What are cold front thunderstorms on the coast like during shoulder season? (Newberg: homes)

[VulcanRabbi]

I've seen many times on the weather blog that lightning strikes appear off shore during a cold front so I'm curious what it's like over there when that happens? Any experiences? Just our last big storm we had lightning strikes show up on radar out over Pacific City or something like that.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by VulcanRabbi

I've seen many times on the weather blog that lightning strikes appear off shore during a cold front so I'm curious what it's like over there when that happens? Any experiences? Just our last big storm we had lightning strikes show up on radar out over Pacific City or something like that.

So far this year I experienced one thunderstorm. It lasted about 10 minutes and was over. That's pretty typical. The average is about two per year. So there will probably be one more before the winter is over. Thunderstorms are not something I worry, or think much about.

[ejisme]

For 15+ years we've traditionally stayed in Seaside the weekend before Thanksgiving, and join Family the Monday or Tuesday in Newberg for the holiday. Some years there are some pretty spectacular thunderstorms that come in. Lots of lightning and thunder. Sometimes the power goes out (either wind or lightning caused). It's pretty to watch. Lots of rain comes with it, so it's watching out the window. You can't see the surf anymore, except in the lightning burst. Since they are big storms you wonder how close the ocean is getting to the boardwalk, and it's a bit eerie not being able to tell. But, they are pretty rare, like twice in the past 15 years.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

There are plenty of big storms on the coast. Storm watching is a favorite pastime of non-residents and they flock to the coast to watch.


My experience with lightening on the coast is that it strikes the ocean. Water attracts electricity and that's a huge body of water to draw the lightening strikes.


The wind can be impressive during a storm and if you go to watch, stay well away from the water and off of the breakwaters, because the ocean can get quite wild. It's not uncommon to have a tourist or two swept out to sea because thy don't respect the power of the ocean.

[slowlanes]

Coastals wind the real issue, have had 95 mph gusts pull shingles off the homes in our mid coast neighborhood during intense winter storms. Lightning? Plenty of it during late winter.