In the late afternoon on February 7, 2002 a strong developing
low pressure system came onshore in Southwest Oregon and quickly
moved northward into the lower Willamette Valley. This storm intensified
rapidly and produced 50 to 70 mph wind gusts in Lane and Linn
Counties over about a 2 to 3 hour time frame and caused significant
property damage and power outages in these counties. Sustained
winds at the Eugene airport was 43 knots (49 mph). Maximum wind
gusts reported over the region as the low pressure system moved
onshore and into the valley ranged from 88 mph in Bandon, OR,
84 mph in Gold Beach, to 70 mph in Eugene, OR.
I conducted a post storm survey on Friday, February 8, 2002 in
Lane and Linn Counties to investigate the extent of property damage
and find out if there were any injuries or fatalities from this
storm. I met with the Lane County Public Information Officer,
Melinda Kletzok, and representative from the Lane County Sheriff's
Office. I also had telephone conversations with Tom Showlaksi,
Director of Communications for the City of Eugene, Jim Howell,
Emergency Manager for Linn County, and Doug Putscher, Chief of
Lane County Road Maintenance. I tried to contact the Lane County
Emergency Manager, Ike Jensen, but he was out of the office performing
damage assessment. After my conversations with the people noted
above, I found the most extensive and significant damage occurred
in and around the city of Eugene; in particular the University
of Oregon area and a suburb named Bell Estates in the NW sector
of Eugene. The damage path stretched northward from Eugene to
Junction City, then eastward to Sweet Home and Lebanon in Linn
County. I've hatched the damage area on the attached map.
Lane County. In the city of Eugene, I saw approximately 90 to
100 trees blown over. These trees were one to three feet in diameter
and 80 to 100 feet tall. Most of these were blown over at the
root base, very few where sheared off. Nearly every tree I saw
was lying to the north, indicative of strong south winds. In the
Bell Estates suburb of Northwest Eugene, I saw 14 houses that
sustained significant damage due to trees falling into the roofs
or garages. Near the University of Oregon, I saw four automobiles
that were crushed by falling trees. A few pictures are attached
showing the damage. Damage was also noted along highway 99E from
Eugene to Junction City. Although this area is a rural agriculture
area, there were still lots of signs of property damage. The property
damage was confined to trees falling on houses or other structures
or shingles blown off roofs.
Linn County. From Junction City, I headed east toward Sweet Home
in Linn County. Just east of I-5 near exit 216, there was a 1.3
mile stretch of downed power lines. There were 26 power poles
blown down in this area. All the power poles had been sheared
off at the base and were lying to the north–again indicative
of a strong south winds. There were also 15 large trees blown
down at a rest area along I-5 near exit 209. Minor damage occurred
to a building at the rest stop. There were also power poles down
and homes damaged in Sweet Home. According to Jim Howell, Emergency
Manager of Linn County, there were several houses also damaged
in Brownsville and Lebanon. Jim had also received reports of two
semi-trucks that were blown over on highway 20, but didn't have
an exact location.
According to Lane and Linn County officials, there were 4 injuries,
but no fatalities associated with this wind storm. The injuries
were from two separate incidents. Three people were in an automobile
that a tree fell on. Two of the occupants were only shaken up
and released from the hospital. The other occupant was still in
the hospital on February 8 with head injuries, but not life threatening.
The other injury occurred near Lane Community College when a young
woman was hit by falling limbs from a tree that fell nearby. She
was released from the hospital with minor injuries.
Written by Tyree Wilde, Warning Coordination Meteorologist
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