California, 2008

High Wind in California, October 13 to 14, 2008

October 13 to 14, 2008 · NWS SGX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Strong Northeast flow behind an upper level low over Arizona combined with surface high pressure over the Great Basin to bring moderate to strong Santa Ana winds to the mountains and valleys. These winds caused downed trees in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties and snapped a power pole in Costa Mesa, CA.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
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 SGX wrote it up.

Strong Northeast flow behind an upper level low over Arizona combined with surface high pressure over the Great Basin to bring moderate to strong Santa Ana winds to the mountains and valleys.

These winds caused downed trees in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties and snapped a power pole in Costa Mesa, CA. Approximately 1,975 customers lost power in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Three tractor-trailers were overturned by the winds in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

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 Oct 13, 8:30 AM PST, 1 hour 26 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 13, 8:30 AM PST, 1 hour 26 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 13, 3:00 AM PST, 6 hours 56 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

3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys - the Inland Empire

When
October 13, 9:56 AM PST to 10:56 AM PST
Where
San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys - the Inland Empire forecast zone
Measured
35 kt (40 mph) measured sustained
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
34.293, -116.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds of 40 MPH with peak gusts of 55 MPH were measured by the Corona Airport ASOS.

High Wind, Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills

When
October 14, 8:30 PM PST
Where
Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills forecast zone
Measured
64 kt (74 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
33.483, -116.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A peak gust of 74 mph was measured by the Fremont Canyon RAWS.

High Wind, San Diego County Mountains

When
October 14, 8:43 PM PST
Where
San Diego County Mountains forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A trained spotter reported a peak wind gust of 63 MPH in Julian, on the North peak of Cuyamaca.

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 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in California, October 2008

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: 138264, 138257, 138258.