An upper level wave digging into the Great Basin caused another round of strong west winds across the mountains and deserts of Southern California on May 28th and 29th.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 SGX wrote it up.
An upper level wave digging into the Great Basin caused another round of strong west winds across the mountains and deserts of Southern California on May 28th and 29th.
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 May 28, 1:36 AM PST, 3 hours 24 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Diego CA
236 AM PDT Sat May 28 2022
.SYNOPSIS...
Stronger onshore flow and a deeper marine layer will keep the
weather cooler this weekend. Gusty west winds will prevail over
the mountains and deserts through late Sunday night. The strongest
winds will occur over mountain ridges, desert slopes, and below
passes. After a cool holiday weekend, a weak ridge will bring
warmer weather into the middle of next week. Cooler weather
returns later in the week as troughing redevelops along the West
Coast.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
Widespread low clouds continue to form west of the mountains this
morning, with scattered high clouds moving southeast across the
region. Some patchy drizzle could occur this morning, with the
best chances near the coast. Some inland areas will clear by late
morning, but for the coast and western valleys it will be full-
fledged May Gray today. High temperatures will be a solid 5-10
degrees below normal for most areas, except the low deserts which
will be around 2-4 degrees below normal.
A weak short wave trough moving across the area this morning will
be followed by a second wave on Sunday. The main impact from this
system is gusty west winds in the mountains and deserts. Winds
increase this afternoon and continue through much of the night.
After a brief reprieve Sunday morning, winds strengthen further
Sunday afternoon and evening before diminishing late Sunday night.
The strongest winds will occur across the mountain ridges, desert
slopes, and below the San Gorgonio Pass. Patchy blowing dust may
reduce visibility at times in the deserts. Wind Advisories remain
in effect for the mountains and deserts through Sunday
night/Monday morning.
This pattern will also maintain cool weather with well below
normal high temperatures and a deep marine layer through the
holiday weekend. Patchy drizzle could develop again tonight into
Sunday morning.
Broad troughing remains across the western states into Tuesday
with yet another low dropping out of the Pac NW into the Great
Basin. Weak offshore flow develops each morning Monday and Tuesday
to help clear out some of the marine stratus inland and bring
warming west of the mountains. Offshore flow is not expected to
reach the coast, leading to a continuation of night and morning
low clouds and cool weather. More significant warming occurs on
Wednesday as a weak ridge moves overhead. Deserts continue to warm
Thursday as the ridge moves east, while remaining areas begin to
cool. Widespread cooling takes place Friday and Saturday as
another trough begins to move across the West Coast. Overall
ensemble members are in very good agreement through the end of the
week leading to high forecast confidence.
&&
.AVIATION...
280930Z...Coasts/Valleys...OVC015-025 will stick in parts of the
western valleys and may impact KONT 13Z-17Z this morning. Clearing
in the inland areas 17-19Z Saturday, with clearing back to the coast
in the afternoon. Confidence is moderate to high on cigs not
clearing VCTY KSAN/KCRQ today. Low clouds pushing back inland
into much of the coastal basin after 02Z Sun.
Mountains/Deserts...SCT250 through today and unrestricted vis. Gusty
west/southwest winds 20-35 kts through the day today at times across
the mountains and passes and into the deserts, increasing after 00Z
to widespread 30-45 kts. Gusty winds and MOD-STG UDDFS will continue
across these areas through Sunday night.
&&
.MARINE...
Gusty west to northwest winds over the outer waters each afternoon
Saturday through Monday, strongest on Saturday and Sunday afternoons
with gusts around 25 kts near near San Clemente Island in the outer
coastal waters. A Small Craft Advisory will be in effect over the
outer waters from this evening through Sunday evening for steep 7-10
ft waves creating hazardous boating conditions for small vessels.
&&
.BEACHES...
Average surf heights this weekend will range from 2-4 ft. Late
Sunday and into Monday, a large west swell from 280 degrees with an
8 to 10 second period will generate above average surf of 5-8 ft.
Large waves and strong rip currents will create hazardous swimming
conditions on Memorial Day. Swell and surf will gradually lower
Tuesday night into Wednesday. A Beach Hazards Statement will be in
effect Sunday afternoon through Tuesday evening for above average
sure and a strong rip current potential.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
A deepening marine layer and onshore flow will keep RH elevated over
the coastal basin and into the mountains this weekend, with high
temperatures 6-12 degrees below average. Gradual warming will begin
on Monday and continue through Wednesday.
Gusty west winds over the mountains and deserts peak this
afternoon through Sunday evening, when west winds of 25 to 35
MPH and peak gusts 50-60 MPH are expected. The wind will be
strongest during afternoons and evenings along the desert slopes
and below the major passes. Minimum RH will be around 15-25% each
day with moderate recovery tonight. Windy and dry conditions will
create elevated fire weather conditions for several hours each
afternoon and evening, mainly over the deserts, through Sunday.
Winds weaken significantly on Monday.
&&
.SKYWARN...
Skywarn activation is not requested. However weather spotters are
encouraged to report significant weather conditions.
&&
.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...Wind Advisory until 3 AM PDT Monday for Riverside County
Mountains-San Diego County Deserts-San Diego County
Mountains-San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning.
Wind Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 11 PM PDT Sunday for
Apple and Lucerne Valleys-San Bernardino County Mountains.
Beach Hazards Statement from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday
evening for Orange County Coastal Areas-San Diego County
Coastal Areas.
PZ...Small Craft Advisory from 6 PM this evening to midnight PDT
Sunday night for Waters from San Mateo point to the Mexican
Border Extending 30 to 60 nm out including San Clemente
Island.
&&
PUBLIC/FIRE WEATHER...SS
AVIATION/MARINE/BEACHES...APRThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong west winds impacted the San Gorgonio Pass on May 28th and 29th. Several gusts of 55 to 65 mph occurred, along with localized higher gusts. The Whitewater RAWS site recorded a peak wind gust of 77 mph.
Strong west winds impacted the Riverside County Mountains on May 28th and 29th. Several gusts of 50 to 60 mph occurred, along with localized higher gusts. The Toro Peak HPWREN site recorded a peak wind gust of 65 mph.
Strong west winds impacted the San Diego County Deserts on May 28th and 29th. Several gusts of 40 to 50 mph occurred, along with localized higher gusts. The Borrego Valley Airport recorded a peak wind gust of 61 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in California, May 2022
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: 1019569, 1019571, 1019572.