Columbus Day Storm remembered 62 years later
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- The Columbus Day Storm lives on in weather history for the Pacific Northwest as devastating winds ripped through Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.
It was October 11, 1962, when winds peaked between 90 and 100 mph as a powerful fall storm moved in from the Pacific Ocean.
Now 62 years later, all other storms are compared to the destruction seen across the region.
Portland area winds topped off at 116 mph during the event in 1962. A powerful low pressure system took aim at the Washington and Canadian border.
It was the extreme pressure gradient that helped move strictive winds off the Pacific Ocean and move inland.
Those who remember this major fall event well look at fall storms slightly different. Another low pressure system is now taking aim at Oregon and Washington next week.
It's Portland's next fall storm that is only expecting to move cooler and wetter weather back to the region by the middle of next week.