High Wind and Strong Wind in California, April 16, 2018

Name: High Wind and Strong Wind in California, April 16, 2018
Start: 2018-04-16T08:00
End: 2018-04-16T23:00
Location: California

April 16, 2018 · NWS SGX · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A trough of low pressure from the Pacific Northwest brought strong onshore winds to Southern California on the 16th and 17th. Workers at the Coachella Valley Festival were evacuated for a period of time due to high winds and blowing sand.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $20,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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.

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 16, 2:02 AM PST, 5 hours 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 16, 2:02 AM PST, 5 hours 58 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Diego CA
302 AM PDT Mon Apr 16 2018

.SYNOPSIS...
A low pressure system moving inland along the West Coast will
bring much stronger onshore flow through tonight. This will bring
cooling...spread coastal clouds onto the coastal mountain slopes
with a slight chance of light showers near the mountains for late
this afternoon into tonight...and bring strong gusty west winds
in the mountains and deserts through late tonight. Dry with weaker
winds and a warming trend for Tuesday and Wednesday. Another low
pressure system moving inland through California will bring
cooling with periods of strong gusty west winds for the mountains
and deserts for Wednesday night into Thursday night. There is also
a slight chance of light showers along and west of the mountains
Thursday. Dry with a warming trend for Friday into next weekend
with weaker winds.

&&

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

.SHORT TERM (Today through Wednesday)...
Surface reports show stronger winds early this morning mostly
confined to areas near the mountain ridge tops onto the upper
desert slopes. The winds will gradually strengthen and spread
into the deserts through this morning. The strongest and most
widespread winds are expected for this afternoon and evening...
decreasing late tonight into early Tuesday.

The low pressure system moving inland along the West Coast
bringing the much stronger onshore flow will spread cooling
inland today. Areas of coastal low clouds will return and expand
onto the coastal mountain slopes as the marine layer deepens.
There is also a slight chance of light showers...mainly near the
mountains...for late this afternoon into tonight.

Dry weather with weaker winds will follow for Tuesday into
Wednesday. Warming for coastal and valley areas on Tuesday will
expand into the mountains and deserts on Wednesday.

&&

.LONG TERM (Wednesday night through Sunday)...
Another low pressure system moving inland through California will
bring another round of strong onshore flow with cooling and with
periods of strong gusty west winds for the mountains and deserts
for Wednesday night into Thursday night. There is also a slight
chance of light showers along and west of the mountains Thursday.
Dry weather with a warming trend will following for Friday into
next weekend. Periods of gusty north to northeast winds near the
coastal foothills are possible for Friday into Saturday morning.

&&

.AVIATION... 160900Z...Coast/Valleys/Coastal Slopes...Low clouds
will gradually increase through sunrise overall, but will be
somewhat intermittent and random in coverage. Bases will be around
1500 feet MSL rising to about 2500 feet. Vis Generally scattered
conditions after 17Z. 3-5sm along far inland extent of clouds. Low
clouds will increase again late afternoon and evening, pushing into
mountains to the crests where some obscuration will occur above
about 3000 feet along with isolated light showers. Skies will clear
from north to south early Tuesday.

Desert slopes/Deserts...Westerly winds over the ridges and upper
desert slopes 30-50KT with isolated higher gusts today into tonight.
Winds will create strong UDDFS and LLWS above and near the desert
foothills and local VIS blo 3SM in dust on the desert floor. CIGS
AOA FL200 with standing lenticulars over the mts through about
15Z...becoming mostly clear after 18Z, xcp over the deserts where
SCT wave clouds near FL080-120 are possible.

&&

.MARINE...
West-northwest winds will increase this morning and northwest swell
will increase today and tonight, creating hazardous boating
conditions. Check the small craft advisory for details. Winds will
decrease rapidly early Tuesday while swell more gradually subsides
later Tuesday. After no forecast hazardous conditions Tuesday into
Wednesday, strong winds and higher seas will return late Wednesday
through Thursday.

&&

.SKYWARN...
Skywarn activation is not requested. However weather spotters are
encouraged to report significant weather conditions.

&&

.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...High Wind Warning until 5 AM PDT Tuesday for Apple and Lucerne
     Valleys-Coachella Valley-Riverside County Mountains-San
     Bernardino County Mountains-San Diego County Deserts-San
     Diego County Mountains-San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning.

PZ...Small Craft Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 8 AM PDT Tuesday
     for Coastal Waters from San Mateo Point to the Mexican
     Border and out to 30 nm-Waters from San Mateo point to the
     Mexican Border Extending 30 to 60 nm out including San
     Clemente Island.

&&

PUBLIC...17
AVIATION/MARINE...MM

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, 3 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning

When: April 16, 8:00 AM PST to 11:00 PM PST
Where: San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts were over 50 mph from 0800 to 2300 PST, with a peak wind gust of 67 mph at Whitewater RAWS at 1600 PST. Surrounding areas had peak wind gusts of around 40 mph. A big rig was blown over at Palm Dr. and Varner Rd. High winds blew a trailer off of a vehicle on Highway 111.

Strong Wind, San Bernardino County Mountains

When: April 16, 10:00 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
Where: San Bernardino County Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 42 kt (48 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts at Big Bear City Airport were over 35 mph from 1000 to 1600 PST, with a peak wind gust of 48 mph at 1230 PST. Heaps Peak and Running Springs had peak wind gusts of 55 mph around 1400 PST. No significant impacts reported.

Strong Wind, Apple and Lucerne Valleys

When: April 16, 10:00 AM PST to 8:00 PM PST
Where: Apple and Lucerne Valleys forecast zone
Measured: 46 kt (53 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts of over 40 mph occured at Apple Valley Airport between 1000 and 1800 PST, with a peak gust of 52 mph at 1300 PST. Lucerne Valley reported a peak wind gust of 53 mph around 1900 PST. Multiple power lines were downed in the area, resulting in power outages, 3 large trees were damaged in Hesperia.

High Wind, Coachella Valley

When: April 16, 12:00 PM PST to 11:00 PM PST
Where: Coachella Valley forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts over 45 mph impacted the Coachella Mesonet from 1200 to 2300 PST, with a peak wind gust of 58 mph at 1800 PST. Visibility was down to 1/2 mile in some parts of the Coachella Valley. Workers at the Coachella Valley Festival were evacuated on the evening of the 16th due to high winds and blowing sand.

High Wind, San Diego County Mountains

When: April 16, 2:00 PM PST to 11:00 PM PST
Where: San Diego County Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 62 kt (71 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts at Volcan Mountain were over 60 mph from 1400 to 2300 PST, with a peak gust of 71 mph around 2030 PST. Harrison Park reported a peak gust of 68 mph at 2100 PST. Ranchita reported a peak gust of 61 mph at 2000 PST. Surrounding areas reported lighter winds. No significant impacts reported.

Strong Wind, San Diego County Deserts

When: April 16, 7:00 PM PST to 9:00 PM PST
Where: San Diego County Deserts forecast zone
Measured: 48 kt (55 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts over 40 mph reported at Borrego Springs from 1900 to 2100 PST, with a peak gust of 55 mph at 2000 PST. Mason Valley reported a wind gust of 46 mph at 1900 PST. Surrounding areas reported lighter winds. No significant impacts reported.

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

Every storm in California in 2018 Every state in 2018 This day in weather history Warnings in California, April 2018

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: 751492, 751493, 751494, 751490, 751495, 751497.