High Wind, Apple and Lucerne Valleys
- When
- December 22, 7:00 AM PST to 6:00 PM PST
- Where
- Apple and Lucerne Valleys forecast zone
- Measured
- 62 kt (71 mph)
- Coordinates
- 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind in California, December 22, 1996
Strong winds developed over the high desert areas in the wake of a cold front, under increasing winds aloft. Sustained winds of 35 mph, with gusts peaking around 70 mph were logged in the Lucerne Valley, locally restricting visibilities to less than 30 feet.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
What happened
The episode as NWS SGX wrote it up.
Strong winds developed over the high desert areas in the wake of a cold front, under increasing winds aloft. Sustained winds of 35 mph, with gusts peaking around 70 mph were logged in the Lucerne Valley, locally restricting visibilities to less than 30 feet. The winds destroyed several sheds and porches, and caused some roof damage. Downed power poles severed electric service to many areas during the morning hours.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- High Wind in Nevada, December 22, 1996
- Blizzard in California, December 22, 1996
- Tornado in California, December 22, 1996
- Winter Storm in Colorado, December 22 to 23, 1996
- High Wind in Utah, December 22, 1996
- Blizzard in California, December 22, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Colorado, December 22 to 23, 1996
- Flood in California, December 22, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Nevada, December 22, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Minnesota, December 22 to 24, 1996
- Damaging Wind in California, December 22, 1996
- Damaging Wind in California, December 22, 1996
More
Every storm in California in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 1996
Sources
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: 5576888.