California, 2002

High Wind in California, January 26, 2002

January 26, 2002 · NWS REV · 6 events in 1 county or zone

Spotter in Coleville reported winds gusting to over 60 mph until 9 am and over 50 mph all day. Several trees were blown down, there was new construction damage and shingles were blown off several roofs.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
$5,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 REV wrote it up.

Spotter in Coleville reported winds gusting to over 60 mph until 9 am and over 50 mph all day. Several trees were blown down, there was new construction damage and shingles were blown off several roofs. Total estimated damage is at $5,000. An automated RAWS sensor in Walker recorded winds sustained in the mid 30's and gusting to 66, 62, 63, 72, and 66 mph.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Reno, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 26, 3:40 AM PST, 2 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 26, 3:40 AM PST, 2 hours 40 minutes before
WESTERN NEVADA AND EASTERN CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
340 AM PST SAT JAN 26 2002

SNOW HAS MOVED INTO THE TAHOE/TRUCKEE AREA WITHIN THE PAST HOUR WHILE
MOST WESTERN VALLEYS CONTINUE TO BE SHADOWED OUT. SOUTHWEST WINDS
20-35 MPH ARE GUSTING OVER 70 MPH ON RIDGETOPS THIS MORNING. THE
WINDS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE STRONG AND GUSTY TODAY SO
SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION IS NOT LIKELY IN VALLEYS. THE TIMING OF THE
COLD FRONT AND HEAVY SNOW IS SLOWER THAN EARLIER MODEL RUNS
INDICATED...AND THE TAP OF SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE APPEARS TO BE CUT
OFF. CROSS SECTIONS SHOW THE MOISTURE TO BE FAIRLY SHALLOW WHICH IS
CONTRIBUTING TO THE LACK OF SNOW EAST OF THE CREST. HAVE LEFT WARNING
INTACT FOR THE TAHOE AREA TODAY AND EXTENDED IT INTO TONIGHT DUE TO
THE SLOWER TIMING OF THE SYSTEM. DROPPED ACCUMULATION FORECASTS TO
MINIMAL WARNING AMOUNTS BASED ON LATEST GUIDANCE AND COORDINATION
WITH CA OFFICES. IN ZONE 71 HAVE LEFT WARNING UP FOR TODAY BUT
RESTRICTED TO WESTERN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 5000 FEET. IN MONO COUNTY QPF
FORECASTS SUPPORT SNOW ADVISORY BUT NOT MUCH MORE SO WILL ISSUE
ADVISORY ABOVE 7000 FEET FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. DRIER MID
LEVEL AIR MOVES OVER THE AREA LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT AND WILL LOWER
POPS FOR MOST OF THE CWA SUNDAY.

MED RANGE MODELS FORECAST VORT MAX TO SHEAR OFF INTO COLD
UPPER LOW OVER NRN CA MONDAY AND DRIFT SWD OVER CENTRAL CA ON
TUESDAY. WRAP AROUND MOISTURE IN DEFORMATION ZONE PRODUCING SNOW
SHOWERS MAINLY S OF HIGHWAY 50 ON TUESDAY. UPPER RIDGE REBUILDING
OVER AREA WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY FOR DRY WEATHER. ANOTHER WEAK S/WV
BREAKS THROUGH RIDGE ON FRIDAY FOR A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW
SHOWERS. TEMPS REMAINING ABOUT 5-10 DEGREE BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS
DURING PERIOD...ESPECIALLY IN VALLEYS WHERE STRONG INVERSIONS WILL
PERSIST.

.REV...WINTER STORM WARNING TODAY ZONE 71
      WINTER STORM WARNING TODAY AND TONIGHT ZONE 2/72
      SNOW ADVISORY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ZONE 73

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Mono

When
January 26, 6:20 AM PST
Where
Mono forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.939, -118.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Mono

When
January 26, 6:47 AM PST
Where
Mono forecast zone
Measured
57 kt (66 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
37.939, -118.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Mono

When
January 26, 6:47 AM PST
Where
Mono forecast zone
Measured
54 kt (62 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
37.939, -118.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Mono

When
January 26, 7:47 AM PST
Where
Mono forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
37.939, -118.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Mono

When
January 26, 8:47 AM PST
Where
Mono forecast zone
Measured
63 kt (72 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
37.939, -118.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Mono

When
January 26, 9:47 AM PST
Where
Mono forecast zone
Measured
57 kt (66 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
37.939, -118.887 (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 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2002

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: 5279383, 5279384, 5279385, 5279386, 5279461, 5279462.