Thunderstorm Wind — Riverside, California

2019-07-23 · near (trm)thermal Arpt, Riverside, California

Event narrative

Estimated 8 million in damage reported from thunderstorms microburst. Up to 20 utility poles downed, snapped or damaged in Imperial Irrigation District. Thunderstorms collapsed on desert floor. Strong winds also brought down a large tree onto a vehicle, trapping a man inside.

Wider weather episode

An upper level high set up over the Four Corners region, allowing moisture to move into Southern California. Showers set up over the coast and valleys on July 22nd, and inland thunderstorms developed in the afternoon. On July 23rd, a severe thunderstorm set up over the Coachella Valley and brought 70 mph winds to Mecca. This resulted in over 8 million dollars in damages to power lines throughout the city. On July 24th, storms prompted flash flood warnings over the Riverside and San Diego County mountains. On July 25th, strong thunderstorms over Julian and Borrego Springs brought gusty winds, small hail and heavy rain.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.5582, -116.1834)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 848213. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.