High Surf, X W San Luis Obispo
- When
- December 4, 1:00 AM PST to December 7, 2:00 AM PST
- Where
- X W San Luis Obispo forecast zone
High Surf in California, December 4 to 7, 1997
A strong Pacific storm generated heavy surf along the Central and Southern California coasts. Widespread 6 to 8 foot surf was reported with local sets up to 12 feet.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 5
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 strong Pacific storm generated heavy surf along the Central and Southern California coasts. Widespread 6 to 8 foot surf was reported with local sets up to 12 feet.
Event by event
5 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, W Santa Barbara
- When
- December 4, 1:00 AM PST to December 7, 2:00 AM PST
- Where
- W Santa Barbara forecast zone
High Surf, X S Santa Barbara
- When
- December 4, 1:00 AM PST to December 7, 2:00 AM PST
- Where
- X S Santa Barbara forecast zone
High Surf, X S Ventura
- When
- December 4, 1:00 AM PST to December 7, 2:00 AM PST
- Where
- X S Ventura forecast zone
High Surf, X Se Los Angeles
- When
- December 4, 1:00 AM PST to December 7, 2:00 AM PST
- Where
- X Se Los Angeles forecast zone
What these are
- High Surf
- Large waves breaking on the shore that caused damage, erosion or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- High Wind and Heavy Rain in California, December 4 to 5, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Florida, December 4, 1997
- Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, December 4 to 5, 1997
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, December 4 to 5, 1997
- Winter Weather in West Virginia, December 4 to 6, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Michigan, December 4 to 5, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Iowa, December 4, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, December 4 to 6, 1997
More
Every storm in California in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 1997
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: 5620853, 5620854, 5620855, 5620856, 5620857.