High Surf in California, November 24 to 25, 1998

Name: High Surf in California, November 24 to 25, 1998
Start: 1998-11-24T16:50
End: 1998-11-25T21:00
Location: California

November 24 to 25, 1998 · NWS LOX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Large northwest swells, generated by a series of Northern Pacific storms, produced heavy surf along the west facing beaches of Southern California. Widespread surf of 6 to 8 feet with local sets to 10 feet was reported.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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.

Event by event

3 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, X Se Los Angeles

When: November 24, 4:50 PM PST to November 25, 9:00 PM PST
Where: X Se Los Angeles forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

High Surf, X S Santa Barbara

When: November 24, 4:50 PM PST to November 25, 9:00 PM PST
Where: X S Santa Barbara forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

High Surf, X S Ventura

When: November 24, 4:50 PM PST to November 25, 9:00 PM PST
Where: X S Ventura 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

Every storm in California in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in California, November 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5670307, 5670308, 5670309.