Brief tornado warning near Molalla after funnel cloud reports
The National Weather Service issued a brief weather tornado warning for part of south Clackamas County on Saturday afternoon after storm spotters reported funnel clouds near Molalla, Oregon. Radar showed rotation before the ground report confirmed the threat. The alert was cancelled by about 4 p.m. as the cell moved on, though thunderstorms continued across Western Oregon.
The warning arrived during an active afternoon across the Portland metro and Willamette Valley. Thunderstorms and hail were possible in Western Oregon and Southwest Washington, and forecasters warned that strong showers would continue through the rest of the day.
Key Takeaways
- NWS Portland issued a tornado warning for part of south Clackamas County near Molalla on Saturday afternoon.
- A storm spotter reported multiple funnel clouds, and radar showed rotation before the alert went out.
- The warning was cancelled by about 4 p.m., though thunderstorms and hail remained possible regionwide.
- Officials urged immediate shelter in a basement or interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.
- A separate lightning strike injured a golfer in Clackamas County shortly before the funnel cloud reports.
What triggered the Molalla weather tornado warning?
According to KATU, the National Weather Service in Portland activated the alert after reports of a funnel cloud near Molalla. NWS Portland said a trained storm spotter saw multiple funnel clouds in the area.
Storm Tracker 2 Digital Meteorologist Bobby Corser told KATU that the spotter report drove the decision. "We detected rotation on the radar, but the ground truth confirmed it," Corser said. That pairing of radar rotation and eyewitness confirmation is why the warning was issued even though it lasted only a short time.
What did officials tell residents to do?
The warning text from NWS Portland was blunt. It told people to expect damage to mobile homes, roofs, and vehicles, and to "TAKE COVER NOW!"
Residents were directed to move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and to avoid windows. Anyone outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle was told to move to the closest substantial shelter and protect themselves from flying debris.
Why was the tornado warning cancelled so quickly?
KATU reported the warning was dropped by about 4 p.m. KOIN and KGW both described the event as a brief alert that was later cancelled for Molalla and south Clackamas County after a suspected funnel cloud was spotted.
The storm cell that prompted the warning was part of a broader pattern of afternoon thunderstorms. Corser said strong showers and thunderstorms would continue for the rest of the afternoon, even after the tornado warning ended.
How should you prepare for sudden severe weather?
Rapid-onset alerts like this one underscore why emergency readiness matters for health and safety. Knowing where your nearest interior shelter is, keeping a charged phone for alerts, and reviewing Longevity & Biohacking coverage on resilience and preparedness can help you act fast when minutes count.
For authoritative guidance on tornado safety, the National Weather Service tornado safety page recommends moving to shelter immediately when a warning is issued rather than waiting to confirm a touchdown.
On Saturday, a golfer was struck by lightning at a course near West Linn in Clackamas County shortly before the funnel cloud was reported, highlighting how multiple weather hazards can overlap in a single afternoon. A KATU viewer also shared a photo of a rotating wall cloud south of Canby as storms moved through the region.