COLUMBUS DAY STORM

AKA: THE BIG BLOW

Storm type: Extra-tropical cyclone

An extra-tropical cyclone is a storm system that primarily gets its energy from the horizontal temperature contrasts that exist in the atmosphere. Extra-tropical cyclones are low pressure systems with associated cold fronts, warm fronts, and occluded fronts.

FORMED AS: TYPHOON FREDA ON OCTOBER 3, 1962

ENDED ON: OCTOBER 17, 1962

WORST DAY: COLUMBUS DAY OCTOBER 12, 1962

Tropical storm Freda formed in the central pacific ocean. As it moved into colder water it became an extra-tropical cyclone.

WIND SPEED

CITY/STATE SUSTAINED GUSTS IN MPH

CAPE BLANCO, OR

N/A 179

MT. HEBO AFS, OR

N/A 130

SALEM, OR N/A 90

PORTLAND, OR 90 116

NASELLE, WA 90 160

OLYMPIA, WA N/A 88

McCHORD AFB, WA

N/A 100

RENTON, WA 64 98

SEATTLE, WA N/A 65

SPOKANE, WA N/A 58

RAINFALLCITY/STATE RAINFALL IN

INCHESDATE

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

4.52 10-13-1962

OAKLAND, CA 4.52 10-13-1962

SACRAMENTO, CA 3.77 10-13-1962

THE BAY AREA 7+ 10-13-1962

DAMAGE

15 BILLION BOARD FEET$280 MILLION $200 MILLION IN OREGON ALONEMETROPOLITON LIFE INSSURANCE COMPANY NAMED THE COLUMBUS DAY STORM THE NATIONS WORST NATURAL DISASTER OF 1962

Cost of damage by cityLongview, Wa. $123,764

Vancouver, Wa. $100,000Salem, Or. $220,000Eugene, Or. $50,000

Insurance claimsOregon 70,000

amount pd. 20,000,000Washington 28,216 paid on 24,676 for a total of 4,230,200

Paid by metlife

Path of destruction125 miles wide1000 miles long75,000 square

miles of total destruction

First made landfall in Northern California. Then moved northeast about 50 miles inland and then veered straight north towards Oregon state.

AFTERMATH

46 FATALITIESHUNDREDS INJUREDTHOUSANDS WITH OUR POWER

MAJOR EVENTS

BASEBALL WORLD SERIES DELAYED

DUCKS/HUSKIES FOOTBALL WENT ON AS SCHEDULED