Surface high pressure over the Great Basin brought very strong and gusty northeast to east winds and hot weather from the 12th through the 14th, before the winds finally decreased. The hardest hit areas were the mountains and western foothills of Riverside and San Diego County.
Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS SGX wrote it up.
Surface high pressure over the Great Basin brought very strong and gusty northeast to east winds and hot weather from the 12th through the 14th, before the winds finally decreased. The hardest hit areas were the mountains and western foothills of Riverside and San Diego County. The gusty winds downed countless trees, power lines and blew tiles from roofs. The winds also helped to fuel and spread nearly a dozen wildfires in San Diego County alone. The hot weather even spawned a damaging dust devil early on, before the winds really got going.
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 May 12, 1:30 AM PST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
230 AM PDT MON MAY 12 2014
.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL STRENGTHEN OVER THE WEST COAST THIS WEEK...
BRINGING MUCH WARMER AND DRIER WEATHER...AND PERIODS OF STRONG AND
GUSTY SANTA ANA WINDS THROUGH WEDNESDAY...STRONGEST TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY. DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WILL BE 15 TO 25 DEGREES ABOVE
AVERAGE WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH FRIDAY. CLEAR SKIES AND VERY
LOW HUMIDITIES SHOULD KEEP THE NIGHTS COOLER WHERE THE WINDS DROP
OFF. WEAK ONSHORE FLOW WILL RETURN ON FRIDAY AND STRENGTHEN DURING
THE WEEKEND AS A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS NEAR THE WEST
COAST. THIS WILL BRING A COOLING TREND WITH GUSTY WEST WINDS IN THE
MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS. NIGHT AND MORNING COASTAL LOW CLOUDS AND FOG
WILL ALSO RETURN AROUND SUNDAY.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL STRENGTHEN ALONG THE WEST COAST THROUGH
THURSDAY BRINGING MUCH WARMER DAYTIME TEMPERATURES. SURFACE HIGH
PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT BASIN WILL BRING PERIODS OF STRONG GUSTY
EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS THROUGH WEDNESDAY...STRONGEST ON TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY. GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS WINDS THIS MORNING ARE MOSTLY
EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW ADVISORY STRENGTH WITH ISOLATED STRONGER
GUSTS TO 45 TO 50 MPH.
FOR TUESDAY...THE OFFSHORE FLOW IS EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN AND BECOME
MORE EASTERLY WITH STRONGEST WINDS ON THE COASTAL SLOPES OF THE
NORTH...SOUTH MOUNTAIN RANGES AND ADJACENT INLAND VALLEYS...MAINLY
FOR RIVERSIDE AND SAN DIEGO COUNTIES. GUSTY EASTERLY WINDS MAY
EXTEND TO NEAR THE COAST IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY. WINDS FOR WEDNESDAY
ARE EXPECTED TO BE SIMILAR TO THOSE OF TUESDAY...EXCEPT NOT QUITE AS
STRONG...NOT EXTENDING AS FAR WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS...AND
DIMINISHING FASTER IN THE AFTERNOON. WEAKER OFFSHORE WINDS ARE
EXPECTED FOR THURSDAY MORNING.
THE COMBINATION OF HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT AND OFFSHORE FLOW WILL BRING
MUCH WARMER TEMPERATURES. WARMING WILL CONTINUE TODAY FOR MOST
AREAS...THEN EXTEND CLOSER TO THE COAST ON TUESDAY WITH CONTINUED
WARMING FOR MOST AREAS WEDNESDAY. THURSDAY IS EXPECTED TO BE THE
WARMEST DAY FOR MOST AREAS...EXCEPT POSSIBLY THE IMMEDIATE COAST.
COOLING WILL BEGIN TO SPREAD INLAND FROM THE COAST FRIDAY AS THE
DESERTS CONTINUE TO WARM. FURTHER COOLING WILL EXTEND INLAND TO ALL
AREAS SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY AS A TROUGH LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS
ALONG THE WEST COAST BRINGING STRONGER ONSHORE FLOW. THIS STRONGER
ONSHORE FLOW WILL BRING GUSTY WEST WINDS TO THE MOUNTAINS AND
DESERTS WITH A RETURN OF THE MARINE LAYER WITH NIGHT AND MORNING
COASTAL LOW CLOUDS AND FOG.
&&
.AVIATION...
120930Z...CLEAR SKIES AND UNRESTRICTED VIS TODAY AND TONIGHT.
THROUGH MIDDAY TODAY...AREAS OF STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS IN AND BELOW
FOOTHILLS...PASSES AND CANYONS. THROUGH 17Z...LLWS IN INLAND EMPIRE
AND VCNTY KONT. WINDS WILL DIMINISH THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EVENING.
STRONGER OFFSHORE WINDS AND ASSOCIATED ISSUES TUESDAY.
&&
.MARINE...
200 AM...NO HAZARDOUS MARINE WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL STRENGTHEN ALONG THE WEST COAST THROUGH
THURSDAY BRINGING MUCH WARMER DAYTIME TEMPERATURES. SURFACE HIGH
PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT BASIN WILL BRING PERIODS OF STRONG GUSTY
EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS THROUGH WEDNESDAY...STRONGEST ON TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY...ALONG WITH LOW HUMIDITIES. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
COMBINATION OF HOT DAYTIME TEMPERATURES...VERY LOW HUMIDITIES...AND
STRONG GUSTY SANTA ANA WINDS IS EXPECTED ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.
IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE HOT AND VERY DRY THURSDAY...BUT WITH
WEAKENING WINDS. WEAK ONSHORE FLOW WILL RETURN ON FRIDAY AND
STRENGTHEN DURING THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL BRING A COOLING TREND WITH
INCREASING HUMIDITIES FOR NEXT WEEKEND ALONG WITH GUSTY WEST WINDS
IN THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS.
STRONGEST NORTHEAST WINDS TODAY...WITH GUSTS MAINLY 50 MPH OR
LESS...ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AROUND SUNRISE AND CONTINUE THROUGH
THE MORNING...THEN DIMINISH DURING THE AFTERNOON...WITH STRONGEST
WINDS NEAR COASTAL MOUNTAIN SLOPES AND BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS.
STRONGER AND MORE EASTERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AROUND
SUNRISE TUESDAY AND CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THESE WINDS ARE
EXPECTED TO BE STRONGEST AND MOST WIDESPREAD IN THE MOUNTAINS AND
VALLEYS OF RIVERSIDE AND SAN DIEGO COUNTIES.
LOWEST DAYTIME HUMIDITIES WILL FALL TO AROUND 5 PERCENT WITH POOR
OVERNIGHT RECOVERY. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE WELL ABOVE
AVERAGE...MOSTLY IN THE 90S AT LOWER ELEVATIONS AND THE 80S ALONG
COASTAL MOUNTAIN SLOPES.
SIMILAR WIND...HUMIDITY...AND TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED FOR
WEDNESDAY EXCEPT THE WINDS MAY NOT BE QUITE AS STRONG AND WIDESPREAD.
&&
.SKYWARN...
SKYWARN ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED. HOWEVER WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS.
&&
.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM PDT TUESDAY FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY
COASTAL AREAS...SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY
VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE...SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
MOUNTAINS-INCLUDING THE MOUNTAIN TOP AND FRONT COUNTRY
RANGER DISTRICTS OF THE SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST...
SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS-INCLUDING THE TRABUCO RANGER DISTRICT
OF THE CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST.
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON
FOR THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS...SAN BERNARDINO AND
RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE.
RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM PDT TUESDAY FOR THE RIVERSIDE
COUNTY MOUNTAINS-INCLUDING THE SAN JACINTO RANGER DISTRICT OF
THE SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST...SAN DIEGO COUNTY INLAND
VALLEYS...SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-INCLUDING THE PALOMAR AND
DESCANSO RANGER DISTRICTS OF THE CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST.
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON
FOR THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS...SAN DIEGO COUNTY
VALLEYS.
PZ...NONE.
&&
PUBLIC/FIRE WEATHER...17
AVIATION/MARINE...MMThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 high wind, 1 dust devil, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Pleasants Peak mesonet recorded a peak wind gust out of 58 mph out of the east-northeast between 0430-0500 PST on the 12th.
High winds began at the Sill Hill mesonet between 0540-0550 PST and ended between 0910-0920 PST on the 12th. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east at 35-40 mph with gusts off and on over 60 mph. The peak gust of 70 mph was measured between 0610-0620 PST.
Public reported a dust devil near Fullerton that came abruptly out of the west carrying large amounts of dust and leaves, and damaged portions of roof shingles on a few homes with estimated wind gusts of 60 mph.
High winds began at the Sill Hill SDGE mesonet between 0240-0300 PST on the 13th and ended between 1500-1510 PST that afternoon. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east at 40-50 mph and gusting mostly above 65 mph with several over 75 mph. The peak gust of 87 mph was recorded between 0350-0400 PST. High winds began at the Boulder Creek SDGE mesonet between 0540-0550 PST on the 13th and ended between 0850-0900 PST that morning. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east-northeast at 30-35 mph, with a few gusts over 58 mph, including the peak gust of 64 mph, recorded between 0540-0550 PST. High winds began at the Lucky Five Ranch SDGE mesonet between 0420-0430 PST on the 13th and ended between 0940-0950 PST that morning. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east-northeast at 35-45 mph and gusting above 58 mph. A peak gust of 63 mph was recorded between 0540-0550 PST. High winds occurred at the Inaja Park mesonet between 0540-0640 PST on the 13th, with a peak gust of 62 mph recorded near the beginning of that time period. The Viejas Grade mesonet recorded two peak gusts, one of 58 mph and the other of 61 mph, between 0540-0920 PST on the 13th. The Dye Mountain and West Santa Ysabel mesonets each recorded a peak gust of 58 mph out of the east between 0530-0700 PST on the 13th.
A ham operator reported strong winds blew off one-quarter of the tiles from a structure just northwest of Hemet.
High winds occurred at the Otay Mountain mesonet between 0700-0820 PST on the 13th, with a peak gust of 61 mph recorded twice during that time period. High winds occurred at the Big Black Mountain mesonet between 0707-0957 PST on the 13th, with winds sustained out of the east at 45-60 mph and several gusts over 65 mph, including a peak gust of 72 mph recorded between 0817-0827 PST. High winds occurred at the Round Potrero mesonet between 0600-0920 PST on the 13th, with winds sustained out of the east at 40-45 mph and a few gusts over 60 mph, including a peak gust of 63 mph recorded between 0910-0920 PST. High winds occurred at the Alpine RAWS between 0552-0752 PST on the 13th, with a peak gust of 63 mph recorded near the beginning of that time period. In San Marcos, a storm chaser reported strong winds blowing down a 20-foot section of wooden fence.
A peak wind gust of 61 mph out of the east was recorded at the Pleasants Peak mesonet between 0731-0801 PST.
High winds began at the Sill Hill SDGE mesonet between 1940-1950 PST on the 13th and ended between 1250-1300 PST on the 14th. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east at 45-55 mph with gusts over 65 mph, including the peak gust of 86 mph recorded between 0700-0710 PST on the 14th. High winds began at the Viejas Grade SDGE mesonet between 0600-0610 PST on the 14th. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east-northeast at 30-40 mph with gusts over 60 mph, including the peak gust of 77 mph recorded between 0830-0840 PST. High winds began at the North Descanso SDGE mesonet between 0530-0540 PST on the 14th. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east at 30-40 mph with gusts off and on over 58 mph, including the peak gust of 64 mph recorded between 0850-0900 PST. High winds occurred at the West Santa Ysabel SDGE mesonet between 0740-0850 PST on the 14th, with sustained easterly winds of 30-35 mph and a peak gust of 63 mph during that time. High winds occurred at the Buckman Springs SDGE mesonet between 0740-0850 PST on the 14th, with sustained northeasterly winds of 30-35 mph and a peak gust of 61 mph during that time.
High winds began at the Big Black Mountain mesonet between 0107-0117 PST on the 14th and ended between 1037-1047 PST that morning. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east at 50-70 mph with gusts mostly over 65 mph, including the peak gust of 87 mph, recorded between 0537-0547 PST. High winds began at the Hellhole Canyon mesonet between 0640-0650 PST on the 14th and ended between 1030-1040 PST that morning. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east-northeast at 30-40 mph with gusts over 60 mph, including the peak gust of 75 mph, recorded between 0920-0930 PST. These winds eventually made it down to the Bonsall area, downing a power line. High winds began at the Alpine RAWS between 0352-0452 PST on the 14th and ended between 1052-1152 PST that morning. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east-northeast at 35-40 mph with gusts over 65 mph, including the peak gust of 69 mph, recorded between 0752-0852 PST. The Alpine Fire department reported part of a carport roof being blown off by the strong winds around 0930 PST. High winds began at the Dye Mountain mesonet between 00430-0440 PST on the 14th and ended between 0930-0940 PST that morning. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east-northeast at 35-40 mph with gusts off an on over 58 mph, including the peak gust of 63 mph, recorded between 0450-0500 PST. High winds occurred at the County Estates mesonet between 0910-0930 PST on the 14th with a peak gust of 64 mph out of the east during that time. A nearby spotter reported a 2.5 inch tree limb fell while wind had been gusting to 50 mph.
High winds began at the Highland Springs RAWS between 0615-0715 PST on the 14th and ended between 1116-1216 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained out of the east at 30-45 mph with gusts around 60 mph. A peak gust of 68 mph was recorded between 0716-0816 PST.
High winds occurred at the Pleasants Peak mesonet between 0630-0900 PST on the 14th. Winds were sustained out of the east to east-northeast at 30-45 mph with gusts over 65 mph, including the peak gust of 65 mph recorded between 0700-0730 PST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in California, May 2014
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: 522326, 522325, 522323, 522340, 522341, 522344, 522347, 522652, 522570, 522583, 522576.