Strong Wind — Orange County Coastal Areas, California

2014-04-30 · Orange County Coastal Areas, California

Event narrative

Strong winds damaged a roof at Thomas Payne elementary school in Garden Grove. The City of Anaheim reported three downed power lines, one light tower down, and multiple trees down. The Yorba and Irvine regional parks were closed due to high winds. The Yorba school district experienced power outages at four school sites ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours. The roof of the Beverly Manor Reservoir was blown off causing damage to the reservoir, employee vehicles, and minor damage at OCFA station 48. A tree was blown down damaging the vehicle gate at John Wayne Airport. Four downed trees were reported in La Habra, damaging two vehicles. In the city of Orange, 11 power lines were downed, 5 intersections closed, 27 trees down and power outage to 388 customers. Orange Lutheran High School was also closed for the day.

Wider weather episode

Strong 1036 mb surface high pressure built over the Great Basin resulting in two main periods of gusty northeast to east winds over the coastal slopes and inland valleys during the early mornings to early afternoons. Strong winds downed several trees across the mountain foothill and eastern valley areas, as well as power lines just north of Descanso in San Diego County. Significant impacts occurred at US Border Patrol check points on I-8 where large signs were blown over, trees downed and a semi overturned. Widespread gusts over 60 mph (25 locations in San Diego County) were reported with gusts up to around 100 mph in the favored spots like Sill Hill (just west of Cuyamaca Lake) and Buckman Springs in San Diego County and Fremont Canyon in Orange County. This was the strongest and most widespread wind event in several years.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 509781. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.