Winter Storm, Santa Barbara County Central Coast
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Barbara County Central Coast forecast zone
Winter Storm in California, December 21 to 22, 1996
Rainfall totals up to two inches were measured along the coast while mountain areas below 6000 feet receivedup to 5 inches of rain. Mudslides closed Interstate 14 near Santa Clarita.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 13
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.
A major winter storm system produced significant rainfall and blizzard like conditions across Southern California.Rainfall totals up to two inches were measured along the coast while mountain areas below 6000 feet receivedup to 5 inches of rain. Mudslides closed Interstate 14 near Santa Clarita. At elevations above 6000 feet, strongwinds 40 to 50 MPH combined with snow to produce blizzard-like conditions. Snow accumulations up to six inches were reported at higher elevations.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
13 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Santa Ynez Valley
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Ynez Valley forecast zone
Winter Storm, Cuyama Valley
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Cuyama Valley forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 34.538, -120.031 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Santa Barbara County South Coast
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Barbara County South Coast forecast zone
Winter Storm, Ventura County Coast
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Ventura County Coast forecast zone
Winter Storm, Los Angeles County Coasts Including Downtown Los Angeles
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Los Angeles County Coasts Including Downtown Los Angeles forecast zone
Winter Storm, Ventura County Interior Valleys
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Ventura County Interior Valleys forecast zone
Winter Storm, Ventura County Coastal Valleys
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Ventura County Coastal Valleys forecast zone
Winter Storm, Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area forecast zone
Winter Storm, Los Angeles County Valleys
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Los Angeles County Valleys forecast zone
Winter Storm, Santa Barbara County Mountains
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Barbara County Mountains forecast zone
Winter Storm, Ventura County Mountains
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Ventura County Mountains forecast zone
Winter Storm, Los Angeles County Mountains Excluding the Santa Monica Range
- When
- December 21, 7:00 PM PST to December 22, 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Los Angeles County Mountains Excluding the Santa Monica Range forecast zone
What these are
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- High Wind in California, December 21, 1996
- Winter Storm in California, December 21 to 23, 1996
- Cold in Minnesota, December 21 to 27, 1996
- Cold in North Dakota, December 21 to 27, 1996
- Avalanche in California, December 21, 1996
- High Wind in Colorado, December 21 to 22, 1996
- High Wind in Colorado, December 21, 1996
- Heavy Snow in South Dakota, December 21 to 22, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Montana, December 21, 1996
- High Wind in Alaska, December 21, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Montana, December 21 to 31, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Nevada, December 21 to 22, 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5581638, 5581639, 5581640, 5581641, 5581642, 5581643, 5581644, 5581645, 5581646, 5581647, 5581781, 5581782, 5581783.