The 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. A line of thunderstorms with embedded rotation moved through Orange County late in the morning, bringing waterspouts, at least one tornado, and hurricane force winds. Strong thunderstorm winds also impacted San Diego County, contributing to structural damage and one fatality. Large, steep surf was also observed with this storm in both Orange and San Diego counties.

Thunderstorm Wind in ORANGE, CALIFORNIA
From 19-JAN-10 13:00:00 to 19-JAN-10 13:10:00 (PST-8)
Location: COSTA MESA
Magnitude: 81.00 MG
Property damage: 350.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

As a line of thunderstorms moved through Orange County, a peak wind gust of 93 MPH was measured by the weather station at the Newport Beach Pier. Several wind gusts in excess of 70 MPH were also reported. Several boats in the Newport Beach Harbor broke free. In Costa Mesa, just inland from Newport Beach, a building in an industrial park on 17th Ave sustained moderate damage. Approximately two-thirds of the top layer of the roof blew off. Pieces of the roof, some as large as 15 feet long, trees, and other debris littered the parking lot. Across the street at a mobile home park, metal awnings were ripped off by the wind and pieces of wood were seen flying through the air. A few blocks away near the intersection of Harbor Blvd and Victoria Street, the strong winds blew open the door to a business and shattered a window.

Thunderstorm Wind in ORANGE, CALIFORNIA
From 19-JAN-10 13:58:00 to 19-JAN-10 14:05:00 (PST-8)
Location: SAN CLEMENTE
Magnitude: 52.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The mesonet at the San Clemente Pier measured a peak wind gust of 60 MPH around 1400 PST.

High Wind in SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS, CALIFORNIA
From 19-JAN-10 10:51:00 to 19-JAN-10 12:51:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 63.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: RAWS

High winds occurred between 1051 and 1251 PST. Between 1051 and 1151 PST, a peak wind gust of 73 MPH was measured by the Burns Canyon RAWS.

Thunderstorm Wind in ORANGE, CALIFORNIA
From 19-JAN-10 13:35:00 to 19-JAN-10 13:50:00 (PST-8)
Location: LAGUNA BEACH
Magnitude: 70.00 EG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High winds associated with a line of thunderstorms moved through south Orange County between 1330 and 1400 PST on the 19th. A spotter reported wind damage at his mother's condominium complex in Laguna Niguel, near Oso Parkway and Highway 73. A twelve foot tall tennis court enclosure with 4 inch aluminum posts was bent outwards at a 25 degree angle, two mature trees with a trunk diameter of greater than 12 inches were snapped off just above the ground level, and numerous 4 inch diameter tree branches from a pine tree broke off. The spotter was not at the location at the time, but observed the damage two months after it happened. The mother and another neighbor felt a suction and the windows of their condos shook violently. It is possible that a tornado briefly touched down in the complex, though no other reports of a tornado could be found.

Heavy Rain in SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA
From 19-JAN-10 14:30:00 to 19-JAN-10 16:00:00 (PST-8)
Location: FONTANA
Property damage: 75.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Heavy rain caused minor flooding in areas with poor drainage in Fontana and Redlands. In Fontana, a home was filled with several inches of water after sandbags surrounding the home failed. In Redlands, a clogged drain caused an apartment parking lot to flood, damaging several cars.

Strong Wind in SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS, CALIFORNIA
From 19-JAN-10 14:00:00 to 19-JAN-10 15:00:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 39.00 EG
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Strong winds associated with the passage of a cold front damaged the awnings of several mobile homes at the Calaveras Mobile Park in Oceanside.

High Wind in SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS, CALIFORNIA
From 19-JAN-10 14:25:00 to 19-JAN-10 15:25:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 53.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High winds were measured by the Julian mesonet between 1425 and 1325 PST. Wind gusts to 61 MPH were measured during that time. Patio furniture in Julian was picked up by the wind and ended up in a neighbors tree.

Strong Wind in SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS, CALIFORNIA
From 19-JAN-10 14:15:00 to 19-JAN-10 15:30:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 39.00 EG
Property damage: 110.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Gusty winds associated with the passage of the cold front combined with rain soaked soils caused a tree to collapse in Scripps Ranch. The tree crashed through a roof and into a bedroom of a house, causing major damage. No one was injured. A large tree branch fell in Ramona, damaging part of a chain link fence.

Tornado in ORANGE, CALIFORNIA
From 19-JAN-10 12:55:00 to 19-JAN-10 13:59:00 (PST-8)
Location: SEAL BEACH
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 500.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

A tornado formed off the coast of Sunset Beach in Orange County and moved Northeast. The tornado crossed Pacific Coast Highway just south of Anderson Street at 1257 PST and continued to move Northeast. A parked Ford Explorer was flipped on its side, and two 35 foot catamarans in the Huntington Harbour were lifted out of the water. One was lifted 50 feet in the air before landing on another vessel and a dock piling. The second was flipped over and landed 30 feet from its original position. There were multiple reports of roof damage, and a window in a residential building was blown in. A wind gust of 92 MPH was measured by a mesonet at the Huntington Beach Pier.

Thunderstorm Wind in SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
From 19-JAN-10 14:50:00 to 19-JAN-10 15:05:00 (PST-8)
Location: (SEE)SAN DIEGO GILLE
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A narrow band of thunderstorms moved through San Diego county around 1500 PST. In Santee, winds tore off the roofs of three mobile homes, with some parts of the roof flying as much as 75 feet away. In Flinn Springs, a 10 foot diameter tree fell onto a mobile home, killing a woman. The San Miguel RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 59 MPH during this time.