High Wind in California, May 2 to 4, 2007

Name: High Wind in California, May 2 to 4, 2007
Start: 2007-05-02T14:47
End: 2007-05-04T14:40
Location: California

May 2 to 4, 2007 · NWS VEF · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A strong Pacific storm system brought two rounds of high winds to the Mojave Desert and Southern Great Basin.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
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 VEF wrote it up.

A strong Pacific storm system brought two rounds of high winds to the Mojave Desert and Southern Great Basin.

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 Las Vegas, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 2, 2:30 PM PST, 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 2, 2:30 PM PST, 17 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
330 PM PDT WED MAY 2 2007

.SYNOPSIS...STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE OVER PORTIONS OF THE MOJAVE
DESERT TONIGHT AS A STORM SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.
THE LOW WILL REMAIN OVER THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST THROUGH THE WEEKEND
USHERING IN COOLER TEMPERATURES AND UNSETTLED CONDITIONS. &&

.SHORT TERM...SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT CONTINUES TO TIGHTEN ACROSS
THE MOJAVE DESERT BETWEEN SURFACE LOW OVER EAST CENTRAL NEVADA AND
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST. AT 3 PM...THE GRADIENT WAS 14.1 HPA
BETWEEN LAS VEGAS AND LOS ANGLES. WILL MAINTAIN CURRENT SET OF WIND
ADVISORIES THROUGH THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT DEPENDING ON YOUR
LOCATION AS GRADIENT LINGERS ACROSS SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY BEFORE
RELAXING LATE TONIGHT. THE STRONG TROUGH RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WINDS
WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS EASTWARD INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST/NORTHERN
GREAT BASIN OVERNIGHT. MOISTURE LIMITED WITH TROUGH ACROSS THE
MOJAVE DESERT BUT MAY JUST BE ENOUGH MOISTURE FOR AN ISOLATED SHOWER
OR THUNDERSTORM ACROSS CENTRAL NEVADA WITH ADDITIONAL LIFT NEAR LEFT
FRONT QUADRANT OF 100+ KNOT JET. BREAK IN THE ACTION OCCURS THURSDAY
AS FORECAST AREA LIES UNDER COOL CYCLONIC FLOW. NAM/GFS IN AGREEMENT
NORTHWESTERLY JET STRENGTHENS WITH ADDITIONAL SHORT WAVE ENERGY
DIGGING SOUTHEAST INTO THE GREAT BASIN THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY.
STORMS OUT OF THE NORTHWEST TYPICALLY DRY FOR THE MOJAVE DESERT BUT
STRONG DYNAMICS SHOULD OVERCOME THE LACK OF MOISTURE WITH A SLIGHT
CHANCE TO CHANCE OF SHOWERS FOR LINCOLN...CLARK AND MOHAVE COUNTIES.
MAY NEED MORE WIND ADVISORIES FRIDAY AS MODELS KICK UP WEST WINDS
PRECEDING THE FRONT ACROSS SAN BERNARDINO AND MOHAVE COUNTY WHILE
NORTH WINDS INCREASE FOLLOWING THE FRONT ACROSS ESMERALDA/NYE
COUNTIES. THE TROUGH STAYS EAST OF AREA...CENTERED OVER THE FOUR
CORNERS SATURDAY PLACING THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN AND MOJAVE DESERT
UNDER COOL NORTHERLY FLOW.

.LONG TERM...MODELS CONTINUE TO BRING THE NEXT SYSTEM TOWARDS THE
FOUR CORNERS AREA SATURDAY MORNING. HERE THE CLOSED LOW WILL REMAIN
THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING BEFORE EJECTING NORTHEAST..WITH THE ECMWF
FORECASTING A SOONER MOVE. STRONG RIDGE TO THE EAST SHOULD INHIBIT
EASTWARD MOVEMENT. THE RESULT FOR OUR AREA WILL MAKE FOR THE BEST
CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION TO BE IN OUR EASTERN ZONES SATURDAY AND
SUNDAY NEAREST THE LOW WITH THE BEST MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY.
LATEST TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE BRING TEMPERATURES UP AS HAS BEEN THE
TREND THE LAST FEW MODEL CYCLES WITH THE  FURTHER EAST PLACEMENT OF
SYSTEM. DID RAISE TEMPERATURES A FEW BUT SOME LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN
JUST HOW HIGH TO RAISE THEM BASED ON EXTREME ENSEMBLE SPREAD. AFTER
MONDAY RIDGING WILL BUILD IN SOME WHICH MAY BRING TEMPERATURES UP
MORE THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST.
&&

AVIATION...FOR KLAS: GUSTS UP TO 35 KNOTS EXPECTED THROUGH 06Z
TONIGHT AND THEN DECREASING SLOWLY THE REST THE NIGHT AND MORNING.
PATCHY AREAS OF BLOWING DUST ARE POSSIBLE AND COULD BRING THE
VISIBILITY DOWN VERY BRIEFLY TO LESS THAN 2 MILES...BUT DID NOT PUT
IN THE TAF SINCE THE CHANCES ARE TOO SMALL TO JUSTIFY A TEMPO
CONDITION. AS MENTIONED IN LAST DISCUSSION DESCENTS AND DEPARTURES
IN AND OUT OF KLAS WILL BE TURBULENT THROUGH AT LEAST MIDNIGHT.
WINDS THURSDAY WILL STILL BE SOUTHWEST WITH GUSTS ONLY OCCASIONALLY
HITTING 25 KNOTS. NO SIGNIFICANT CLOUD COVER EXPECTED THE NEXT 24
HOURS

THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEVADA...NORTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA: WINDY CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGHOUT THE AREA
THROUGH LATE EVENING. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL OCCUR IN WESTERN SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY AND THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SIERRA WHERE WIND GUSTS
UP TO 5O KNOTS ARE LIKELY. THE WINDS WILL SLOWLY SUBSIDE AFTER 10-11
PM THIS EVENING. STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS ALOFT ARE PRESENT FOR
MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY IN THE LEE OF MOUNTAIN RANGES... ESPECIALLY
THE SIERRA AND SOUTHERN NEVADA RANGES THROUGH LATE THIS EVENING.
ISOLATED RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE NORTH OF A LINE
FROM NORTHERN DEATH VALLEY TO NORTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY THROUGH
THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
&&

.FIRE WEATHER...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH 9 PM THIS
EVENING FOR WIND GUSTS TO OVER 35 MPH AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES
LESS THAN 15 PERCENT. HUMIDITY VALUES WILL RECOVERY ABOVE 15 PERCENT
BY 9 PM.
&&

.VEF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NV...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR NVZ460>466.
     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT PDT TONIGHT FOR NVZ016-018>020-022.
     LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT PDT TONIGHT FOR NVZ021.
     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR NVZ014-017.
AZ...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR AZZ101-102.
     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT MST TONIGHT FOR AZZ001-003.
     LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT MST TONIGHT FOR AZZ036.
CA...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR CAZ226>229.
     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT PDT TONIGHT FOR CAZ519-520.
     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PDT THURSDAY FOR CAZ523>525.
     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR CAZ522.
&&

PIERCE/JACQUES

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 2, 12:27 PM PST, 2 hours 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
127 PM PDT WED MAY 02 2007

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1249 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST KINGMAN                 35.21N 114.03W
05/02/2007  M40 MPH          MOHAVE             AZ   ASOS

&&

BFUIS

Local storm report, May 2, 1:33 PM PST, 1 hour 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
233 PM PDT WED MAY 02 2007

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1240 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 6 SE BAKER              35.21N 116.00W
05/02/2007  M41 MPH          SAN BERNARDINO     CA   MESONET

1256 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST DAGGETT                 34.86N 116.88W
05/02/2007  M46 MPH          SAN BERNARDINO     CA   ASOS

&&

BFUIS

Local storm report, May 2, 1:44 PM PST, 1 hour 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
244 PM PDT WED MAY 02 2007

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1100 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 N ASPENDELL           37.25N 118.58W
05/02/2007  M50 MPH          INYO               CA   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

BFUIS

Local storm report, May 2, 2:03 PM PST, 44 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED EVENT TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
303 PM PDT WED MAY 02 2007

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1230 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 27 ENE GOLDFIELD        37.80N 116.76W
05/02/2007  M42 MPH          NYE                NV   MESONET

            TONOPAH TEST RANGE

&&

BFUIS

Local storm report, May 2, 2:24 PM PST, 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
324 PM PDT WED MAY 02 2007

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0253 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST INDIAN SPRINGS          36.57N 115.67W
05/02/2007  M48 MPH          CLARK              NV   ASOS

0204 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 S LAS VEGAS (DOWNTOWN 36.10N 115.15W
05/02/2007  M41 MPH          CLARK              NV   ASOS

            MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

&&

BFUIS

Local storm report, May 2, 2:43 PM PST, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
343 PM PDT WED MAY 02 2007

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0316 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 SE MT. CHARLESTON     36.27N 115.60W
05/02/2007  M40 MPH          CLARK              NV   MESONET

0330 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 6 SSE HAYFORD PK        36.58N 115.14W
05/02/2007  M41 MPH          CLARK              NV   MESONET

            DESERT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

&&

BFUIS

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Owens Valley

When: May 2, 2:47 PM PST
Where: Owens Valley forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

A gust to 72 mph was measured 4 miles NW of Independence, CA.

High Wind, Death Valley National Park

When: May 2, 7:45 PM PST
Where: Death Valley National Park forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 36.511, -117.411 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A gust to 59 mph was measured 17 miles S of Panamint Springs, CA.

High Wind, Western Mojave Desert

When: May 4, 2:40 PM PST
Where: Western Mojave Desert forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A gust to 58 mph was measured by the KDAG ASOS (Daggett, CA).

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 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in California, May 2007

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: 25280, 25281, 25282.