Wildfire and Damaging Winds in California, July 21 to 26, 2024

Name: Wildfire and Damaging Winds in California, July 21 to 26, 2024
Start: 2024-07-21T00:00
End: 2024-07-26T00:00
Location: California

July 21 to 26, 2024 · NWS SGX · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Several wildfires erupted in July, mainly late in the month. Hawarden fire in City of Riverside did the most damage.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $10 million
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 SGX wrote it up.

Several wildfires erupted in July, mainly late in the month. Hawarden fire in City of Riverside did the most damage. The excessive heat caused rapid drying of the vegetation and fuels.

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 Jul 20, 8:30 PM PST, 3 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 8:30 PM PST, 3 hours 30 minutes before

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The radar

The Santa Ana Mts radar (KSOX), 152 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:00 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind, 2 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys - the Inland Empire

When: July 21, 12:00 AM PST to July 25, 12:00 AM PST
Where: San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys - the Inland Empire forecast zone
Property damage: $10 million
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 34.293, -116.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hawarden wildfire started 130 pm on July 21, 2024. It burned and damaged up to 18 homes in City of Riverside. Fireworks were suspected to start the fire. Estimated 10 million in damages.

Thunderstorm Wind, San Diego

When: July 24, 12:00 PM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where: San Diego County, 2.73 mi SW of Warner Spgs to 1.56 mi SW of Ranchita
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Utility Company
Coordinates: 33.255, -116.666

East Warners SDGE site had a gust to 50 mph at at 1220 pm PDT on July 24.

Wildfire, San Diego County Mountains

When: July 24, 1:00 PM PST to July 26, 12:00 AM PST
Where: San Diego County Mountains forecast zone
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Grove wildfire started around 1 pm PDT on July 25, 2024. About 900 acres was burned. Lightning occurred in the area and was suspected to cause the wildfire. State route 79 was closed by Highway Patrol.

Thunderstorm Wind, San Diego

When: July 24, 2:00 PM PST to 4:00 PM PST
Where: San Diego County, 1.19 mi WNW of (Czz)campo to 2.24 mi SSW of Clover Flat
Measured: 44 kt (51 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Utility Company
Coordinates: 32.608, -116.488

Shockey Truck Trail SGDE measured wind gust 51 mph. Temperature dropped from 102F to 76F following thunderstorm outflow.

Thunderstorm Wind, San Diego

When: July 24, 3:00 PM PST to 5:00 PM PST
Where: San Diego County, 1.88 mi NNW of Buckman Spgs to 0.97 mi S of Buckman Spgs
Measured: 46 kt (53 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 32.794, -116.495

Pine Valley Horse mesonet reported gusts 53 mph from thunderstorms along Interstate 8.

What these are

Wildfire: A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2024 Every state in 2024 This day in weather history Warnings in California, July 2024

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: 1206979, 1206982, 1206980, 1206984, 1206983.