California, 2002

Dust Storm and High Wind in California, November 25, 2002

November 25, 2002 · NWS SGX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Visibility was near zero in blowing dust from Perris to Moreno Valley. At Lake Elsinore, small rocks were blown across Highway 74.

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.

  • 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
6
Property damage
$900,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

Visibility was near zero in blowing dust from Perris to Moreno Valley. At Lake Elsinore, small rocks were blown across Highway 74. Wind gusts to 61 mph were measured in San Bernardino. Trees and power lines were blown down in Lake Forest, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Garden Grove, Pedley, Moreno Valley, San Jacinto, Hemet, Redlands, Corona, and Victorville. In San Clemente and Laguna Beach, cars and roofs were damaged by falling trees. Power outages due to the wind also occurred in Tustin, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, and La Brea.

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 San Diego, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 25, 3:56 AM PST, 4 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 25, 3:56 AM PST, 4 hours 55 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 high wind, 1 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, X Sw San Bernardino

When
November 25, 8:51 AM PST to 11:24 AM PST
Where
X Sw San Bernardino forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Property damage
$350,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
34.293, -116.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dust Storm, W Riverside T X Nw

When
November 25, 10:16 AM PST to 4:48 PM PST
Where
W Riverside T X Nw forecast zone
Injuries
6 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

High Wind, W/S Orange

When
November 25, 2:30 PM PST to 4:30 PM PST
Where
W/S Orange forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$550,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Dust Storm
Blowing dust that reduced visibility to a quarter mile or less.

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, November 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5322819, 5322818, 5322820.