California, 1997

Lightning Strike in California, April 2, 1997

April 2, 1997 · NWS SGX · 2 events in 1 county or zone

1 lightning, 1 funnel cloud, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 radar

The San Diego radar (KNKX), 28 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:27 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 lightning, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, San Diego

When
April 2, 12:30 PM PST
Where
San Diego County, San Diego
Coordinates
33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A cold upper-level low pressure center spawned an area of thunderstorms that affected much of southern San Diego County with gusty winds, small hail, and power outages. Lightning associated with the storm system struck a palm tree in the skyline district of San Diego, shearing off the top twenty feet. The resulting shock wave shattered all the windows of the home on the property, sent dishes and glasses cascading from cupboards, and knocked pictures off the walls. Windows were broken in Fifteen nearby homes, an elementary school, and a high school two blocks away. Also, a nearby utility pole caught fire, and the top of a wood and concrete fence was destroyed.

Funnel Cloud, San Diego

When
April 2, 1:35 PM PST to 1:40 PM PST
Where
San Diego County, 5 mi W of San Diego Intl Arpt
Coordinates
33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorms spawned a funnel cloud off of Ocean Beach. It was spotted briefly by lifeguards.

What these are

Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
Funnel Cloud
A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 1997

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: 5592701, 5592702.