Big windstorm hit Oregon 25 years ago
Deadly ‘Big Blow 2’ caught Oregonians by surprise in 1995
By Douglas Perry, oregonlive.com
Share:
PORTLAND — Mayor Vera Katz took to the airwaves at midday and told Portlanders to flee while they still could.
It was too late. Thousands of commuters ended up stuck in massive traffic jams on highways and streets. They were still there, gridlocked, when the tempest reached its peak at around 2 p.m., with gusts topping 100 mph.
The windstorm hit the state 25 years ago today, on Dec. 12, 1995. It was the most powerful and damaging one since the legendary Columbus Day storm more than three decades earlier.