Strong surface high pressure over the western United States forced Santa Ana winds through and below passes and canyons. In Riverside County, a dozen power poles snapped like toothpicks near Corona cutting power to dozens of rural customers.
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.
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 SGX wrote it up.
Strong surface high pressure over the western United States forced Santa Ana winds through and below passes and canyons. In Riverside County, a dozen power poles snapped like toothpicks near Corona cutting power to dozens of rural customers. In Riverside, a tree crushed a parked vehicle, and damaged a home. In Mira Loma, 12 power poles blew down, cutting power to hundreds, and forced the closure of Hamner Avenue for two days. In addition, heavy blowing dust and debris restricted visibility, creating hazardous driving conditions on the I-15.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 1997
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: 5626280, 5626281, 5626282.