Wildfire and High Wind in California, October 4, 2013

Name: Wildfire and High Wind in California, October 4, 2013
Start: 2013-10-04T01:00
End: 2013-10-04T11:00
Location: California

October 4, 2013 · NWS MTR · 9 events in 6 counties and zones

Strong winds moved through the area during the early morning hours of Friday, October 4. Winds gusted high enoguh to down trees and powerlines, causing several wildfires to ignite and spread quickly.

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: $15,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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 MTR wrote it up.

Strong winds moved through the area during the early morning hours of Friday, October 4. Winds gusted high enoguh to down trees and powerlines, causing several wildfires to ignite and spread quickly.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 strong wind, 1 wildfire, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, North Bay Mountains

When: October 4, 1:00 AM PST to 11:00 AM PST
Where: North Bay Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

Downed power lines ignited a wild fire along Berryessa Knoxville Road in Napa County on the north side of Lake Berryessa. The fire spread quickly due to 40-50 MPH wind and consumed over 400 acres but was contained by early afternoon. No structures were damaged or destroyed.

High Wind, East Bay Hills and the Diablo Range

When: October 4, 1:45 AM PST
Where: East Bay Hills and the Diablo Range forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS

Measured 57 MPH gust at Los Vaqueros RAWS at elevation 1100 feet.

Strong Wind, San Francisco Bay Shoreline

When: October 4, 3:00 AM PST
Where: San Francisco Bay Shoreline forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 37.561, -121.980 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

In San Leandro, a huge tree was downed due to strong winds on Halceon Avenue.

Strong Wind, San Francisco

When: October 4, 4:00 AM PST
Where: San Francisco forecast zone
Measured: 39 kt (45 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 37.778, -122.442 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong winds in San Francisco knocked over two stories of scaffolding at a building under renovation at 20th and Deharo Streets. The scaffolding fell into a set of power lines.

Strong Wind, San Francisco

When: October 4, 4:00 AM PST
Where: San Francisco forecast zone
Measured: 39 kt (45 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 37.778, -122.442 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large tree was blown over and blocked 3 of the 4 lanes of traffic on Masonic Avenue and Fell Street early Friday morning.

Strong Wind, East Bay Hills and the Diablo Range

When: October 4, 4:30 AM PST
Where: East Bay Hills and the Diablo Range forecast zone
Measured: 47 kt (54 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Newspaper

Fences were knocked down due to strong winds in Oakland along Monterey Boulevard. A large tree was knocked down at Skyline and Redwood Roads. Wind gusts were measured at 54 MPH at the Oakland North RAWS at this time. The RAWS is located at 1400 feet elevation.

Strong Wind, East Bay Interior Valleys

When: October 4, 5:00 AM PST
Where: East Bay Interior Valleys forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 37.787, -121.934 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A tree was downed due to strong winds outside Alamo in the community of Diablo. The downed tree blocked the road into the Diablo Country Club neighborhood.

Strong Wind, North Bay Interior Valleys

When: October 4, 9:00 AM PST
Where: North Bay Interior Valleys forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 38.362, -122.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

In Napa, strong winds caused a tree to fall on a pickup truck. It happened in the area of Solano and Oak Knoll Avenues. The tree shattered the windshield and the branches went into the truck.

Strong Wind, San Francisco

When: October 4, 11:00 AM PST
Where: San Francisco forecast zone
Measured: 39 kt (45 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Utility Company
Coordinates: 37.778, -122.442 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

During the event, power outages impacted up to 2000 customers in the San Francisco Metro area.

What these are

Wildfire: A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in California, October 2013

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: 481644, 481635, 481638, 481645, 481646, 481636, 481637, 481641, 481643.