SAN CLEMENTE, CA — Weather officials have determined that a strong burst of wind that hit San Clemente was caused by straight-line winds, not a tornado, after a survey of the area found no tornado damage. The National Weather Service sent a team from its San Diego office to inspect a possible tornado reported near the San Clemente Golf Course as a powerful October storm brought heavy rain across Southern California.
The agency said it received a report that a tree may have been damaged, but investigators were not certain when that damage happened. Even so, the fast-moving wind episode left a strong impression on people nearby, with residents and golfers describing a brief but intense blast that felt more like a twister than an ordinary gust.
Golfers describe a brief blast that cut through the course
Tim Brown, who was golfing in San Clemente around 6 p.m., said the winds moved through quickly and tore a narrow path through the course. He said the damage seemed to carve a strip about 30 feet wide, blowing down a tree and splitting a palm tree in half.
Another golfer, Mark, said he had never felt anything like it. He described a whipping sound that seemed tornado-like or similar to a waterspout, but said the intense wind lasted only about 15 to 25 seconds. Nearby residents also said the winds were strong enough to make them worry about windows breaking.
Stormy weather keeps moving across Southern California
The San Clemente wind event was part of a broader storm system that moved through Southern California and into Los Angeles County on Wednesday. Forecasters said the system brought periods of heavy rain and raised concerns about flooding along the Malibu coast and in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Officials said rainfall from the multiday storm was expected to average about 1.5 inches across much of Los Angeles County. In some places, especially where terrain could enhance rainfall or where thunderstorms produced concentrated downpours, totals could reach 2 to 3 inches.
Those conditions also raised the risk of runoff in areas with steep hillsides and recent wildfire burn scars, where mud and debris can move quickly during heavy rain. Forecasters warned that urban and poorly drained streets, as well as creeks and rivers, could also flood.
Weak tornado risk, hail and strong gusts remain possible in the San Gabriel Valley
As the storm system continued inland, the National Weather Service also warned that the San Gabriel Valley could see a weak tornado during a strong thunderstorm. The agency said wind gusts of 50 to 55 miles per hour were possible, along with half-inch hail.
Forecasters said gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and send unsecured objects flying. They also warned of minor hail damage to vegetation. The thunderstorm threat covered several communities, including San Dimas, Glendora, West Covina, Pomona, La Verne, Azusa and Walnut.
Tornadoes are rare in Southern California but not impossible
While tornadoes are uncommon in Southern California, they do happen. About a dozen mostly weak twisters are reported statewide each year, including some in Carson and Boyle Heights. That history helps explain why a brief wind event can quickly trigger concern when it looks and sounds like a tornado.
In San Clemente, the combination of a sharp wind burst, tree damage and a loud whipping sound led to the initial tornado concern. The National Weather Service’s inspection later ruled that out, concluding the damage was caused by straight-line winds instead.
Flood watch and beach hazards stayed in effect along the coast
Elsewhere in the region, a flood watch remained in effect Thursday for Malibu, Malibu Bowl, Pacific Palisades, Topanga and parts of the eastern and western Santa Monica Mountains. Forecasters said heavy rainfall could cause flooding in places that are prone to poor drainage or rapid runoff.
Along the coast, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms were expected to continue into Thursday evening. That raised the possibility of lightning, erratic wind gusts, rough seas and waterspouts.
A beach hazards statement also remained in place through late Thursday night for parts of the Los Angeles County coastline. Officials warned of elevated surf, dangerous rip currents, minor beach erosion and tidal overflow in low-lying areas.
