California, 2024

High Wind and Strong Wind in California, March 14 to 15, 2024

March 14 to 15, 2024 · NWS HNX · 10 events in 8 counties and zones

An upper low pressure system dropped slowly southward over Nevada and into southeast California on March 14. This low produced strong northeast winds over the Sierra Nevada and the Kern County Desert areas.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$11,000
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.

What happened

The episode as NWS HNX wrote it up.

An upper low pressure system dropped slowly southward over Nevada and into southeast California on March 14. This low produced strong northeast winds over the Sierra Nevada and the Kern County Desert areas. Several stations measured winds gusts exceeding 45 mph with some stations picking up gusts in excess of 60 mph. The winds decreased in intensity by the evening of March 14 and dissipated by the afternoon of March 15.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Strong Wind, Yosemite Np Outside of the Valley

When
March 14, 4:00 AM PST to March 15, 4:00 AM PST
Where
Yosemite Np Outside of the Valley forecast zone
Measured
48 kt (55 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Park/Forest Service
Coordinates
37.609, -119.874 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Yosemite National Park rangers indicated that about a dozen trees were blown over at Badger Pass between the morning of March 14 and the morning of March 15.

High Wind, Upper San Joaquin River

When
March 14, 4:52 AM PST
Where
Upper San Joaquin River forecast zone
Measured
58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
36.988, -119.706 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Mount Tom RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 67 mph.

High Wind, Mojave Desert Slope(S)

When
March 14, 7:32 AM PST
Where
Mojave Desert Slope(S) forecast zone
Measured
57 kt (66 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 66 mph.

High Wind, Kern River Valley

When
March 14, 8:00 AM PST
Where
Kern River Valley forecast zone
Measured
54 kt (62 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.782, -118.765 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Public report of an 18 inch diameter tree being toppled an nearly hitting a house in Onyx. A nearby utility company weather station reported a wind gust of 62 mph near the time the tree fell.

High Wind, Kern River Valley

When
March 14, 8:20 AM PST
Where
Kern River Valley forecast zone
Measured
54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
35.782, -118.765 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Southern California Edison station at Onyx Canebrake measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph.

High Wind, Indian Wells Valley

When
March 14, 8:26 AM 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 73 mph.

High Wind, San Joaquin River Canyon

When
March 14, 8:59 AM PST
Where
San Joaquin River Canyon forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
36.988, -119.706 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Minarets RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.

High Wind, South End of the Upper Sierra

When
March 14, 9:10 AM PST
Where
South End of the Upper Sierra forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 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 60 mph.

High Wind, Mariposa - Madera Lower Sierra

When
March 14, 9:34 AM PST
Where
Mariposa - Madera Lower Sierra forecast zone
Measured
84 kt (97 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
37.400, -119.834 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A private weather station in Cascadel Heights indicated an estimated wind gust of 97 mph.

High Wind, Mojave Desert Slope(S)

When
March 14, 11:26 AM PST
Where
Mojave Desert Slope(S) forecast zone
Measured
57 kt (66 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 66 mph.

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

More

Every storm in California in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in California, March 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1157352, 1156361, 1156362, 1156222, 1156366, 1156360, 1156364, 1156365, 1156367, 1156363.