High Wind, Indian Wells Valley
- When
- May 1, 2:26 AM PST
- Where
- Indian Wells Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- RAWS
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
As a result of increased onshore pressure gradients which developed following the passage of a dry cold front on April 30, strong wind gusts developed over along the ridge tops and below the passes in Kern County during the evening of April 30. These strong winds continued through the evening of May 1 and several stations measured gusts above 55 mph.
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 HNX wrote it up.
As a result of increased onshore pressure gradients which developed following the passage of a dry cold front on April 30, strong wind gusts developed over along the ridge tops and below the passes in Kern County during the evening of April 30. These strong winds continued through the evening of May 1 and several stations measured gusts above 55 mph. The winds finally decreased by the morning of May 2, but several stations in the Kern County Mountains and Deserts reported gusts above 45 mph through the evening of May 2.
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 Hanford, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 30, 1:02 PM PST, 13 hours 24 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 202 PM PDT Thu Apr 30 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Cooler and breezy conditions will start today and continue through Monday as series of dry cold fronts move through the area. In addition, strong gusty winds will be possible for portions of the southern San Joaquin Valley and the Kern County mountains and desert tonight into Friday morning as well as from Friday night into Saturday morning. Dry weather will persist for the next 7 days. && .DISCUSSION... Some cumulus clouds developing over the Sierra Nevada mountains this afternoon. Otherwise clear and breezy conditions across most of the central CA interior. Temperatures running 4-10 degrees cooler than 24 hours ago. Several short waves will push through CA through the weekend. This will bring a strong onshore flow, ushering breezy and cooler conditions across central CA through Sunday. Winds have been on the increase this afternoon as an initial short wave is moving across NCal. Breezy winds have been turning gusty as the onshore gradient from the Bay Area to Las Vegas has ramp up to 10MB. Models prog local gradient from the South Valley to Ridgecrest increasing to 9mb tonight. This gradient should bring strong gusty winds through Friday morning especially the mountain passes of the the Kern County mountains as well as the desert area. A High Wind Warning remains in affect for possible wind gusts up to 60 mph. Another upper level short wave will bring a few disturbances later tonight and Friday. This will maintain the the cool onshore flow resulting in continued breezy conditions in the San Joaquin Valley and locally windy in the Kern County Mountains and desert area through Friday evening. Winds should diminish Saturday as the onshore flow will weaken but remain westerly onshore. Models prog for another round of strong onshore flow on Sunday as another short wave brings a dry cold through central CA. Thus gusty winds may ramp up again Sunday afternoon and evening especially along the west side of SJ valley and Kern county mountains and desert passes. Cool conditions should prevail through Monday but with lighter winds as the westerlies over the west coast weakens. Tuesday through Thursday, temperatures will begin to rise back to above average as a ridge begins to build into the region. && .AVIATION...Strong winds up to 35 kts are possible along the west side hills and portions of the southern San Joaquin Valley from Kings County northward to Merced County until 12Z Friday. Areas of MVFR visiblities in blowing dust is also possible in these same areas. Very strong winds up to 55 kts are possible in the Kern County mountains and desert through 15Z Friday. Otherwise, VFR conditions can be expected over the central California interior for at least the next 24 hours. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... Please see SFOAQAHNX for an Air Quality Alert && .CERTAINTY... The level of certainty for days 1 and 2 is high. The level of certainty for days 3 through 7 is low. Certainty levels include low...medium...and high. Please visit www.weather.gov/hnx/certainty.html for additional information an/or to provide feedback. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory from 5 PM this afternoon to 5 AM PDT Friday for CAZ179>184. High Wind Warning until 8 AM PDT Friday for CAZ195>199. Wind Advisory from 8 AM Friday to 8 AM PDT Saturday for CAZ195>199. && public...mv aviation....mv weather.gov/hanford
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1046 PM PDT THU APR 30 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0940 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 NNW MOJAVE 35.12N 118.20W
04/30/2020 M58 MPH KERN CA MESONET
MESONET STATION SE377 CACHE CREEK (SCE).
&&
DS4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The Bird Springs Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
The Southern California Edison station in Cache Creek measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph.
The Mojave AWOS measured a peak wind gust of 61 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in California, May 2020
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: 880278, 880281, 880283, 880280.