California, 2014

High Wind and Strong Wind in California, April 28 to 30, 2014

April 28 to 30, 2014 · NWS SGX · 10 events in 6 counties and zones

Strong 1036 mb surface high pressure built over the Great Basin resulting in two main periods of gusty northeast to east winds over the coastal slopes and inland valleys during the early mornings to early afternoons. Strong winds downed several trees across the mountain foothill and eastern valley areas, as well as power lines just north of Descanso in San Diego County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$194,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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 1036 mb surface high pressure built over the Great Basin resulting in two main periods of gusty northeast to east winds over the coastal slopes and inland valleys during the early mornings to early afternoons. Strong winds downed several trees across the mountain foothill and eastern valley areas, as well as power lines just north of Descanso in San Diego County. Significant impacts occurred at US Border Patrol check points on I-8 where large signs were blown over, trees downed and a semi overturned. Widespread gusts over 60 mph (25 locations in San Diego County) were reported with gusts up to around 100 mph in the favored spots like Sill Hill (just west of Cuyamaca Lake) and Buckman Springs in San Diego County and Fremont Canyon in Orange County. This was the strongest and most widespread wind event in several years.

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 Apr 28, 7:45 PM PST, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 28, 7:45 PM PST, 3 hours 35 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
845 PM PDT MON APR 28 2014

.SYNOPSIS...
A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF
THE COUNTRY IN RESPONSE TO AN AMPLIFYING RIDGE ALOFT. THIS WILL
SWING OUR WINDS OFFSHORE AND CREATE A LATE SEASON SANTA ANA EVENT
THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY. THE STRONG...DRY...DOWNSLOPING WINDS OFF
THE FOOTHILLS WILL ELEVATE DAYTIME TEMPERATURES TO RECORD LEVELS IN
MANY AREAS...AND WHERE THE WINDS PERSIST OVERNIGHT...SOME RECORD
MINIMUMS AS WELL. THE HIGH WILL WEAKEN FRIDAY...AND TRANSITION TO A
BROAD TROUGH ACROSS THE WEST EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL SPARK A
COOLING TREND AS ONSHORE FLOW AND MARINE CLOUDS RETURN NEXT WEEKEND.

&&

.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...

SANTA ANA CONDITIONS DEVELOPING. HIGHEST TEMPS ALONG THE COAST ON
TUE AND WED...SHIFTING INLAND THU/FRI.

SKIES WERE COMPLETELY CLEAR ACROSS THE CWA THIS EVENING...EXCEPT FOR
PATCHY HIGH CLOUDS DRIFTING SE ALONG THE COAST. AT 8 PM PDT...
SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENTS WERE ALREADY 6-8 MBS OFFSHORE FROM NV...
AND HAD WEAKENED TO NEUTRAL TO THE LOWER DESERTS. WINDS WERE
GENERALLY LIGHT AT 8 PM...HOWEVER NE WINDS WERE BEGINNING TO PICK UP
IN THE FAVORED OFFSHORE WIND AREAS WITH LOCAL GUSTS OVER 30 MPH. THE
00Z MIRAMAR SOUNDING HAD A WEAK INVERSION BASED NEAR 1350 FT AND
INDICATED WINDS ALREADY TURNING NORTHERLY ABOVE...THROUGH ABOUT 5K
FT. A LARGE AREA OF SURFACE PRESSURE RISES WAS ONGOING FROM MONTANA
SOUTH TO THE TX PANHANDLE.

THE TRANSITION FROM PLEASANT ONSHORE CONDITIONS TO DRY...OFFSHORE
SANTA ANA CONDITIONS IS UNDERWAY. SURFACE PRESSURES ARE RISING
ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN IN RESPONSE TO AN AMPLIFYING RIDGE ALOFT. BY
TUE MORNING EASTERLY WINDS WILL BE HOWLING THROUGH AND BELOW THE
MOUNTAIN PASSES AND CANYONS AND EXTEND LOCALLY INTO SOME VALLEYS AND
INLAND ORANGE COUNTY. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE RAPIDLY AS RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FALLS. THE DOWNSLOPING WINDS SHOULD RESULT IN THE WARMEST
CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST TUE AND WED...THEN BEGIN TO SHIFT
SLIGHTLY INLAND THU...AND FARTHER INTO THE VALLEYS ON FRI.
TEMPERATURES WILL BE RUNNING BETWEEN 15 AND 25 DEGREES ABOVE
NORMAL...SO NUMEROUS RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES...AND EVEN SOME RECORD
MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY BE SET OR TIED.

A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT ALONG THE FOOTHILLS AND WEST INTO
SOME ADJACENT VALLEYS AND THE O.C. COASTAL PLAIN. WINDS WILL
FLUCTUATE...REACHING HIGH WIND CRITERIA IN FAVORED AREAS...MAINLY
LATE NIGHTS AND MORNINGS...THEN DECREASING SLIGHTLY IN THE
AFTERNOONS/EVENINGS.

FRI-SUN...THE RIDGE DEAMPLIFIES AND IS GRADUALLY REPLACED BY A BROAD
UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH. THIS WILL RESULT IN A COOLING TREND THROUGH THE
WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...AND A RETURN OF THE MARINE LAYER RH
AND ASSOCIATED CLOUDS.

&&

.AVIATION...
290345Z...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH TUE NIGHT. OFFSHORE
FLOW WILL DEVELOP AND BRING AREAS OF STRONG WINDS FROM THE E/NE.
STRONGEST SFC GUSTS WILL EXCEED 55 KNOTS AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY 14Z
TO 21Z TUE. LOCATIONS MOST PRONE TO THE STRONG WINDS WILL BE
THROUGH/BELOW PASSES/CANYONS AND ALONG THE COASTAL
FOOTHILLS...INCLUDING VCNTY KONT...KSBD...KBNG...KRNM...KCZZ. WINDS
WILL WEAKEN SLIGHTLY TUE AFTERNOON BUT INCREASE AGAIN LATE TUE
NIGHT/EARLY WED.

&&

.MARINE...
NO MARINE WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY.

&&

.BEACHES...
THE ABOVE NORMAL SURF OF THE PAST FEW DAYS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH
TONIGHT AND TUESDAY AS THE SOUTH SWELL DIMINISHES.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
A LATE SEASON SANTA ANA WIND EVENT WILL BEGIN ON TUESDAY AND
CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY AS A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE DEVELOPS
ACROSS THE WEST. HOT...WINDY AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL ELEVATE THE
WILD FIRE THREAT WHICH MAY BE MITIGATED BY HIGHER FUEL MOISTURE AND
RECENT RAINS.

NE WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH ARE LIKELY ALONG
AND BELOW THE COASTAL FOOTHILLS. ISOLATED GUSTS TO 65 TO 80 MPH WILL
BE POSSIBLE TUE/WED MORNINGS....WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH POSSIBLE ON THU
MORNING. HIGH TEMPS WILL BE 15 TO 25 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL WEST OF
THE MOUNTAINS. MIN RH WILL DROP INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS...WITH POOR
OVERNIGHT RECOVERY. ONSHORE FLOW WILL RETURN LATE FRIDAY...HELPING
TO INCREASE RH VALUES AND DECREASE TEMPS INTO THE WEEKEND.

&&

.SKYWARN...
SKYWARN ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED. HOWEVER WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS.

&&

.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 4 AM TUESDAY TO 5 PM PDT THURSDAY FOR THE
     ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS...RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS...
     SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS...SAN BERNARDINO AND
     RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE...SAN DIEGO
     COUNTY MOUNTAINS...SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS...SANTA ANA
     MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS.

PZ...NONE.

&&

PUBLIC/FIRE WEATHER...JAD
AVIATION/MARINE...MAXWELL

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 high wind, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, San Diego County Mountains

When
April 28, 11:20 PM PST to April 29, 1:00 PM PST
Where
San Diego County Mountains forecast zone
Measured
71 kt (82 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds began at the Sill Hill mesonet station between 2320 and 2330 PST on the 28th and ended between 1250 and 1300 PST on the 29th. During this time winds gusted out of the east 35-50 mph with most gusts over 60 mph. The peak gust of 82 mph was recorded between 0620-0630 PST on the 29th. |High winds occurred at the Buckman Springs mesonet between 0600 and 0620 PST on the 29th, with a peak gust of 59 mph. |High winds occurred at the Boulder Creek mesonet between 1220 and 1240 PST on the 29th, with a peak gust of 64 mph. |High winds occurred at the Viejas Grade mesonet between 0520 and 0540 PST on the 29th, with a peak gust of 64 mph.

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

When
April 29, 4:30 AM PST to 6:00 AM PST
Where
San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys - the Inland Empire forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
34.293, -116.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A spotter near Rancho Cucamonga measured a 60 mph wind gust which downed several small tree limbs.

High Wind, Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills

When
April 29, 5:30 AM PST to 12:30 PM PST
Where
Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills forecast zone
Measured
66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
33.483, -116.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds began at the Fremont Canyon RAWS between 0551 and 0651 PST on the 29th and ended between 1051 and 1151 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east at 40 to 45 mph with a peak gust of 66 mph recorded twice between 0751 and 0951 PST.|High winds began at the Pleasants Peak mesonet between 0530 and 0600 PST on the 29th and ended between 1200 and 1230 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east-northeast around 45 to 55 mph with a peak gust of 76 mph recorded between 0700 and 0730 PST.

High Wind, San Diego County Mountains

When
April 29, 9:00 PM PST to April 30, 4:00 PM PST
Where
San Diego County Mountains forecast zone
Measured
88 kt (101 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds began at the Sill Hill mesonet station between 2100 and 2110 PST on the 29th and ended between 1500 and 1510 PST on the 30th. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east and east-northeast 35-65 mph with most gusts over 70 mph. Several gusts over 90 mph were recorded as well, including the peak gust of 101 mph measured between 0900 and 0910 PST on the 30th. |High winds began at the Crestwood mesonet station between 0600 and 0610 PST on the 30th and ended between 1530 and 1540 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained out of the northeast 40-50 mph with most gusts over 60 mph. Several gusts over 70 mph were recorded as well, including the peak gust of 76 mph measured between 0650 and 0700 PST.|High winds began at the Buckman Springs mesonet station between 0000 and 0010 PST on the 30th and ended between 1130 and 1140 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained out of the northeast 30-40 mph with most gusts over 60 mph. Several gusts over 75 mph were recorded as well, including the peak gust of 87 mph measured between 0800 and 0810 PST. |High winds began at the Campo ASOS between 0352 and 0452 PST on the 30th and ended between 1102 and 1152 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east and east-northeast 35-45 mph with a peak gust of 75 mph measured between 0752 and 0852 PST. |High winds began at the Boulder Creek mesonet station between 0050 and 0100 PST on the 30th and ended between 1100 and 1110 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east-northeast 35-45 mph with most gusts over 60 mph, including the peak gust of 72 mph measured between 0910 and 0920 PST. |High winds began at the Descanso (AU702) mesonet station between 0421 and 0426 PST on the 30th and ended between 0901 and 0906 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east-northeast 35-45 mph with a peak gust of 70 mph measured twice between 0831 and 0841 PST. Sycamore Drive was closed between Oak Grove and Elm in Descanso area. Several mesonet sites reached peak gusts of 69 mph including Lucky Five Ranch, North Boulder Creek, Viejas Grade, La Posta, Sunrise Highway, and Alpine. Several other mesonet sites reached gusts up to 67 mph. Significant damage occurred at US Border Patrol checkpoints with signs large mobile signs and trailers blown over and piled tires blown over and rolled in the wind.|Trees self pruning all over the Mountain Empire High School campus, along Buckman Springs Road, which was closed in both directions due to trees across the road. Many instances of roofing was taken down to the bare wood and a huge amount of top soil moved aloft, and one broken window at the wood shop. No direct student injuries. The highest wind was 74 mph between 0730 and 0800 PST on the 30th, with several other gusts over 65 mph. School was closed the following day.

High Wind, Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills

When
April 30, 4:30 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
Where
Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills forecast zone
Measured
82 kt (94 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
33.483, -116.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds began at the Fremont Canyon RAWS between 0551 and 0651 PST on the 30th and ended between 1251 and 1351 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained out of the northeast at 50 to 65 mph with a peak gust of 94 mph recorded between 0851 and 0951 PST. Another gust to 91 mph occurred during the hour prior. |High winds began at the Pleasants Peak mesonet between 0430 and 0500 PST on the 30th and ended between 1330 and 1400 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east-northeast around 45 to 55 mph with several gusts over 70 mph, including a peak gust of 85 mph recorded twice between 0930 and 1000 PST.|High winds began at the Santiago Peak mesonet between 0631 and 0701 PST on the 30th and ended between 1001 and 1031 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained out of the north-northeast around 45 to 55 mph with a peak gust of 62 mph recorded between 0901 and 0931 PST.

High Wind, San Diego County Valleys

When
April 30, 5:00 AM PST to 10:00 AM PST
Where
San Diego County Valleys forecast zone
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An Alpine mesonet (ANEC1) measured a peak wind gust of 69 mph between 0530 and 0600 PST on the 30th. |High winds occurred at the Big Black Mountain mesonet between 0530 and 0930 PST on the 30th with a peak gust of 63 mph recorded between 0737 and 0747 PST.|A peak gust of 58 mph was recorded at the Viejas mesonet station between 0510 and 0520 PST on the 30th.|Lakeshore Drive was closed 400 feet east of Vine to Lindo Lake Place due to a tree limb hanging in the street.

High Wind, San Diego County Mountains

When
April 30, 5:00 AM PST to 1:00 PM PST
Where
San Diego County Mountains forecast zone
Measured
77 kt (89 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A spotter 4 miles east of Pine Valley measured wind gust of 89 mph with three trees either snapped or uprooted. Another spotter reported multiple wind gusts estimated near 70 mph, which blew down a few trees near the top of Mt. Laguna that were 6 inches in diameter. Another spotter reported a 65 mph wind gust that knocked down small tree limbs and power.

High Wind, Riverside County Mountains

When
April 30, 6:00 AM PST to 12:30 PM PST
Where
Riverside County Mountains forecast zone
Measured
65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds occurred at the Highland Springs RAWS between 0716 and 1216 PST on the 30th. During this time, winds were sustained 35 to 45 mph, gusting over 65 mph. A peak gust of 75 mph was measured between 0716 and 0816 PST. |High winds occurred at the Poppet Flat RAWS between 0614 and 1114 PST on the 30th. During this time, winds were sustained around 35 mph, gusting over 60 mph. A peak gust of 64 mph was measured between 0714 and 0814 PST.

Strong Wind, Orange County Coastal Areas

When
April 30, 8:00 AM PST to 11:00 AM PST
Where
Orange County Coastal Areas forecast zone
Measured
34 kt (39 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage
$160,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager

Strong winds damaged a roof at Thomas Payne elementary school in Garden Grove. The City of Anaheim reported three downed power lines, one light tower down, and multiple trees down. The Yorba and Irvine regional parks were closed due to high winds. The Yorba school district experienced power outages at four school sites ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours. The roof of the Beverly Manor Reservoir was blown off causing damage to the reservoir, employee vehicles, and minor damage at OCFA station 48. A tree was blown down damaging the vehicle gate at John Wayne Airport. Four downed trees were reported in La Habra, damaging two vehicles. In the city of Orange, 11 power lines were downed, 5 intersections closed, 27 trees down and power outage to 388 customers. Orange Lutheran High School was also closed for the day.

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

When
April 30, 2:00 PM PST to 6:00 PM PST
Where
San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys - the Inland Empire forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$8,000
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
34.293, -116.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds occurred at the Cabazon RAWS between 0514 and 0914 PST on the 30th. During this time, winds were sustained 30 to 35 mph, with a peak gust of 64 mph measured between 0614 and 0714 PST. A spotter in Hemet measured a 50 mph wind gust, small trees snapped or uprooted, and many roof tiles blowing off of houses. The Ontario airport ASOS recorded a wind gust of 69 mph around 0645 PST and a 70 mph gust between 0851 and 0951 PST on the 30th. The Chino airport ASOS measured a peak gust of 59 mph around 0906 PST on the 30th.

What these are

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

More

Every storm in California in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2014

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: 511752, 509787, 509778, 511789, 509780, 511795, 511797, 509785, 509781, 509786.