High Wind, Santa Barbara County Central Coast
- When
- December 17, 3:00 AM PST to December 18, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Barbara County Central Coast forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
High Wind in California, December 17 to 18, 1996
Strong Santa Ana winds once again ravaged Southern California. Sustained northeast winds 40 to 50 MPH withgusts up to 70 MPH were reported.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 12
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS LOX wrote it up.
Strong Santa Ana winds once again ravaged Southern California. Sustained northeast winds 40 to 50 MPH withgusts up to 70 MPH were reported. Thousands were left without power as the winds snapped power lines. Inaddition, blowing debris and downed trees caused widespread damage.
Event by event
12 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High Wind, Santa Ynez Valley
- When
- December 17, 3:00 AM PST to December 18, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Ynez Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
High Wind, Santa Barbara County South Coast
- When
- December 17, 3:00 AM PST to December 18, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Barbara County South Coast forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
High Wind, Ventura County Coast
- When
- December 17, 3:00 AM PST to December 18, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Ventura County Coast forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
High Wind, Los Angeles County Coasts Including Downtown Los Angeles
- When
- December 17, 3:00 AM PST to December 18, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Los Angeles County Coasts Including Downtown Los Angeles forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
High Wind, Ventura County Interior Valleys
- When
- December 17, 3:00 AM PST to December 18, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Ventura County Interior Valleys forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
High Wind, Ventura County Coastal Valleys
- When
- December 17, 3:00 AM PST to December 18, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Ventura County Coastal Valleys forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
High Wind, Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area
- When
- December 17, 3:00 AM PST to December 18, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
High Wind, Los Angeles County Valleys
- When
- December 17, 3:00 AM PST to December 18, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Los Angeles County Valleys forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
High Wind, Santa Barbara County Mountains
- When
- December 17, 3:00 AM PST to December 18, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Barbara County Mountains forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
High Wind, Ventura County Mountains
- When
- December 17, 3:00 AM PST to December 18, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Ventura County Mountains forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
High Wind, Los Angeles County Mountains Excluding the Santa Monica Range
- When
- December 17, 3:00 AM PST to December 18, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Los Angeles County Mountains Excluding the Santa Monica Range forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph)
What these are
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Dense Fog in Colorado, December 17 to 18, 1996
- Blizzard in North Dakota, December 17 to 18, 1996
- Cold in Colorado, December 17 to 18, 1996
- Blizzard in Minnesota, December 17 to 18, 1996
- High Wind in North Carolina, December 17, 1996
- Winter Weather in Texas, December 17, 1996
- High Wind in Colorado, December 17, 1996
- Freezing Fog in Louisiana, December 17, 1996
- Blizzard in Minnesota, December 17 to 19, 1996
- Winter Weather in Oklahoma, December 17, 1996
- High Wind in California, December 17 to 18, 1996
- Cold in Colorado, December 17 to 18, 1996
More
Every storm in California in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 1996
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5581626, 5581627, 5581628, 5581629, 5581630, 5581631, 5581632, 5581633, 5581634, 5581635, 5581636, 5581637.