Strong Wind in California, March 14, 2018

Name: Strong Wind in California, March 14, 2018
Start: 2018-03-14T17:45
End: 2018-03-14T17:45
Location: California

March 14, 2018 · NWS PSR · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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: $20,000
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 PSR wrote it up.

A large area of low pressure affected far southeast California on March 14. This low pressure system resulted in strong and gusty southwest to west winds across western Imperial for most of the day; peak wind gusts were in excess of 40 mph. A Wind Advisory was issued and was in effect for the afternoon and evening hours; areas affected included the Salton Sea and surrounding communities such as Salton City. The strong gusty winds were sufficient to flip over a big rig semi-truck driving about 1 mile northwest of Salton City. No injuries were reported but there was damage reported to both the semi-truck and the road.

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 Phoenix, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 14, 12:55 PM PST, 4 hours 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 14, 12:55 PM PST, 4 hours 50 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
155 PM MST Wed Mar 14 2018

.SYNOPSIS...
A large low pressure system will approach the region today
bringing windy conditions and a chance for light showers tonight
into Thursday as a cold front sweeps through the region. Cooler,
but mostly dry conditions will then affect the region through the
weekend. Another weak weather disturbance Saturday night into
Sunday will again bring a few light showers, but mainly to high
terrain areas north and east of Phoenix. Temperatures will rebound
closer to seasonal normals under increasing high pressure aloft
early next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Current analysis depicts an upper-level ridge to our east
stretching from the Montana/North Dakota border down through new
Mexico and a broad upper-level trough to our west that has
officially entered the western CONUS. Associated with this
feature, is a surface cold front, that is presently entering our
CWA. The front is forecast to be near the Colorado River Valley
around 22Z today, entering Maricopa county around 01Z, and out of
our CWA around 07Z tonight. The tight pressure gradient will
bring increased wind speeds to the region, with the strongest
gusts west of the Colorado River Valley. A Wind Advisory continues
to be in effect through this evening with gusts to around 40 to
45 mph. Patchy blowing dust and sand may become an issue in dust
prone locations, but dense blowing dust is unlikely. As the trough
continues it's eastward progression overnight, a shortwave is
expected to enter our western CWA around 09Z and exit our eastern
CWA around 21Z tomorrow.

There is a little bit of low-level moisture associated with this
system and current visible satellite shows some pre-frontal
cumulus developing. Most of the moisture will be near and below 10,000
ft and PW's will be less than .7 inches. All in all, we will have
enough support from the surface front & upper-level disturbance to
at least have some low-end precip chances through 21Z tomorrow as
this system moves through. GEFS plumes isn't too impressed with
this system either only showing a mean QPF less than a hundredth
of an inch. Slightly higher QPF is forecast across the higher
terrain north and east of Phoenix due to the little extra oomph
from the orographic lift. The combination of increased moisture,
clouds, and us being in the wake of the cold front tomorrow will
make it difficult for high temperatures to even reach 70 degrees
across the lower desert locations.

On Friday, the broad trough will continue to linger over our
region, however drier southwesterly flow will keep our
precipitation chances near zero. Temperatures will also be a few
degrees warmer compared to Thursday and skies will be mostly
sunny.

&&

.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
One last shortwave trough within the large trough is forecast to
move through the Great Basin early Saturday, but then mostly lift
to the northeast barely affecting the Desert Southwest. Some model
differences remain on how far south this last shortwave will dig,
so we still may see some light showers Saturday night into Sunday
morning, but again focused mainly north and east of Phoenix.
Another weak cold front should move through the area this weekend,
so daytime highs will struggle to reach 70 degrees.

Given the fact models have had a difficult time resolving these
large troughs lately, forecast confidence is rather low for next
week. After what should be a brief warm up on Monday and Tuesday,
model spread increases dramatically by the middle of next week. Both
the GFS and European indicate some sort of large trough will
again spin up over the eastern Pacific during the first half of
next week. For now, timing of any potential rain with this system
seems to occur Tuesday night into Wednesday, so at least slight
chance PoPs are in the forecast during this time.

&&

.AVIATION...
South-Central Arizona including KPHX, KIWA, and SDL:
West winds have developed across area terminals, and expecting gusts
to 22 kt to become relatively more frequent into the late afternoon.
A cold front will move across south-central Arizona this evening,
currently estimated to reach the Phoenix area between 03-05Z. Little
change in wind direction is anticipated with frontal passage, but
could see a brief increase in gusty west winds during this period.
Winds will remain westerly overnight into tomorrow, but should
generally be weaker in magnitude during the day. Will also see
intermittent FEW-SCT clouds throughout the TAF period.

Southeast California/Southwest Arizona including KIPL and KBLH: A
cold front is sweeping across southeast California this afternoon,
with gusts near 35 kt expected at KIPL. Winds are also gusty at KBLH
this afternoon but should remain out of the southwest throughout the
period. Gusts should gradually taper off after sunset, but sustained
wind speeds near 15 kt should persist overnight at KIPL.

Aviation Discussion not updated for amended TAFs.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Friday through Tuesday: A weather system passing to our north
will bring breezy conditions on Saturday and a slight chance of
very light showers over elevated portions of south-central AZ
Saturday night into Sunday morning. Drier air moves in behind this
system dropping daytime minimum humidities down into the 15-20
percent range although overnight recoveries will still be fair to
good. During this period, high temperatures will hover around 5 to
10 degrees below average. Our next chance of precipitation will
come mid to late next week although details are unclear and
confidence is very low.

&&

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotters should follow standard reporting procedures.

&&

.PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AZ...None.
CA...Wind Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening for CAZ560-562>568.

&&

DISCUSSION...Hernandez
PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...Kuhlman
AVIATION...Rogers
FIRE WEATHER...Wilson

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 14, 5:08 PM PST, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
608 PM MST WED MAR 14 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0600 PM     DUST STORM       2 WSW YUMA              32.68N 114.65W
03/14/2018                   YUMA               AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TRAINED STORM SPOTTER REPORTED BLOWING DUST
            WITH VISIBILITY REDUCED DOWN TO ONE MILE.

&&

AD

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Imperial County West

When: March 14, 5:45 PM PST
Where: Imperial County West forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 33.040, -115.365 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong and gusty winds developed in the area around Salton Sea during the afternoon hours on March 14. The gusty winds were in advance of a large area of low pressure impacting the desert southwest. Wind gusts in excess of 40 mph were observed and a Wind Advisory was in effect for much of far southeast California including the Salton Sea. According to a public report, gusty winds flipped over a big rig driving about 1 mile northwest of the town of Salton City. CALTRANS and the California Highway Patrol confirmed the report and indicated that it was indeed wind related. No injuries were reported although there was some damage to both the semi-truck and the road.

What these are

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, March 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: 736264.