California, 2020Strong Wind in California, February 9, 2020
February 9, 2020 · NWS STO · 2 events in 2 counties and zones
An are of low pressure slid down the Sierra Nevada while high pressure built over the region to the east. This allowed for strong northerly winds to set up across much of northern California with gusts ranging from 30 to 65 miles per hour.
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $85,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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.
An are of low pressure slid down the Sierra Nevada while high pressure built over the region to the east. This allowed for strong northerly winds to set up across much of northern California with gusts ranging from 30 to 65 miles per hour. Various media outlets and members of the public reported wind damage including but not limited to uprooted trees, downed power lines, blown over fences, and loose and unsecured objects tossed around.
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 Sacramento, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 9, 4:05 AM PST, 7 hours earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 9, 4:05 AM PST, 7 hours before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
405 AM PST Sun Feb 9 2020
.SYNOPSIS...
Cooler with windy conditions today. Dry next week except a threat
of showers late Thursday into Saturday, mainly over mountains.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Upper low digging down the Sierra Nevada range this morning. 88-D
radar showing little in the way of returns although Highland
Meadow reported some light precip earlier. Little to no precip
expected over the Northern Sierra as system drops south during
the day. Strong northerly flow aloft behind this feature is combined
with 1041 MB EPAC surface high building through Oregon into the
Great Basin. This resulting in breezy to windy conditions over
portions of interior NorCal today. Strongest wind currently being
observed in the Delta area. Guidance suggest wind in this area
will continue to increase this morning, ramping up into low end
high wind criteria. Given non-prevailing direction, increased
potential for downed trees in this area. Will embed a high wind
warning for this area today with a period of sustained wind 30 to
45 mph with local gusts up to 60 mph possible. Strong wind also
progged in western portions of the Sacramento Valley extending
into the Coastal Range, and in the Northern Sierra.
Pressure gradient weakens this evening in the Central Valley, but
wind remains gusty in portions of the Coastal Range and Sierra
Nevada overnight into Monday.
Breezy conditions again likely over portions of interior NorCal
Monday, but wind speeds expected to remain below advisory
criteria. AMS warms Monday into Tuesday as upper ridging builds
inland. High temperatures by Tuesday expected to be up into the
lower 70s for northern portions of the Sacramento Valley, which is
about 10 to 15 degrees above normal. Mostly 50s and 60s forecast
for the foothills and mountains.
Upper ridging weakens Wednesday as short wave trough moves
southward through it over NorCal. This will result in minor
synoptic cooling but continued above normal temperatures.
PCH
&&
.EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Thursday THROUGH Sunday)...
Broad upper ridging across the eastern Pacific will continue dry
conditions and well above average temperatures for Thursday.
Valley and Delta highs should stay in the mid to upper 60s through
Thursday with mostly sunny skies.
By late Thursday, the ridge is forecast to shift eastward in
response to a trough slipping down from the Pacific Northwest. The
current track of this system will bring a slight chance for
mountain and foothill showers through Friday, while the rest of
the area stays dry. Light mountain showers should wind down
Friday night into early Saturday.
Models and ensembles are trending towards another shortwave
passing through later Saturday through Sunday. Even some Valley
precipitation is possible, although rainfall amounts look fairly
light at this point. Forecast mountain snowfall also currently
looks fairly light with limited impact, but some ensemble members
hint at something more significant. This will have to be monitored
closely, due to busy travel expected over the holiday weekend.
Snow levels are expected to be around 4000-5000 feet. EK
&&
.AVIATION...
VFR conditions are expected over the next 24 hours with clear
skies. Northerly wind gusts to 30 knots are possible over the
Central Valley and Delta through 18z, then 40 to 50 kt through
00z. Airport Weather Warnings have been issued for KRDD and KSCK
for today for the strong winds. Winds will gradually decease after
00z, though gusts 25 to 30 kt remain possible for the southern
Sacramento and northern San Joaquin Valleys and the Delta through
09z tonight. EK
&&
.STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Wind Advisory until 4 AM PST Monday for Carquinez Strait and
Delta-Central Sacramento Valley-Clear Lake/Southern Lake County-
Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Northern Lake County-
Northern Sacramento Valley-Northern San Joaquin Valley-Southern
Sacramento Valley-West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada-Western
Plumas County/Lassen Park.
High Wind Warning until 4 PM PST this afternoon for Carquinez
Strait and Delta.
&&
Strong Wind, Northern San Joaquin Valley
- When
- February 9, 11:05 AM PST
- Where
- Northern San Joaquin Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 46 kt (53 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $35,000
- Reported by
- ASOS
The ASOS at Stockton Airport reported a 53 MPH non thunderstorm related wind gust. Additionally the Modesto Airport reported a 45 MPH non thunderstorm related wind gust. Reports of wind damage came in to the media, including but not limited to downed trees and power lines and a fence being blown on to highway 99. Damage values are estimates.
Strong Wind, Motherlode/Camptonville to Groveland
- When
- February 9, 12:39 PM PST
- Where
- Motherlode/Camptonville to Groveland forecast zone
- Measured
- 48 kt (55 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Reported by
- Fire Department/Rescue
The Tuolumne County Fire Department created a Facebook post that multiple trees and power lines came down across the county due to strong winds. They noted that several weather stations across the area had been reporting wind gusts between 30 to 50 mph at the time of the post. Earlier in the morning, the Twaine Heart weather station reported a gust of 55 MPH which was used for this report. Damage values are estimated.
- 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.
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Wisconsin, February 9, 20201 death · 9 injured · 20 events
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, February 9, 20201 death · 1 injured · $30,000 · 16 events
- Strong Wind in California, February 9 to 10, 2020$41,000 · 28 events
- Heavy Snow and High Wind in California, February 9 to 11, 2020$60,000 · 61 kt wind · 17 events
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, February 9, 202011 events
- Winter Weather in New York, February 9 to 10, 20207 events
- Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 9, 20206 events
- Flooding in Arkansas, February 9 to 28, 20205 events
- Hail in Arkansas, February 9, 20202 in hail · 5 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Arkansas, February 9 to 12, 2020$10,000 · 1.75 in hail · 5 events
- Winter Weather in Michigan, February 9, 20204 events
- Damaging Wind in Florida, February 9, 202052 kt wind · 1 event
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: 877961, 877969.