Damaging Wind in California, August 14, 1998

Name: Damaging Wind in California, August 14, 1998
Start: 1998-08-14T05:50
End: 1998-08-14T05:55
Location: California

August 14, 1998 · NWS HNX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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.

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Winter weather
Heat and drought
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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $10,000
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.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fresno

When: August 14, 5:50 AM PST to 5:55 AM PST
Where: Fresno County, Helm
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.758, -119.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

NWS HNX WSR-88D detected no cell activity but high based cumulus evidently supported a weak microburst. A small indication was present on the radar at the time of occurrence but was already dissipated by the completion of the volume scan. This dry microburst wind speed likely was less than 50 MPH but due to the decrepit condition of one of the small telephone poles in this rural area, one pole sustained damage and did fail. In so failing, 4 adjacent poles also snapped off. Again, this was NOT A SEVERE EVENT but more one of interest despite the minor damage.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in California, August 1998

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: 5655665.