Weekend storm breaks trees and rainfall records

Strong winds, heavy rain and lots of damage.

“Out in the Ochocos and in some of the other outlying areas, we had rockfall onto the highway,” ODOT’s Bend regional spokesman, Peter Murphy, said Monday

This weekend’s storm soaked the Pacific Northwest, breaking trees and records across Oregon.

Redmond broke a daily rainfall record Saturday when 0.31 of an inch of rain fell.

Portland International Airport broke its September record, along with Astoria, which saw almost a foot of rain this month.

This storm not only brought strong winds and record rainfall, it also brought early snow to the mountains.

“It’s awesome,” said Andy Goggins, director of marketing and communications at Mt. Bachelor, “It always gets us excited when it turns white.”

With close to six inches of snow at the base and almost a foot at the summit, it looks like Christmas in late September at Mt. Bachelor.

“Definitely is a reminder that winter is just around the corner,” said Goggins.

The winter fun has already begun.

“I did about five miles today,” said cross-country skier John Kamna. “Snow the whole way — didn’t break through on the trail at all, so it was really quite nice to get out.”

Four inches of snow at Dutchman Flat Sno-Park had the adventurous few taking to the trails Monday

“It’s kind of like I’d say, an early winter conditions,” said Kamna.

It’s an exciting tease of winter for Central Oregonians.

But areas on the other side of the those snow-covered mountains, continue to pick up the pieces of a wild weather weekend.

The city of Bend said it only had to clear five fallen trees over the weekend.

Murphy said although crews had to do some cleanup, there were benefits to the storm, as all of the rain cleared debris and oils off of the road.