High Wind in California, April 3, 1999

Name: High Wind in California, April 3, 1999
Start: 1999-04-03T14:00
End: 1999-04-03T21:00
Location: California

April 3, 1999 · NWS HNX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Much above normal wind conditions led to downed powerlines and agricultural deciduous trees in many parts of the Central and Southern San Joaquin Valley. 7K due to downed almond trees.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $20,000
Crop damage: $23,000
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.

What happened

The episode as NWS HNX wrote it up.

Much above normal wind conditions led to downed powerlines and agricultural deciduous trees in many parts of the Central and Southern San Joaquin Valley. Fresno reported $22.7K due to downed almond trees. While Kings County had approximately 20 power poles blown over on Highway 198 just east of Hanford. While wind speeds did not reach high wind warning criteria, advisory levels were reached with consistent peak gusts throughout the Central and Southern San Joaquin Valley at ASOS sites varying from 38 to 45 MPH ... one unofficial gust was reported in the Kerman area of Fresno County at 64 MPH. Over 12,000 customers in the Central San Joaquin Valley and the north-portion of the South San Joaquin Valley were without power due to downed powerlines.

Event by event

2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Central San Joaquin Valley

When: April 3, 2:00 PM PST to 9:00 PM PST
Where: Central San Joaquin Valley forecast zone
Crop damage: $23,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Southern San Joaquin Valley

When: April 3, 2:00 PM PST to 9:00 PM PST
Where: Southern San Joaquin Valley forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

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

Every storm in California in 1999 Every state in 1999 This day in weather history Warnings in California, April 1999

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: 5690902, 5690903.