California meteorologists say 209 mph gust likely a mistake

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — A gust of 209 mph recorded atop a California peak over the weekend was likely not a new state wind record but a mistake resulting from a faulty sensor.

The wind recording was made Sunday by an instrument on Kirkwood Mountain south of Lake Tahoe. However, ABC10's Monica Woods reported on Sunday night that the National Weather Service tweeted that they are possibly seeing some recorded errors at the site.

If accurate, it would have broken the previous wind record of 199 mph at Ward Mountain west of Tahoe in 2017.  But forecasters now suspect the sensor wasn’t working properly. Powerful winds lingered Monday across Southern California. 

Gusts brought down trees near Los Angeles and knocked over a big rig on Interstate 15 in Fontana. Wind gusts peaked between 30-50 mph in the Valley on Sunday, with gusts greater than 100 mph reported in parts of the Sierra.

RELATED CONTENT: 

• Wind advisories coming to an end, strong gusts stick around through Tuesday
• Possible record high wind speed in California needs more investigation
• 'I’ve never seen wind like this' | Powerful winds blast through Fairfield

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