1 wildfire, as filed by the National Weather Service.
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.
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.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Los Angeles, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 1, 8:25 AM PST, 4 hours 10 minutes earlier.
SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 925 AM PDT SUN SEP 1 2002 SYNOPTIC SITUATION...THE REGION IS BRACKETED BY TWO UPPER LEVEL HIGHS THIS MORNING. ONE IS LOCATED OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC ABOUT 1000 NM WEST OF SAN FRANCISCO. THE SECOND IS LOCATED NEAR THE AZ-NM BORDER. THIS SECOND RIDGE EXTENDS WEST THROUGH NORTHERN BAJA. MOISTURE FROM DISSIPATED TROPICAL DEPRESSION GENEVIEVE...ABOUT 850NM SW OF SAN DIEGO...IS BEING DRAWN UP AND OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BY THE CIRCULATION AROUND THIS RIDGE. WE HAD SOME DENSE FOG THIS MORNING OVER THE CENTRAL COAST. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE RAPIDLY THIS MORNING IN RESPONSE TO CLEARING SKIES AND A HOT SUN. S OF PT CONCEPTION THE MARINE LAYER HAS BEEN DISRUPTED BY CLOUDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOISTURE FROM GENEVIEVE. THIS MOISTURE ALSO PRODUCED SOME EARLY MORNING THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF VENTURA AND LA COUNTIES. IN THE COASTAL PLAIN...SOME LIGHT SPRINKLES WERE REPORTED WITH THIS ACTIVITY. SHOWERS HAVE DIED OUT FOR THE MOMENT...BUT CANNOT BE RULED OUT FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. THEREFORE...WE ARE STILL LOOKING A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE VENTURA AND LA MOUNTAINS THROUGH THE DAY. MODELS SAY THE HIGH CLOUDS SHOULD THIN OUT TODAY...AND SATELLITE DATA SUGGESTS THIS IS ALREADY HAPPENING. CLOUD COVER OVERNIGHT KEPT THIS MORNING LOWS IN VENTURA AND LA COUNTIES 5 TO 20 DEGREES ABOVE WHERE THEY WERE YESTERDAY. WHILE THE CLOUDS THAT REMAIN WILL CUT BACK SOMEWHAT ON OUR SUNSHINE...THE WARMER TEMPS AT THIS HOUR ALONG WITH THINNING CLOUD COVER SHOULD PUT MANY INLAND AND MOUNTAIN AREAS INTO THE 90S OR TRIPLE DIGITS. AS FOR RECORD HIGH TEMPS...MAY BE DIFFICULT SINCE HIGH TEMPS ARE NOT UNUSUAL FOR SEPTEMBER--THE WARMEST MONTH IN MANY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOCATIONS. RECORD HIGHS FOR THIS DATE AT LA DOWNTOWN ARE 108 AND 110 FOR LONG BEACH. THOSE SHOULD BE SAFE...ESPECIALLY SINCE COASTAL WATERS HAVE BEEN SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER THAN NORMAL. BUT IT WILL BE HOT TODAY...AND A DEGREE OR SO HOTTER ON LABOR DAY. WHILE THE TEMPS WILL BE HOT...THE HEAT INDEX SHOULD REMAIN IN THE 90S AT THE HIGHEST DUE TO LOW HUMIDITIES. WITH THIS HEAT INDEX...PROLONG EXPOSURE TO THE SUN AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY COULD RESULT IN SUNSTROKE...HEAT CRAMPS OR HEAT EXHAUSTION. SO TAKE IT EASY...STAY IN THE SHADE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER TO REMAIN HYDRATED. LABOR DAY SHOULD BE SUNNIER AS THE UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE FROM GENEVIEVE DIMINISHES AND TEMPS WILL BE WARMER/HOTTER. EXTENDED...AVN AND ECMWF MODEL AGREEMENT LOOKS GOOD INTO THURSDAY BEFORE DIVERGING. BOTH MODELS CALL FOR A MAJOR TROUGH TO MOVE INTO THE PACNW WED...EXTENDING DOWN THE COAST BY FRIDAY. IN THE TROPICS...WE COULD BE LOOKING AT ANOTHER TROPICAL STORM...HERNAN...PASSING WELL TO THE SOUTHWEST OF THE AREA. HOWEVER...WITH THE TROUGH MOVING DOWN THE COAST...UPPER LEVEL FLOW IS EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN FROM THE SW OVER THE REGION...PERHAPS TAPPING INTO THE UPPER MOISTURE FROM HERNAN. MODELS ARE SUGGESTING THAT THIS WILL OCCUR BRINGING HIGH CLOUDS AND A CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION TO THE REGION AS EARLY AS WEDNESDAY. WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS MORE AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. LAX 000. DANIELSON .LOX...HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK (LAXSPSLOX).
CAZ034>041-044>047-051>054-059-088-021700- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK -CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 1030 AM PDT SUN SEP 1 2002 ...CORRECTED FOR DATE ONLY... ...HEAT WAVE TO CONTINUE FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH LABOR DAY... HOT TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TODAY AND LABOR DAY...WITH THE WARMEST AREAS BEING THE INLAND VALLEYS AND THE MOUNTAINS. HIGHS TODAY WILL RANGE FROM THE 90S ON THE COASTAL PLAINS...TO THE TRIPLE DIGITS IN THE INLAND VALLEYS...DESERTS...AND SOME MOUNTAIN LOCATIONS. BEACH LOCATIONS SHOULD SEE SOME RELIEF BECAUSE OF COLDER THAN NORMAL COASTAL WATERS. BUT EVEN ALONG THE BEACHES HIGHS SHOULD STILL BE IN THE UPPER 70S AND 80S. ANOTHER ROUND OF SUBSTANTIAL HEAT IS IN STORE FOR LABOR DAY...WITH DAYTIME HIGHS EXPECTED TO BE VERY CLOSE TO TODAY...AND PERHAPS A FEW DEGREES WARMER AT SOME LOCATIONS. WHILE IT WILL BE VERY WARM TO HOT AT MANY LOCATIONS...RECORDS MAY BE DIFFICULT TO BREAK. SEPTEMBER IS THE WARMEST MONTH AT SOME SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOCATIONS AND RECORDS FOR CIVIC CENTER ARE 108 AND 110 FOR THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF THE MONTH. IN ADDITION...MAINLY DUE TO LOW HUMIDITIES...IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS WILL BE REQUIRED. HEAT INDICES SHOULD REMAIN BELOW 100 DEGREES EVEN WHERE THE TEMPERATURES DO NOT. HOWEVER... PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO THE SUN OR EXCESSIVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY COULD BRING THE DANGER OF HEAT STROKE...HEAT CRAMPS AND HEAT EXHAUSTION. REMEMBER...IN HOT WEATHER IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMAIN HYDRATED...SO DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. ALSO...REFRAIN FROM ANY STRENUOUS OUTDOOR ACTIVITY DURING THE HOTTEST PERIOD OF THE DAY. AND NEVER LEAVE CHILDREN OR PETS IN AUTOMOBILES...EVEN WITH WINDOWS PARTIALLY OPEN... AS TEMPERATURES CAN QUICKLY RISE TO LIFE-THREATENING LEVELS. DANIELSON
CAZ034>041-044>047-051>054-059-088-021700- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 1030 AM PDT SAT AUG 31 2002 ...HEAT WAVE TO CONTINUE FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH LABOR DAY... HOT TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TODAY AND LABOR DAY...WITH THE WARMEST AREAS BEING THE INLAND VALLEYS AND THE MOUNTAINS. HIGHS TODAY WILL RANGE FROM THE 90S ON THE COASTAL PLAINS...TO THE TRIPLE DIGITS IN THE INLAND VALLEYS...DESERTS...AND SOME MOUNTAIN LOCATIONS. BEACH LOCATIONS SHOULD SEE SOME RELIEF BECAUSE OF COLDER THAN NORMAL COASTAL WATERS. BUT EVEN ALONG THE BEACHES HIGHS SHOULD STILL BE IN THE UPPER 70S AND 80S. ANOTHER ROUND OF SUBSTANTIAL HEAT IS IN STORE FOR LABOR DAY...WITH DAYTIME HIGHS EXPECTED TO BE VERY CLOSE TO TODAY...AND PERHAPS A FEW DEGREES WARMER AT SOME LOCATIONS. WHILE IT WILL BE VERY WARM TO HOT AT MANY LOCATIONS...RECORDS MAY BE DIFFICULT TO BREAK. SEPTEMBER IS THE WARMEST MONTH AT SOME SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOCATIONS AND RECORDS FOR CIVIC CENTER ARE 108 AND 110 FOR THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF THE MONTH. IN ADDITION...MAINLY DUE TO LOW HUMIDITIES...IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS WILL BE REQUIRED. HEAT INDICES SHOULD REMAIN BELOW 100 DEGREES EVEN WHERE THE TEMPERATURES DO NOT. HOWEVER... PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO THE SUN OR EXCESSIVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY COULD BRING THE DANGER OF HEAT STROKE...HEAT CRAMPS AND HEAT EXHAUSTION. REMEMBER...IN HOT WEATHER IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMAIN HYDRATED...SO DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. ALSO...REFRAIN FROM ANY STRENUOUS OUTDOOR ACTIVITY DURING THE HOTTEST PERIOD OF THE DAY. AND NEVER LEAVE CHILDREN OR PETS IN AUTOMOBILES...EVEN WITH WINDOWS PARTIALLY OPEN... AS TEMPERATURES CAN QUICKLY RISE TO LIFE-THREATENING LEVELS. DANIELSON
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The Curve Fire burned 20,857 acres of land in the Angeles National Forest. The Curve Fire, which was caused by candles from a ritual sacrifice, destroyed 73 structures and injured at least 14 people.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in California, September 2002
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: 5316896.