Thunderstorm Wind, Merced
- When
- April 1, 2:45 PM PST to 2:55 PM PST
- Where
- Merced County, Gustine to 4 mi of Gustine
- Measured
- 80 kt (92 mph)
- Property damage
- $230,000
- Crop damage
- $100,000
- Coordinates
- 37.200, -121.000
In western Merced County high wind damaged trees and structures beginning 31/2 miles south of Gustine and ended with powerline and structure damage within the town itself. Only tree, very small structures, and some roof damage was apparent from 31/2 miles south of town to 2 miles south of town.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS HNX wrote it up.
In western Merced County high wind damaged trees and structures beginning 31/2 miles south of Gustine and ended with powerline and structure damage within the town itself. Only tree, very small structures, and some roof damage was apparent from 31/2 miles south of town to 2 miles south of town. About 2 miles south of Gustine and within a 1/2 mile path, a large, well constructed, 60'x60' wood barn, an historical slate rock building, trees, and 40'x100', wood barn were flattened. Eyewitness accounts attribute the damage to high wind only.
The San Francisco radar (KMUX), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:30 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 1996
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5580778.