California, 1997High Wind in California, December 21 to 22, 1997
December 21 to 22, 1997 · NWS SGX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones
A rapidly deepening low pressure center over southwest Arizona produced strong gradient winds through many valley areas. The fierce winds toppled at least 6 trucks on stretches of the I-15 and 60 freeways in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 4
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.
A rapidly deepening low pressure center over southwest Arizona produced strong gradient winds through many valley areas. The fierce winds toppled at least 6 trucks on stretches of the I-15 and 60 freeways in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. In the Coachella Valley, the wind uprooted numerous trees in Palm Desert, forcing the closure of Country Club Road during the morning, and overturned several big-rig trucks near Indio. Desert Hot Springs also reported several trees and signs down.
High Wind, San Bernardino County Valley/The Inland Empire
- When
- December 21, 10:00 PM PST to December 22, 3:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Bernardino County Valley/The Inland Empire forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
- Coordinates
- 34.293, -116.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Riverside County Valley/The Inland Empire
- When
- December 21, 10:00 PM PST to December 22, 3:00 PM PST
- Where
- Riverside County Valley/The Inland Empire forecast zone
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
High Wind, Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills
- When
- December 21, 10:00 PM PST to December 22, 3:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills forecast zone
- Measured
- 70 kt (81 mph)
- Coordinates
- 33.483, -116.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Coachella Valley
- When
- December 22, 2:00 AM PST to 3:00 PM PST
- Where
- Coachella Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
- Coordinates
- 33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
- 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.
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in New Mexico, December 21 to 27, 19971 death · $6.5 million · 61 kt wind · 16 events
- Ice Storm in Kansas, December 21, 19971 death · 2 injured · $70,000 · 23 events
- High Surf in Hawaii, December 21 to 23, 19971 death · 2 injured · 6 events
- Ice Storm in Iowa, December 21 to 22, 1997$88,000 · 44 events
- Ice Storm in Kansas, December 21 to 22, 19974 injured · $100,000 · 6 events
- Ice Storm in Nebraska, December 21 to 22, 1997$100,000 · 24 events
- Flood in Florida, December 21 to 31, 1997$200,000 · 1 event
- Tornado in California, December 21, 1997$15,000 · F1 · 1 event
- Flash Flooding in Texas, December 21, 1997$25,000 · 11 events
- Ice Storm in Missouri, December 21, 199721 events
- Flash Flood in Texas, December 21, 1997$25,000 · 1 event
- Flash Flood in Texas, December 21, 1997$20,000 · 1 event
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: 5626275, 5626276, 5626277, 5626278.