High Wind — San Diego County Valleys, California

2017-02-17 · San Diego County Valleys, California

Event narrative

Numerous trees were downed across the western valleys of San Diego County. Peak wind gusts generally ranged between 35 and 50 mph, though a peak gust of 58 mph was reported at Otay Mountain between 1414 and 1514PST.

Wider weather episode

A 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. In the mountains the ski resorts received 1-2 ft of snow, while elevations as low as 5,000 ft saw a few inches of accumulation. Rainfall ranged from 2-6 inches along the coastal slopes to 1-2 inches at the coast. At the beaches surf heights reached 8 to 12 ft. Damages, primarily from wind, reached into the millions of dollars.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 681052. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.