California, 2000

High Wind in California, March 20 to 21, 2000

March 20 to 21, 2000 · NWS SGX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Santa Ana winds began mid morning on Monday, March 20 and continued until the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 21. Damage ranged from downed power poles, trees falling on cars and houses, fruit being knocked off of trees, and blowing sand and dust lowering visibility to zero.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
$425,000
Crop damage
$865,000
Events
5

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 SGX wrote it up.

Santa Ana winds began mid morning on Monday, March 20 and continued until the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 21. Damage ranged from downed power poles, trees falling on cars and houses, fruit being knocked off of trees, and blowing sand and dust lowering visibility to zero. Near Pedley, a semi-tractor trailer was blown over.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Coachella Valley

When
March 20, 7:32 AM PST to 2:30 PM PST
Where
Coachella Valley forecast zone
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage
$100,000
Crop damage
$30,000
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, San Diego County Valleys

When
March 20, 10:00 AM PST to March 21, 6:45 AM PST
Where
San Diego County Valleys forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Crop damage
$800,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Riverside County Valley/The Inland Empire

When
March 20, 10:18 AM PST to March 21, 3:00 AM PST
Where
Riverside County Valley/The Inland Empire forecast zone
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage
$300,000
Crop damage
$35,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Wind, Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills

When
March 20, 10:30 AM PST to March 21, 4:00 AM PST
Where
Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills forecast zone
Measured
51 kt (59 mph)
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
33.483, -116.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, San Bernardino County Valley/The Inland Empire

When
March 20, 10:31 AM PST to March 21, 8:58 AM PST
Where
San Bernardino County Valley/The Inland Empire forecast zone
Measured
59 kt (68 mph)
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
34.293, -116.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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

More

Every storm in California in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in California, March 2000

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: 5136423, 5136424, 5136427, 5136426, 5136425.