National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Severe Weather and Heavy Rain Continues in the Central U.S.; Mountain Snow Across Much of the West

Scattered severe thunderstorms, associated with tornadoes, large hail, and wind damage, are likely through Monday night from the Southern Plains into the Ozarks and mid Mississippi Valley. An Enhanced Risk (level 3 of 5) has been issued. Heavy mountain snow is expected to impact the higher terrain of the Pacific Northwest, Intermountain West, and Rockies for much of this week. Read More >

About the National Weather Service Portland

The National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast office in Portland maintains a watchful eye on the weather and other weather related hazards across northwest Oregon and southwest Washington. The office is staffed 24 hours per day, every day of the year.

Our Mission: The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. NWS data and products form a national information database and infrastructure which can be used by other governmental agencies, the private sector, the public, and the global community.
Operations  
NOAA Logo Monitoring of the only currently active volcano in the contiguous 48 states.
NOAA Logo One of the most active hydrologic areas in the United States
NOAA Logo Responsible for Forecasts and Warnings for 14 counties in northwest Oregon, 5 counties in southwest Washington, and a coastal marine area that extends from 0 to 60 miles offshore, extending from Cape Shoalwater, Washington to Florence, Oregon.
County Warnings Areas
NWS Portland
Area of Responsibility

Weather Dissemination  
NOAA Logo 10 NOAA Weather Radio transmitters
NOAA Logo Amber Alerts and Homeland Security Alerts broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio
NOAA Logo Strong partnerships with media
NOAA Logo On our website ( weather.gov/portland )
NOAA Logo Social media including ( Facebook and Twitter )
NOAA Logo NOAA Weather Wire Service ( details... )
NOAA Logo Local NOAA Weather Radio information ( including other maps )...
Salem Weather Radio listening area map
NOAA Weather Radio Coverage Map for Salem

Public Forecasts
While the primary duty of our office is watch and warning responsibility, the majority of time is spent providing routine weather service to the public, including daily forecasts and climate services.

In addition to the standard text products, the NWS Portland produces forecasts in gridded and digital formats. These datasets comprise of the the NWS National Digital Forecast Database, which is available to all customers and partners, so that they may use the information to create a wide range of text, graphic and gridded products.
 
NOAA Logo NWS Portland Info: Digital products
NOAA Logo NWS Portland Info: Public products
NOAA LogoNWS Portland Info: Hazardous Weather products (non-routine)
NOAA LogoNWS Digital Forecasts
NOAA LogoNational Digital Forecast Database
Digital forecast example
Example of a Digital Forecast, a single grid of the hundreds that we produce daily.

Other Weather Data Produced

In addition to our public forecasts and warnings, we also are responsible for aviation, marine, hydrologic and fire weather services for our area.

Aviation forecasts for 7 airports and 5 air routes.

Marine forecasts/warnings for the coastal waters from 0 to 60 miles offshore, extending from Cape Shoalwater, WA to Florence Oregon.

Fire Weather forecasts/warnings for all of the local area, including the Siuslaw, Mt Hood, Gifford-Pinchot and Willamette National Forests.

NOAA LogoNWS Portland Info: Hydrologic products
NOAA LogoNWS Portland Info: Marine products
NOAA LogoNWS Portland Info: Aviation products
NOAA LogoNWS Portland Info: Tsunami products
NOAA LogoNWS Portland Info: Fire Weather products
NOAA LogoNorthwest River Forecast Center
NOAA LogoWest Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
Willamettte River Flooding - February 1996
Willamette Flooding, 1996

Aviation Weather Map
Aviation Weather Map
Other Information
NOAA LogoMore about NWS Products and Services Washougal Waterspout
Waterspout near Washougal, WA