High Surf, X W San Luis Obispo
- When
- December 1, 2:45 AM PST to December 3, 3:15 PM PST
- Where
- X W San Luis Obispo forecast zone
- Reported by
- OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
High Surf in California, December 1 to 3, 1998
Large northwest swell, generated by storms in the Northern Pacific, produced heavy surf along the Central and Southern California coasts. Widespread surf of 7 to 10 feet with local sets to 12 feet was reported.
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.
Large northwest swell, generated by storms in the Northern Pacific, produced heavy surf along the Central and Southern California coasts. Widespread surf of 7 to 10 feet with local sets to 12 feet was reported. The heavy surf combined with high astronomical tides to produce some minor street flooding near Oxnard Beach.
Event by event
5 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
High Surf, W Santa Barbara
- When
- December 1, 2:45 AM PST to December 3, 3:15 PM PST
- Where
- W Santa Barbara forecast zone
- Reported by
- OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
High Surf, X S Santa Barbara
- When
- December 1, 2:45 AM PST to December 3, 3:15 PM PST
- Where
- X S Santa Barbara forecast zone
- Reported by
- OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
High Surf, X S Ventura
- When
- December 1, 2:45 AM PST to December 3, 3:15 PM PST
- Where
- X S Ventura forecast zone
- Reported by
- OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
High Surf, X Se Los Angeles
- When
- December 1, 2:45 AM PST to December 3, 3:15 PM PST
- Where
- X Se Los Angeles forecast zone
- Reported by
- OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
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
- Drought in Texas, December 1 to 31, 1998
- Drought in Texas, December 1 to 31, 1998
- Drought in New Mexico, December 1 to 31, 1998
- Flash Flooding and Heavy Snow in Washington, December 1 to 29, 1998
- Heavy Rain in California, December 1, 1998
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, December 1, 1998
- Drought in Virginia, December 1 to 31, 1998
- Heat in Kentucky, December 1 to 7, 1998
- Drought in New Mexico, December 1 to 31, 1998
- Heat in New Jersey, December 1 to 7, 1998
- Heat in Wisconsin, December 1 to 6, 1998
- Heat in Illinois, December 1 to 8, 1998
More
Every storm in California in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 1998
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: 5677368, 5677369, 5677370, 5677371, 5677372.