Damaging Wind in California, July 12, 2002

Name: Damaging Wind in California, July 12, 2002
Start: 2002-07-12T12:30
End: 2002-07-12T12:45
Location: California

July 12, 2002 · NWS REV · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Downburst winds from thunderstorm estimated at 65-70 mph caused damage to docks on south side of June Lakes. Flying debris was observed but no injuries were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $500
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.

What happened

The episode as NWS REV wrote it up.

Downburst winds from thunderstorm estimated at 65-70 mph caused damage to docks on south side of June Lakes. Flying debris was observed but no injuries were reported.

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 Jul 12, 8:00 AM PST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 12, 8:00 AM PST, 4 hours 30 minutes before

WESTERN NEVADA AND EASTERN CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
900 AM PDT FRI JUL 12 2002

HIGH PRESSURE CENTER HAS MOVED EAST SLIGHTLY OVERNIGHT WITH DEBRIS
CLOUDS OVER A LARGE PART OF THE WESTERN CWA THIS MORNING.  MODELS
STILL SHOWING INSTABILITY OVER MOST OF THE CWA AND WHILE UPPER LEVEL
DYNAMICS HAS SHIFTED NORTHWEST INTO OREGON THERE IS ENOUGH MOISTURE
AND INSTABLITY AROUND TO SUPPORT CONVECTION AGAIN TODAY.
PRECIPITABLE WATER HIGHER TODAY THAN YESTERDAY ALONG WITH HIGHER
DEWPOINTS.  THIS IS AN INGREDIENT FOR CONVECTION WITH RAIN AND HAIL.
DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATE HOWEVER AGAIN UP TO 500 MB WHICH WOULD
SUPPORT MICRO BURST WINDS AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON.  CURRENT FCST HAS
GUSTY WINDS MENTIONED BUT NOT THE HEAVY RAIN.  MAY HAVE TO ISSUE A
FLASH FLOOD WATCH LATER THIS MORNING AFTER FURTHER ANALYSIS.  NO
UPDTS TO THE CURRENT FCST ATTM.

.REV...RED FLAG WARNING TODAY FOR ALL FIRE WEATHER ZONES.

The radar

The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 171 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mono

When: July 12, 12:30 PM PST to 12:45 PM PST
Where: Mono County, June Lake
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph)
Property damage: $500
Reported by: MARINER
Coordinates: 37.783, -119.067

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 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in California, July 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: 5314615.