California, 2020Winter Storm and Flood in California, November 7 to 10, 2020
November 7 to 10, 2020 · NWS SGX · 10 events in 8 counties and zones
An upper level trough brought notable lower elevation rain and mountain snow across Southern California from November 7th - 9th. The cold nature of the system also brought chilly temperatures to the region, especially in areas of the High Desert.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $2.0 million
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 10
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 upper level trough brought notable lower elevation rain and mountain snow across Southern California from November 7th - 9th. The cold nature of the system also brought chilly temperatures to the region, especially in areas of the High Desert.
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 Nov 6, 8:45 PM PST, 3 hours 15 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Nov 6, 8:45 PM PST, 3 hours 15 minutes before
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</html>Event by event
2 high wind, 2 winter storm, 1 strong wind, 1 winter weather, 1 heavy rain, 1 flood, 1 high surf, 1 frost/freeze. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong Wind, Coachella Valley
- When
- November 7, 12:00 AM PST to November 9, 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- Coachella Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 47 kt (54 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $2.0 million
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Gusty winds occurred across the Coachella Valley over this period. Earlier in the period, a trained spotter reported a 46 mph wind gust with uprooted trees and broken tree limbs in the city of Coachella. The Thermal ASOS recorded a wind gust 54 MPH as well. In the late afternoon of the 8th, CHP report of downed light pole blocking Jackson St. just south of 58th Ave. where, Thermal ASOS had gusts to 33 mph at the time, however, a surfacing mountain wave may have produced higher gusts at this location.
High Wind, Apple and Lucerne Valleys
- When
- November 7, 12:00 AM PST to November 8, 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- Apple and Lucerne Valleys forecast zone
- Measured
- 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Utility Company
- Coordinates
- 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Gusty winds occurred across the High Desert. Cushenbury Springs observation site reported a 68 MPH wind gust at 4:30 AM on the 7th.
High Wind, San Diego County Mountains
- When
- November 7, 2:00 AM PST to November 8, 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Diego County Mountains forecast zone
- Measured
- 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Gusty winds occurred in the San Diego mountains. UC San Diego HPWREN Network observation station measured a 72 MPH wind gust. Gusty winds led to a tree, approximately 14 inches in diameter, blocking road completely at Highway 76 / Highway 79 interchange. Observations near Lake Henshaw report wind gusts of 38-39 mph with sustained winds of 28-29 mph out of the southwest from 1:10 pm until 1:30 pm on the 8th.
Winter Weather, San Diego County Mountains
- When
- November 7, 8:00 AM PST to November 8, 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Diego County Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
- Coordinates
- 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Portions of the mountains in San Diego County received significant snowfall. Mt. Laguna measured a total of 7 inches, while Palomar Mountain measured 4 inches of snow.
Winter Storm, Riverside County Mountains
- When
- November 7, 8:00 AM PST to November 9, 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- Riverside County Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Fire Department/Rescue
- Coordinates
- 33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Areas of heavy snow impacted the Riverside County Mountains, such as in Idyllwild, where the storm total snow observed was 6 inches.
Winter Storm, San Bernardino County Mountains
- When
- November 7, 8:00 AM PST to November 9, 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Bernardino County Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy snow fell in portions of the San Bernardino Mountains. Notable totals occurred at Big Bear Snow Summit Ski Resort, where 18 inches of snow fell at at 8,800 feet and 16 inches at Green Valley Lake. CalTrans closed a large portion of Route 38 on the 9th due to heavy snow, along with large power lines and trees down on the road.
Heavy Rain, San Diego
- When
- November 7, 8:00 AM PST to November 9, 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Diego County, 4.75 mi SSE of Pine Hills
- Reported by
- Official NWS Observations
- Coordinates
- 32.990, -116.590
Areas of heavy rainfall occurred across the mountains and valleys of San Diego County. Notable totals occurred at Lake Cuyamaca with 3.98 inches of rain and Pine Valley with 3.31 inches of rain.
Flood, San Bernardino
- When
- November 7, 10:49 AM PST to 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Bernardino County, 5.86 mi N of Esperanza to 6.01 mi NNE of Yorba Linda
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 33.955, -117.768
Trained spotter reports roadway flooding is occurring on carbon canyon road in various locations in carbon canyon. flooding is ranging from 1/2 an inch to 2 inches.
High Surf, Orange County Coastal
- When
- November 7, 4:00 PM PST to 7:00 PM PST
- Where
- Orange County Coastal forecast zone
- Reported by
- Lifeguard
- Coordinates
- 33.677, -117.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lifeguards at Huntington Beach report high surf of 8 feet at 4 PM.
Frost/Freeze, Apple and Lucerne Valleys
- When
- November 9, 1:00 AM PST to November 10, 3:00 PM PST
- Where
- Apple and Lucerne Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- Official NWS Observations
- Coordinates
- 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Portions of the High Desert saw cold temperatures with patchy areas of frost. The low temperature in Apple Valley dropped to 19 degrees on the afternoon of the 10th.
- Strong Wind
- Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
- Heavy Rain
- Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
- Flood
- Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
- High Surf
- Large waves breaking on the shore that caused damage, erosion or casualties.
- Frost/Freeze
- Frost or temperatures at or below freezing during the growing season, usually filed for crop damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Florida, November 7 to 9, 20201 injured · $603,000 · 5 events
- Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, November 7 to 12, 202026 events
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Montana, November 7 to 9, 202024 events
- Heavy Snow and High Wind in Colorado, November 7 to 8, 202066 kt wind · 23 events
- Heavy Snow and High Wind in California, November 7 to 8, 202066 kt wind · 13 events
- Strong Wind in California, November 7 to 8, 202013 events
- Damaging Wind and High Wind in New Mexico, November 7 to 9, 2020$10,000 · 58 kt wind · 10 events
- High Wind in Wyoming, November 7 to 8, 202059 kt wind · 7 events
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Montana, November 7 to 8, 20207 events
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, November 7 to 9, 20206 events
- Heavy Snow in Montana, November 7 to 9, 20206 events
- High Wind in Arizona, November 7, 202059 kt wind · 5 events
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: 929960, 929962, 929495, 929488, 929489, 929494, 929503, 929964, 929533, 929963.