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

The wind recording was made Sunday morning by an instrument at 9,186 feet on Kirkwood Mountain south of Lake Tahoe. If accurate, it would have broken the record of 199 mph at Ward Mountain west of Lake Tahoe in 2017.

209 MPH ‘Doesn’t Seem Realistic’

But forecasters now suspect the sensor wasn’t working properly, said Cory Mueller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.
“It doesn’t seem realistic after looking at the wind sensor,” Mueller told the Los Angeles Times. “It was reporting high winds when we were seeing lighter winds and higher humidity than we were actually experiencing. We believe the sensor wasn’t working correctly.”
The storm that caused widespread flooding last week in Washington and Oregon brought a strong cold front to California.

Peak winds from the last 36 hours for the northeast wind event. Winds continue gusting to 75 mph over the Sierra Crest this morning will continue into tonight at similar speeds. Lighter winds in the valleys today with gusts to 30 mph for most locations. pic.twitter.com/lKbQu7MjhE

— NWS Reno (@NWSReno) February 10, 2020

Waves Topped 5 Feet High on Lake Tahoe

Waves topping 5 feet were recorded on Lake Tahoe, making it look like an ocean on Sunday.
Powerful winds downed trees and knocked out power to tens of thousands in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The same system dumped hail in parts of greater Los Angeles and snow in mountain areas north and east of the city.

Powerful Winds Buffet California Monday

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.