Salem-News.com Weather articles Page 23

Western Oregon Sees Several Floods and Landslides

Oregon drivers need to continue to use caution in several areas.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Oregon's swelling rivers have caused problems over much of the western half of the state. Landslides and washouts have halted traffic in several locations.

Rivers Pass Flood Levels in Oregon

Includes video from Brightwood where logs are battering the local river bridge...

(BRIGHTWOOD, Ore.) - Residents near the Sandy River are frantically filling sandbags in an effort to save their properties from rising flood waters. Gary Randall with Precision Artists says there are reports that Lolo Pass has washed out, reminding us that this is not the first time.

Mudslide Closes US Highway 20

Eastbound motorists should use OR 22 or OR 126 to access Santiam Pass and points east, while westbound motorists will be detoured onto OR 126.

(CASCADIA) - A landslide has closed US Highway 20 (Santiam Hwy) at milepost 44, just east of Cascadia.

Oregon Dept. of Transportation crews say the slide has deposited 150 cubic yards of mud, rock and debris on the highway as well as 12-14 large trees.

Pray for Australia!

Queensland and Brisbane are threatened by looming amounts of rain...

(QUEENSLAND / SALEM) - Parts of Australia are under threat of siege from billions of gallons of water; torrential rains have flooded sections of Queensland prompting a call for relief from the government:

Queensland Government has launched an appeal to help fellow Queenslanders affected by the recent floods. Many communities have been devastated. Some families have lost everything.

Plane Crash Leaves 70 Dead in Iran

At least 70 have been killed and 32 have injured ia an Iranian passenger plane crash.

(TEHRAN Press TV) - The IranAir-operated plane, with 105 passengers and crew on board, crashed near Lake Orumiyeh, the head of Iran's State Emergency Center said on Sunday.

The American-made Boeing 727 took off from Tehran and was en route to Orumiyeh International Airport when the incident happened.

Western Snow Will Hit Low Elevations

A major winter storm plowing through the West is not just unleashing substantial snow and strong winds over the mountains, but also some lower elevations.

(SALEM, Ore. / State College, PA) - It should not shock residents of the West that the winter storm will dump up to a fresh foot or locally more of snow on the mountains of the Rockies and the Sierra today into tonight.

Travel will become nearly impossible in the higher terrain.

At Least 4 Seriously Hurt in Icy Jacknife Crash

Two had to be lifeflighted from the scene.

(LA PINE, Ore.) - Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers are investigating a head-on crash Monday morning that seriously injured at least four people and closed Highway 97 near La Pine for nearly four hours.

OSP says Monday at approximately 9:07 a.m. a 2006 Ford pickup pulling an empty 20-foot horse trailer operated by a 40-year old female was southbound on Highway 97 near milepost 169.

`All Kinds of Flooding Is Going On` in California Winter Storm

Snowfall has also been exceptional...

(STATE COLLEGE, Pa.) - AccuWeather.com reports a relentless barrage of storms that has been pummeling California and the West with tremendous rain and snowfall since Friday will keep at it for one more day.

The last storm in the series will plow onshore over California tonight into Wednesday, sending rainfall totals for this entire event ranging anywhere from 5 inches to 2 feet in central and southern parts of the state.

Tornado Rips Through Rural Oregon Community
Video of the Destruction

Footage shows Tornado's destructive path.

(AUMSVILLE, Ore.) - A Tornado touched down at the southern end of Aumsville, Oregon last Tuesday at approximately 11:40 a.m. cutting a swath of destruction but fortunately sparing the people of this rural Oregon town from serious injury.

Unusual in the Northwest, the Tornado had a Fujita Scale rating of EF2 with estimated wind speeds between 110 and 120 MPH.

California Faces Major Heavy Rain Event, Flooding

Rain will also affect areas farther south through Los Angeles and San Diego and farther north into western Oregon.

(STATE COLLEGE, Pa.) - AccuWeather.com reports a major heavy rain event is starting to get under way across California today. Rounds of soaking rain are headed for the state through at least the middle of next week and will pose a significant threat for flooding.

The heaviest rain is expected to target central California with the western slopes of the Sierra being hit the hardest.