6)
–6 NCDC. Storm Data. Vol. 22, No. 1, Jan 1980, p. 5.
–4 Taylor and Hatton. Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes. 1999, p. 105.
Breakout of Oregon snowstorm-related fatalities
–1 Umatilla area, US-730, Jan 9. Male, 29, of Baker; his tractor-trailer collides with truck.[1]
–1 Columbia Gorge, Jan 8-10. NCDC. Storm Data. Vol. 22, No. 1, Jan 1980, p. 5.
–1 Hermiston, Umatilla County, Jan 9-10. NCDC. Storm Data. Vol. 22, No. 1, Jan 1980, p. 5.[2]
–1 Parkdale, Hood River County. Apparent heart attack; male, 64, while plowing snow.[3]
–4 Portland and Multnomah County. NCDC. Storm Data. Vol. 22, No. 1, Jan 1980, p. 5.
–1 Portland, Jan 9. Female “crushed…when an ice-laden tree fell on her.”[4]
Washington (3)
–3 Blanchard tally of locality breakouts below.
–2 Taylor and Hatton. Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes. 1999, p. 105.
–1 Bothell. Male, 24, trapped beneath moving car for more than 500 feet.[5]
–1 Packwood, Jan 8. Male, 20, from Omak; car spun out on icy road; hit when he got out.[6]
–1 Woodland, Jan 8-12. Person found dead, buried in snow near home. NCDC; Taylor/Hatton.[7]
Narrative Information
NCDC, Jan 8-12, Heavy Snow, Clark, Skamania, and Klickitat Counties: “Up to 8 feet of snow fell in the three county area from Jan 8-12. The heavy snow collapsed many roofs of buildings including a marina in Camas in which about 105 boats were damaged or sunk. In Stevenson, the town’s plywood mill roof fell. Many school buildings suffered damage….” (NCDC, Storm Data. Vol. 22, No. 1, Jan 1980, p. 7.)
Jan 9: “Snowfall is expected to diminish tonight, providing some relief for area residents battling the winter’s first snow storm. Road crews and school districts appeared to be faring well in a fight to maintain normal operations with snow accumulation reaching eight inches…Two or three inches of additional snow today was expected to raise total snowfall to 11 inches, according to…the National Weather Service….” (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA. “Storm dumps 8” of snow over region.” 1-9-1980, p. 1.)
Sources
Associated Press. “Fierce Northwest Storms Kill 12.” Nashua Telegraph, NH, 1-10-1980, p. 2. Accessed 7-26-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/nashua-telegraph-jan-10-1980-p-2/
Associated Press. “Oregon hit hard by Pacific storm.” The News-Herald, Franklin & Oil City, PA, 1-9-1980, p. 24. Accessed 7-26-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/franklin-news-herald-jan-09-1980-p-24/
Associated Press. “Power out for many in Oregon.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 1-10, 1980, p. 24. Accessed 7-26-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/walla-walla-union-bulletin-jan-10-1980-p-24/
Associated Press. “Snow And Ice Blitz Western States.” Nashua Telegraph, NH, 1-11-1980, p. 2. Accessed 7-26-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/nashua-telegraph-jan-11-1980-p-2/
Associated Press. “Weather halts search for Hermiston youth.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, 1-10-1980, p. 24. Accessed 7-26-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/walla-walla-union-bulletin-jan-10-1980-p-24/
National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data. Vol. 22, No. 1, January 1980. Asheville, NC: NCDC, Environmental Data and Information Service, NOAA. Accessed 7-26-2018 at: https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-F782B1C5-A16C-43DA-978E-4399880DD701.pdf
Taylor, George H. and Raymond R. Hatton. Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes. Corvallis: Oregon Sate University Press, 1999.
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA. “Storm dumps 8” of snow over region.” 1-9-1980, p. 1. Accessed 7-26-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/walla-walla-union-bulletin-jan-09-1980-p-1/
[1] Taylor and Hatton. “The Biggest Single-Day Storm: January, 1980,” Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes (1999, p. 105). Notes “Six deaths occurred during the storm” and lists this as first of the six listed. They identify victim as Kenneth Connolly. The “Umatilla area” identification is from: Associated Press. “Fierce Northwest Storms Kill 12.” Nashua Telegraph, NH, 1-10-1980, p. 2.
[2] The AP, on Jan 10 writes: “Hermiston…A search for a missing 4-year-old boy was called off late Wednesday [Jan 9] because of the weather. No trace was found of Lucas M. Glenn…The boy was last seen by a neighbor about 4 p.m. Tuesday playing in the driveway of his home.” (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA. “Weather halts search for Hermiston youth.” Taylor and Hatton note this as one of six lives lost during the storm.
[3] Taylor and Hatton. “The Biggest Single-Day Storm: January, 1980,” Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes (1999, p. 105). Notes “Six deaths occurred during the storm” and lists this death as one of the six.
[4] Associated Press. “Power out for many in Oregon.” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA, 1-10, 1980, p. 24. Taylor and Hatton note that Pamela McClean was killed when a tree fell on her (p. 105).
[5] Taylor and Hatton. “The Biggest Single-Day Storm: January, 1980,” Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes (1999, p. 105). Notes “Six deaths occurred during the storm” and lists this death as one of the six.
[6] Associated Press. “Fierce Northwest Storms Kill 12.” Nashua Telegraph, NH, 1-10-1980, p. 2. Another AP report identifies the man as Cruz Martinez: “One weather-related traffic death was reported from Packwood, Wash. Cruz Martinez, 20, Omak, was killed Tuesday when he stepped from his car, which had spun out on an icy highway, and was struck by another car, police said.” (AP. “Oregon hit hard by Pacific storm.” The News-Herald, Franklin & Oil City, PA, 1-9-1980, p. 24.)
[7] Storm Data. Vol. 22, No. 1, Jan 1980, p. 7. Taylor and Hatton note that: “Elma Grace Gabrielson, 79, was found buried under several inches of snow near her Woodland, Washington, home; she had apparently slipped while attempting to check her mail.” (p. 105)