A brief Tornado Warning for part of Clackamas County was issued Saturday afternoon after reports of a funnel cloud near Molalla. The warning was dropped by about 4 p.m., but officials warned residents to protect themselves from flying debris and possible damag
A tornado warning rippled through parts of Clackamas County on Saturday afternoon—then lifted by mid-afternoon, after the threat that triggered it was closely tied to what a spotter reported near Molalla.
The National Weather Service issued a brief Tornado Warning for part of Clackamas County, saying there were reports of a funnel cloud near Molalla. The warning was dropped by about 4 p.m.
In the alert, NWS Portland said to expect damage to mobile homes, roofs, and vehicles. The message was blunt: “TAKE COVER NOW!. Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors. in a mobile home. or in a vehicle. move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.”.
Storm Tracker 2 Digital Meteorologist Bobby Corser said the warning came down to a field confirmation. “The spotter report was the reason why NWS Portland issued the warning,” Corser said. “We detected rotation on the radar, but the ground truth confirmed it.”
NWS Portland also said the storm spotter saw multiple funnel clouds.
The warning landed amid a broader weather threat across Western Oregon and Southwest Washington, where thunderstorms and hail were possible. Corser said stronger showers and thunderstorms were expected to continue. “We will continue to see strong showers and thunderstorms for the rest of the afternoon,” he said.
The sky had already delivered a separate jolt in Clackamas County before the funnel cloud was spotted: a golfer was struck by lightning shortly before the warning. That detail sharpened the urgency in the moment, as residents looked skyward for the next flash and the next shift in wind.
The sequence—rotation seen on radar. a spotter’s confirmation at the ground. multiple funnel clouds observed. and then the warning being dropped by about 4 p.m.—is what made this more than a weather alert. For those in the path. the time window mattered: the NWS urged people to move immediately to sturdy shelter and stay away from windows. with debris and damage possible for mobile homes. roofs. and vehicles.
This is a developing story; updates will be posted as information comes in.
Molalla tornado warning Clackamas County funnel cloud National Weather Service Portland thunderstorms hail Storm Tracker 2 Bobby Corser lightning golfer West Linn