High Wind, Owens Valley
- When
- March 17, 6:54 AM PST to 7:42 AM PST
- Where
- Owens Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
The peak gust was measured 5 miles NW of Independence.
High Wind in California, March 17, 2014
A Pacific storm system brought a brief period of high downslope winds to the Owens Valley.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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 Pacific storm system brought a brief period of high downslope winds to the Owens Valley.
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 Mar 17, 2:45 AM PST, 4 hours 9 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 17, 2:45 AM PST, 4 hours 9 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
345 AM PDT MON MAR 17 2014
.SYNOPSIS...A FAST MOVING COLD FRONT SWEEPING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN
GREAT BASIN AND MOJAVE DESERT THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WILL BRING
GUSTY WINDS TO MUCH OF THE REGION. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP
10 TO 15 DEGREES TUESDAY THEN REBOUND ABOVE NORMAL THE LATTER HALF
OF THE WEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE GRADUALLY BUILDS INTO THE WEST.
&&
.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...THE LEADING EDGE OF
THE INCOMING SHORTWAVE TROUGH WAS PUSHING INTO NORTHWEST NEVADA
EARLY THIS MORNING. THE TROUGH AXIS IS FORECAST TO SHIFT ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN SIERRA BETWEEN 12Z AND 15Z THEN QUICKLY REACH THE
NEVADA/UTAH BORDER BY ABOUT 18Z. HIGH RESOLUTION CROSS-SECTIONS
STILL INDICATE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR DOWNSLOPE WINDS IN THE LEE
OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA THIS MORNING WINDS TRANSITION TO NORTH AS THE
FRONT PUSHES DOWN THROUGH CENTRAL NEVADA AND INYO COUNTY. THE WIND
ADVISORIES ALREADY IN EFFECT FOR THE OWENS VALLEY/EASTERN
SIERRA...SOUTH CENTRAL NEVADA...SAN BERNARDINO AND MOHAVE COUNTIES
LOOK TO BE ON TRACK BASED ON THE LATEST NAM AND HIGH RES MODEL WIND
FIELDS. DUE TO THE TRAJECTORY OF THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM AND THE
ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT...PRE-FRONTAL WINDS ACROSS DEATH
VALLEY...SOUTHERN NYE AND CLARK COUNTIES SHOULD BE FAIRLY
MINIMAL...LESS THAN 15 MPH...BUT NORTHWEST WINDS WILL PICK UP
QUICKLY FROM 3-6 PM PDT WITH GUSTS OF 30-35 MPH QUITE COMMON. WILL
HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON SPEEDS WINDS SPREAD DOWN THROUGH SOUTH
CENTRAL NEVADA BUT FOR NOW MODEL WIND FIELDS INDICATE SUBADVISORY
WINDS OVER CLARK COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AS USUAL...NORTH
WINDS SHOULD ENHANCE ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY TONIGHT THROUGH
TUESDAY. MAY NEED ADDITIONAL WIND/FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR THESE
ZONES. HIGHS TUESDAY WILL DROP 10-15 DEGREES FROM READINGS TODAY.
.LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY...WEAK NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE
AREA WEDNESDAY AS A SHORTWAVE PASSES BY TO THE NORTH. THIS SYSTEM
WILL HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON OUR WEATHER OTHER THAN SOME INCREASE IN
MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL START TO BUILD BACK
INTO THE AREA FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES SEVERAL
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. WE WILL STILL SEE SOME HIGH CLOUDS AT
TIMES...BUT GENERALLY THE SKY WILL REMAIN GENERALLY CLEAR. THE
MODELS INDICATE A POSSIBLE CHANGE IN THE PATTERN CLOSER TO THE
MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS A DEEPENING TROUGH APPROACHES THE AREA. THIS
SYSTEM WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BRINGING COOLER AND WETTER WEATHER
BACK INTO THE AREA.
&&
.AVIATION...FOR MCCARRAN...A FAST MOVING DRY COLD FRONT WILL PUSH
THROUGH SOUTHERN NEVADA THIS AFTERNOON WITH NORTHWEST-NORTH WINDS
GUSTING 25-30KTS EXPECTED AROUND 4 PM TO 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON. NORTH
WINDS WILL PERSIST TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. WINDS AT THE
TERMINAL PRIOR TO THE FRONTAL PASSAGE SHOULD GENERALLY BE 5-8 KNOTS
AND MAY RUN THE DIAL FROM SOUTHWEST TO EAST AND BACK TO WEST THROUGH
MID AFTERNOON. SCT-BKN HIGH CLOUDS AOA 25 KFT THROUGH EARLY MONDAY.
FOR THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEVADA...NORTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA...STRONG DOWNSLOPE WINDS AND ASSOCIATED ROTORS AND
TURBULENCE CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE LEE OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA THROUGH
EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. GUSTY WEST/SOUTHWEST WINDS ACROSS THE MOJAVE
DESERT AND NORTHWEST ARIZONA THIS AFTERNOON WITH GUSTY
NORTH/NORTHWEST WINDS DEVELOPING IN THE NORTH HALF OF THE AREA
BEHIND A COLD FRONT. WIND SPEEDS THIS AFTERNOON MAINLY 15-20 KTS
GUSTING 25-30 KTS BUT LOCAL GUSTS TO 40 KTS IN ESMERALDA...CENTRAL
NYE...WESTERN SAN BERNARDINO...AND MUCH OF MOHAVE COUNTIES. NORTH
WINDS WILL SPREAD SOUTH THROUGH THE AREA THIS EVENING.
&&
.VEF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NV...WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 AM TO 8 PM PDT TODAY FOR NVZ014-015.
AZ...WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 AM TO 8 PM MST TODAY FOR AZZ001-003.
CA...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 2 PM PDT MONDAY FOR CAZ519.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 AM TO 8 PM PDT TODAY FOR CAZ523-525.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 AM TO 2 PM PDT TODAY FOR CAZ520.
&&
ADAIR/GORELOW
FOR MORE FORECAST INFORMATION...SEE US ON OUR WEBPAGE:
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS OR FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTERHazardous weather outlook, Mar 17, 3:54 AM PST, 3 hours before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV 454 AM PDT MON MAR 17 2014 CAZ519-520-180300- EASTERN SIERRA SLOPES-OWENS VALLEY- 454 AM PDT MON MAR 17 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG DOWNSLOPE WINDS WITH GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE EASTERN SIERRA SLOPES...AND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH IN THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS OF THE OWENS VALLEY THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON. WIND ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM PDT. DOWNSLOPE WINDS WILL GIVE WAY TO GUSTY NORTH WINDS SPREADING DOWN THE VALLEY AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS ACROSS INYO COUNTY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ001-003-CAZ523-525-NVZ014-015-180300- NORTHWEST PLATEAU-NORTHWEST DESERTS-WESTERN MOJAVE DESERT- MORONGO BASIN-ESMERALDA AND CENTRAL NYE COUNTY-LINCOLN COUNTY- 454 AM PDT MON MAR 17 2014 /454 AM MST MON MAR 17 2014/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST ARIZONA...SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL NEVADA BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON BRINGING NORTH WINDS GUSTING AROUND 45 MPH. WEST WINDS GUSTING TO 45 MPH AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING FRONT WILL EXTEND ACROSS THE WESTERN MOJAVE DESERT AND MORONGO BASIN OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY CALIFORNIA AND SPREAD INTO MOHAVE COUNTY ARIZONA. WIND ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR THESE ZONES UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ002-036-CAZ521-522-524-526-527-NVZ016>022-180300- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA- WHITE MOUNTAINS OF INYO COUNTY-DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK- EASTERN MOJAVE DESERT-CADIZ BASIN-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY- UPPER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-NORTHEAST CLARK COUNTY- WESTERN CLARK AND SOUTHERN NYE COUNTY-SHEEP RANGE- SPRING MOUNTAINS-LAS VEGAS VALLEY-SOUTHERN CLARK COUNTY- 454 AM PDT MON MAR 17 2014 /454 AM MST MON MAR 17 2014/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST ARIZONA...SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT GUSTY NORTH WINDS WILL DEVELOP ABRUPTLY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS DEATH VALLEY...FAR SOUTHERN NEVADA AND THE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS ACROSS THE REGION. GUSTS BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH WILL BE COMMON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
Event by event
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
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
- High Wind in Utah, March 17, 2014
- Winter Weather in North Carolina, March 17, 2014
- Heavy Snow and High Wind in Montana, March 17 to 21, 2014
- High Wind in Wyoming, March 17 to 18, 2014
- Damaging Winds and Rip Current in Florida, March 17, 2014
- Dust Storm and High Wind in New Mexico, March 17 to 18, 2014
- Winter Weather in North Carolina, March 17 to 18, 2014
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Wyoming, March 17 to 18, 2014
- High Wind in Wyoming, March 17 to 18, 2014
- High Wind in Idaho, March 17, 2014
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, March 17 to 19, 2014
- Winter Weather in Michigan, March 17 to 19, 2014
More
Every storm in California in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in California, March 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: 496535.