California, 2023Dust Storm and High Wind in California, February 14, 2023
February 14, 2023 · NWS HNX · 12 events in 5 counties and zones
A cold upper trough dropped southward from the Pacific Northwest into the Great Basin on February 14. This system was moisture deficient with precipitation amounts in the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi mountains generally a tenth of an inch or less of liquid precipitation.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 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
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $100,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 12
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.
A cold upper trough dropped southward from the Pacific Northwest into the Great Basin on February 14. This system was moisture deficient with precipitation amounts in the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi mountains generally a tenth of an inch or less of liquid precipitation. However, strong pressure gradients accompanying the cold front which pushed through the area during the day produced period of increased winds across the area. Several stations in the Kern County Mountains and Deserts measured wind gusts exceeding 60 mph. Several highways were proactively closed across the Kern County Mountains and Deserts due to the strong winds. Increased winds also impacted the San Joaquin Valley where several stations measured gusts between 35 and 45 mph. Although impacts from blowing dust were minimal due to the abundant rainfall in December in January, an area of blowing dust west of Chowchilla did result in a 12 vehicle accident which resulted in the closure of SR 152 west of SR 99 for much of the day. The winds decreased during the evening as the trough moved to east of the region.
High Wind, Mojave Desert Slope(S)
- When
- February 14, 7:00 AM PST
- Where
- Mojave Desert Slope(S) forecast zone
- Measured
- 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Utility Company
- Coordinates
- 35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Southern California Edison station at Cache Creek measured a peak wind gust of 67 mph.
High Wind, South End of the Upper Sierra
- When
- February 14, 7:10 AM PST
- Where
- South End of the Upper Sierra forecast zone
- Measured
- 67 kt (77 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- RAWS
- Coordinates
- 35.782, -118.765 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Bear Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 77 mph.
High Wind, Tehachapi
- When
- February 14, 7:14 AM PST
- Where
- Tehachapi forecast zone
- Measured
- 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- RAWS
- Coordinates
- 35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Jawbone Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 72 mph.
High Wind, Mojave Desert Slope(S)
- When
- February 14, 7:32 AM PST
- Where
- Mojave Desert Slope(S) forecast zone
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- RAWS
- Coordinates
- 35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Blue Max RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 64 mph.
High Wind, Mojave Desert Slope(S)
- When
- February 14, 7:40 AM PST
- Where
- Mojave Desert Slope(S) forecast zone
- Measured
- 74 kt (85 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Utility Company
- Coordinates
- 35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Southern California Edison station at Cottonwood Creek West measured a peak wind gust of 85 mph.
High Wind, Mojave Desert Slope(S)
- When
- February 14, 10:26 AM PST
- Where
- Mojave Desert Slope(S) forecast zone
- Measured
- 71 kt (82 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- RAWS
- Coordinates
- 35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 82 mph.
Dust Storm, Merced-Madera-Mendota
- When
- February 14, 11:13 AM PST
- Where
- Merced-Madera-Mendota forecast zone
- Property damage
- $100,000
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 37.056, -120.043 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
California Highway Patrol reported a 12 car accident in blowing dust just east of the intersection of SR 152 and Road 16 south of Chowchilla which resulted in SR 152 being closed in both directions between Road 16 and SR 99.
High Wind, Mojave Desert Slope(S)
- When
- February 14, 11:20 AM PST
- Where
- Mojave Desert Slope(S) forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Utility Company
- Coordinates
- 35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Southern California Edison station at Little Oak Canyon measured a peak wind gust of 70 mph.
High Wind, Mojave Desert Slope(S)
- When
- February 14, 11:20 AM PST
- Where
- Mojave Desert Slope(S) forecast zone
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Utility Company
- Coordinates
- 35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Southern California Edison station at Cottonwood Canyon measured a peak wind gust of 64 mph.
High Wind, South End of the Upper Sierra
- When
- February 14, 11:27 AM PST
- Where
- South End of the Upper Sierra forecast zone
- Measured
- 68 kt (78 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- RAWS
- Coordinates
- 35.782, -118.765 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Bird Springs Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 78 mph.
High Wind, Mojave Desert Slope(S)
- When
- February 14, 1:40 PM PST
- Where
- Mojave Desert Slope(S) forecast zone
- Measured
- 67 kt (77 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- AWOS
- Coordinates
- 35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Mojave Airport AWOS measured a peak wind gust of 77 mph.
High Wind, Indian Wells Valley
- When
- February 14, 2:26 PM PST
- Where
- Indian Wells Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- RAWS
- Coordinates
- 35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Laural Mountain RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 72 mph.
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
- Dust Storm
- Blowing dust that reduced visibility to a quarter mile or less.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- High Wind in New Mexico, February 14, 2023$150,000 · 68 kt wind · 2 events
- High Wind in Texas, February 14, 2023$50,000 · 63 kt wind · 23 events
- Drought in Oklahoma, February 14 to 28, 202329 events
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in New Mexico, February 14 to 16, 202351 kt wind · 25 events
- High Wind and Winter Weather in South Dakota, February 14 to 15, 202355 kt wind · 24 events
- High Wind in Texas, February 14, 202367 kt wind · 21 events
- Blizzard and High Wind in North Dakota, February 14 to 15, 202357 kt wind · 17 events
- Winter Weather in California, February 14, 202316 events
- Dust Storm and Heavy Snow in Arizona, February 14 to 15, 202355 kt wind · 16 events
- High Wind in Kansas, February 14, 202370 kt wind · 14 events
- Frost and Freeze and Winter Weather in California, February 14 to 16, 202314 events
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Colorado, February 14 to 15, 202313 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1069573, 1069579, 1069580, 1069577, 1069571, 1069576, 1069585, 1069572, 1069574, 1069578, 1069582, 1069581.