Case Study: Santa Barbara achieves an 18-minute advance warning for a rare downburst with AccuWeather For Business

AccuWeather Issues the Only Pinpoint Warning to Union Pacific for Rare California Downburst

Santa Barbara faced an extraordinarily rare downburst on September 3, 2017, when 79 mph gusts struck just west of Union Pacific’s Coast Line. Relying on routine government warnings would not have provided adequate notice, so AccuWeather For Business (AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions) stepped in with a pinpoint alert to warn stakeholders in the Santa Barbara area.

AccuWeather For Business’s meteorologists issued a downburst warning at 2:36 PM—18 minutes before the 2:54 PM gusts—while the National Weather Service’s special statement arrived one minute after the event. That 18-minute lead time from AccuWeather For Business gave Union Pacific and other local businesses crucial advance notice to mitigate property damage, bodily harm, and operational disruption.

Santa Barbara