Thunderstorm Wind in California
Every thunderstorm wind event the National Weather Service has filed in California, year by year, with the most significant episodes. 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.
The most significant on the map
The most significant thunderstorm wind episodes in California.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 1,337
- Deaths
- 23
- Injuries
- 51
- Damage
- $136 million
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Damaging Wind and High Wind in California, June 19 to 21, 2025A strong upper level low pressure impacted the area from June 19th through the 21st which brought significant winds for late June. This was combined with very low humidity which lead to several days of fire weather concerns.
- Excessive Heat and Wildfire in California, August 14 to 31, 2020A prolonged and oppressive heat wave swept the Central Coast and Bay Area for almost a week from August 14th to August 19th with widespread record breaking temperatures observed across the region.
- Flash Flooding and Debris Flow in California, January 18 to 24, 2017After a wet start to the month, a series of 3 storms traversed the region between the 19th and 24th of January. The storms produced flooding rains, extreme mountain snowfall, and strong winds from the coast to the deserts.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in California, January 22, 2024Historic flooding occurred on January 22nd. Heavy rainfall occurred between 8 am and noon across western San Diego county. The heaviest rainfall occurred between 9 am and 11 am in the east side of the city of San Diego in Encanto and Lemon Grove to Spring Valley.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in California, March 1, 1983
- Flash Flooding and Debris Flow in California, February 17 to 19, 2017A strong trough and associated Pacific cold front swept into Southern California from the west, bringing strong winds, heavy snow and rain. The storm was noteworthy for the strong prefrontal southerly winds that produced significant tree damage over the coast and valleys.
- Damaging Wind in California, March 22, 2007A closed low over northern Baja created conditions favorable for the formation of high based convection across southern California. Thunderstorms initiated over the deserts in the afternoon and then quickly moved westward over the mountains and towards the coast.
- Tornado and Winter Storm in California, January 7 to 12, 2023A major winter storm brought strong winds with moderate to heavy rain bringing renewed flooding of already elevated waterways. There was flooding of roadways, urban areas, rivers, streams and creeks, with rockslides and mudslides also reported.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in California, June 3, 2009Unstable air ahead of an upper-level low centered just off the coast of Northern California triggered bands of elevated convection which stretched from San Diego to the San Bernardino County deserts.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in California, August 31, 2021A similar pattern existed on the 31st compared to the previous day with an upper level low in the eastern Pacific near the west coast of the Baja Peninsula promoting diffluent flow across southeast California.
- Flooding and Damaging Wind in California, February 3 to 6, 2025An intense atmospheric river impacted the Bay Area from February 3rd to the 4th, bringing heavy rain and strong wind to the region, especially across the North Bay. The Russian River near Guerneville flooded due to the heavy rain.
- Tornadoes and Debris Flows in California, January 5 to 7, 2019A vigorous cold front swept through California on January 5th bringing widespread rainfall and gusty winds.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in California, September 1 to 3, 2001Part of the remnants of Hurricane Flossie, moved across Southwest California over a three day period.On 09/01/01, thunderstorms formed over the mountains and deserts of San Diego and Riverside Counties.
- Winter Storm and Flooding in California, February 11 to 14, 2001A winter storm that took two days to cross Southwest California created near blizzard conditions in the mountains, forcing the closure of all roads. In San Bernardino County, the Wrightwood received between 27 and 60 inches of snow.
- Flooding and Hail in California, January 20 to 21, 2010The third in a series of significant storms brought strong winds and heavy rain to the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas. This storm, the strongest of the week, developed over the Pacific Ocean with a strong parent low pressure based in the Gulf of Alaska.
- Storm Surge and Flash Flooding in California, September 9 to 12, 2022Tropical Cyclone Kay formed on September 4th, 2022 and made its closest approach to Southern California on the 9th and 10th, with the center of Kay coming within 120 miles of San Diego.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in California, January 18 to 22, 2010A series of powerful winter storms affected Central and Southern California between the 18th and 22nd of January. As this series of storms moved across the area, they brought heavy rain, flash flooding, gusty winds, heavy snow and even severe weather to the area.
- Flash Flood and Heavy Snow in California, January 31, 2016A strong trough moved inland along the California Coast on the 31st. The trough was accompanied by a surface low that rapidly deepened in the Southern California Bight and an exceptionally strong Pacific Cold Front.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in California, January 19, 2010The second in a series of powerful winter storms wreaked havoc on Southern California on January 19th. A strong southerly 925 mb jet ahead of the cold front contributed to moderate low-level wind shear.
- Heavy Snow and Hail in California, March 28 to 29, 1998A deep, upper-level low pressure trough produced unusually cold, late season winter storm conditions throughout southwest California. Strong winds developed behind the surface cold front on the twenty- eighth, and continued in the mountains into the twenty-ninth.
- Flash Flood and Winter Storm in California, March 1 to 2, 2023After one powerful storm struck Southern California in late February, a second storm arrived at the end of February and into early March.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in California, November 9, 1982
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in California, July 17 to 21, 2021A big push of monsoon moisture led to five days of scattered thunderstorms over the Mojave Desert and the Sierra. Many storms produced flash flooding and/or high winds.
- Tornado and Damaging Wind in California, August 6, 2015Monsoon moisture and some instability from an easterly wave resulted in scattered thunderstorms over the mountains and lower deserts. Most notable of these was a severe thunderstorm that occurred near Mecca in the southern Coachella Valley during the evening.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in California, September 7 to 9, 2015Subtropical moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Linda brought widespread showers to most of the area, deserts included. The first isolated thunderstorm developed on the 6th in San Diego County as a moisture surge in monsoon warm upper level flow arrived.
More
Thunderstorm Wind everywhereEvery kind of event in California
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.