High Wind and Strong Wind in California, October 25 to 27, 2020

Name: High Wind and Strong Wind in California, October 25 to 27, 2020
Start: 2020-10-25T10:00
End: 2020-10-27T16:00
Location: California

October 25 to 27, 2020 · NWS STO · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $282,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 STO wrote it up.

A powerful offshore wind event unfolded from October 24 through October 27th as a upper level trough slid into the Great Basin area and high pressure filled in its wake. This lead to a tight pressure gradient developing over much of northern California which would lead to strong and damaging winds. In combination with the winds, low relative humidity values and dry fuels would lead to extreme weather conditions during this time frame. Most of the damage reports from this event came from the foothill and mountain locations via a utility company. They noted that were 126 instances of wind related damages or hazards across northern California. 49 of them are estimated to be within NWS Sacramento's county warning area, which are estimated from the map provided online. Peak wind gusts across the Valley were generally in the 35 to 50 mph range.

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 Oct 24, 1:39 PM PST, 20 hours 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 24, 1:39 PM PST, 20 hours 21 minutes before

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Event by event

4 strong wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Shasta Lake/North Shasta County

When: October 25, 10:00 AM PST to October 27, 4:00 PM PST
Where: Shasta Lake/North Shasta County forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $18,000
Reported by: ASOS

The Redding ASOS reported wind gusts up to 49 mph at 11:24am pst on October 25. Additional mesonet weather stations in zone 13 also had wind gusts up to this speed. Finally, a utility company reported 3 instances of wind related damages or hazards in the zone. Damages are estimated.

Strong Wind, Northern Sacramento Valley

When: October 25, 10:00 AM PST to October 27, 4:00 PM PST
Where: Northern Sacramento Valley forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $24,000
Reported by: ASOS

The Redding ASOS reported wind gusts up to 49 mph at 11:24am pst on October 25. Additionally, a utility company reported 4 instances of wind related damages or hazards in the zone. Damages are estimated.

Strong Wind, Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley

When: October 25, 10:00 AM PST to October 27, 4:00 PM PST
Where: Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley forecast zone
Measured: 48 kt (55 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $18,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Mesonet stations across zone 66 reported peak wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph. Additionally, a utility company reported 3 instances of wind related damages or hazards in the zone. Damages are estimated.

High Wind, West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada

When: October 25, 10:00 AM PST to October 27, 4:00 PM PST
Where: West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $132,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Mesonet stations across zone 69 reported peak wind gusts between 45 and 73 mph; however, stronger gusts up to 119 mph were observed at elevations above 8000 feet. Additionally, a local utility company reported 22 instances of wind related damages or hazards within the zone. Damage costs are estimated.

Strong Wind, Motherlode/Camptonville to Groveland

When: October 25, 10:00 AM PST to October 27, 4:00 PM PST
Where: Motherlode/Camptonville to Groveland forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $90,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Mesonet stations across and near zone 67 reported peak wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph. Additionally, a utility company reported 15 instances of wind related damages or hazards in the zone. Damages are estimated.

What these are

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.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings in California, October 2020

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 925907, 925910, 925911, 926097, 926098.