A strong cold front that caused gale force winds over the coastal waters brought strong winds across much of coastal Orange County, San Diego County, and portions of the Riverside and San Bernardino County mountains and deserts. The winds were most widespread right along the San Diego coast where wind gusts exceeded 40 mph in many locations.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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 episode as NWS SGX wrote it up.
A strong cold front that caused gale force winds over the coastal waters brought strong winds across much of coastal Orange County, San Diego County, and portions of the Riverside and San Bernardino County mountains and deserts. The winds were most widespread right along the San Diego coast where wind gusts exceeded 40 mph in many locations. A few gusts even exceeded 50 mph, including 54 mph at La Jolla, 52 mph at Torrey Pines, and 51 mph at Point Loma. While wind gusts were generally less than 40 mph in most other areas, a few locations did manage gusts in excess of 40 mph, including 49 mph at Camp Pendleton Target Range and Huntington Beach, 47 mph at Borrego Springs, 45 mph at Ranchita and Victorville, and 41 mph at Bell Canyon. There was only one location that officially observed gusts meeting High Wind critera, and that was Burn's Canyon with a wind gust of 69 mph early that morning. Most of the damage reports came from San Diego County where numerous downed trees and power lines were sighted. Several vehicles across the county were damaged by falling trees.
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 San Diego, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 27, 3:30 AM PST, 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA 330 AM PST WED DEC 27 2006 .SYNOPSIS...A STORM WILL MOVE THROUGH TODAY BRINGING LOCAL STRONG GUSTY WINDS...ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS...DESERTS AND COASTAL WATERS. SHOWERS WILL BE LIKELY TODAY OVER AND WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE IN THE DESERTS. STRONG OFFSHORE FLOW WILL DEVELOP THURSDAY WITH LOCAL STRONG GUSTY WINDS THROUGH AND BELOW MOUNTAIN CANYONS AND PASSES. WEAKER OFFSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH WARMER DAYS. COOLER EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE... SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES... .SHORT TERM (TODAY-FRIDAY)... KSOX RADAR DATA REMAINS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO HARDWARE PROBLEMS...PROBABLY THROUGH 12/28/2006. THERE WAS HIGH CLOUDINESS EARLY THIS MORNING WITH JUST A FEW LOW CLOUDS STARTING TO SHOW UP NEAR THE COAST. EARLY MORNING ACARS SOUNDINGS INDICATED STRONG WSW WINDS ALOFT. INCREASING ONSHORE GRADIENTS WITH ABOUT 6 MB SAN-TPH. A COLD FRONT WILL RAPIDLY MOVE THROUGH SW CA TODAY MAKING RAIN LIKELY W OF THE MOUNTAINS WITH THE SNOW LEVEL 5000-5500 FT. RAINFALL TOTALS SHOULD GENERALLY BE LESS THAN A QUARTER INCH EXCEPT LOCAL AMOUNTS NEAR HALF AN INCH ON W FACING MOUNTAIN SLOPES. THERE COULD BE BRIEF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN WITH THE FRONT. ONLY A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH...IF ANY...RAIN IS EXPECTED IN THE DESERTS. THERE COULD BE LOCAL SNOW AMOUNTS OF 1-2 INCHES...HOWEVER MOST OF THE MOISTURE WILL REMAIN BELOW THE SNOW LEVEL. DECREASING CLOUDINESS TONIGHT WITH A FEW SHOWERS COULD LINGER...MAINLY IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY. THERE COULD BE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS AS THE COLDER AIR MOVES IN ALOFT TODAY. THE WINDS ALOFT AND STRONGER GRADIENTS WILL CAUSE STRONG GUSTY W TO NW WINDS TO DEVELOP TODAY. THE STRONGEST WINDS SHOULD BE IN THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS WITH SOMEWHAT WEAKER WINDS IN THE RIVERSIDE AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS. THE CURRENT WIND WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES LOOK OK. THE WINDS WILL BRIEFLY DECREASE TONIGHT AND THEN STRONG OFFSHORE FLOW WILL DEVELOP BEHIND THE TROUGH THU. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LOCALLY STRONG...MAINLY THROUGH AND BELOW MOUNTAIN CANYONS AND PASSES. THE STRONGEST WINDS SHOULD BE BELOW THE CAJON PASS AND IN THE SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS THU MORNING. THE WINDS WILL SLOWLY DECREASE THROUGH FRI. ONLY A LITTLE WARMING IS EXPECTED W OF THE MOUNTAINS THU DUE TO COLD AIR ADVECTION THEN MORE WARMING FRI. .LONG TERM (SATURDAY-TUESDAY)...HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT AND WEAK OFFSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND FOR FAIR WEATHER AND WARMER DAYS. A WEAK TROUGH WILL BRING MORE CLOUDS AND COOLING MON FOLLOWED BY RIDGING AND WEAK OFFSHORE FLOW AGAIN TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION... A STRONG PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA THIS MORNING. THE LEADING EDGE IS EXPECTED TO REACH KSNA AROUND 14Z AND KSAN AROUND 16Z. THREE HOURS OR LESS OF LIGHT TO LOCALLY MODERATE RAIN IS EXPECTED WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS WITH CEILINGS OF 2000 TO 3000 FEET AND LOCAL VISIBILITIES OF 3 TO 5 STATUTE MILES. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE THIS MORNING...MAINLY OVER NORTHERN SECTIONS (SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY). SCATTERED SHOWERS MAY CONTINUE THROUGH MID AFTERNOON WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS ENDING BY EARLY EVENING. WINDS WILL INCREASE WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE AND CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING WITH WEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 KNOTS AT LOWER ELEVATIONS WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS...25 TO 35 KNOTS IN THE MOUNTAINS...AND 20 TO 30 KNOTS IN THE DESERTS. WINDS WILL GUST TO 65 KNOTS IN THE MOUNTAINS...50 KNOTS IN THE UPPER DESERTS...AND 40 KNOTS IN THE LOWER DESERTS. THE STRONG ONSHORE WINDS WILL GENERATE AREAS OF MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 10000 FEET IN THE DESERTS AND ON THE DESERT SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS. WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHERLY TONIGHT WITH STRONG NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 KNOTS DEVELOPING THROUGH AND BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH GUSTS TO 45 KNOTS. THIS WILL GENERATE MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 10000 FEET...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF THE SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS. THE STRONG NORTHERLY OFFSHORE WINDS WILL CONTINUE THURSDAY MORNING...DECREASING THURSDAY AFTERNOON. && .MARINE... A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL WILL MOVE INTO THE COASTAL WATERS TODAY... PEAK TONIGHT...AND GRADUALLY DECREASE THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT WITH PEAK HEIGHTS IN THE OUTER COASTAL WATERS AROUND 13 FEET. COMBINED WITH STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS BEHIND A STRONG PACIFIC COLD FRONT...THIS WILL CREATE VERY HAZARDOUS BOATING CONDITIONS BY MID MORNING TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. && .SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING FOR APPLE AND LUCERNE VALLEYS AND SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS TODAY. WIND ADVISORY FOR RIVERSIDE AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS TODAY. HIGH WIND WATCH FOR SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS...INLAND EMPIRE AND SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS THURSDAY. GALE WARNING TODAY IN THE OUTER WATERS AND SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR THE INNER COASTAL WATERS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY IN THE COASTAL WATERS. HIGH SURF ADVISORY THROUGH THURSDAY. && PUBLIC...DVA AVIATION/MARINE...MARTIN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA 845 PM PST TUE DEC 26 2006 CAZ042-043-CAZ048-050-055>058-060>062-PZZ750-775-271400- ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE-SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS-RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-COACHELLA VALLEY-SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS- COASTAL WATERS FROM SAN MATEO POINT TO THE MEXICAN BORDER AND OUT 30 NM- WATERS FROM SAN MATEO POINT TO THE MEXICAN BORDER EXTENDING 30 TO 60 NM OUT INCLUDING SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND- 845 PM PST TUE DEC 26 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY FOR WEDNESDAY...A FAST MOVING PACIFIC SYSTEM WILL BRING INCREASING SWELL AND WINDS TO THE COASTAL WATERS...INCREASING SURF WITH A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS TO THE BEACHES...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR WEDNESDAY FOR THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND APPLE AND LUCERNE VALLEYS. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR WEDNESDAY FOR THE MOUNTAINS IN RIVERSIDE AND SAN DIEGO COUNTIES AND FOR THE COACHELLA VALLEY AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS...SEE LAXNPWSGX FOR DETAILS. A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR THE COASTAL WATERS...SEE LAXMWSSGX FOR DETAILS. FOR THURSDAY...STRONG GUSTY SANTA ANA WINDS THROUGH AND BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS WILL OCCUR. HIGH SURF AND A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE BEACHES WILL CONTINUE. A HIGH WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY FOR THE INLAND EMPIRE...SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND THE SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS...SEE LAXNPWSGX FOR DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. MAXWELL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA 300 AM PST WED DEC 27 2006 CAZ042-043-048-050-055>058-060>062-280000- ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS- SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE- SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS- RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS- SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-APPLE AND LUCERNE VALLEYS- COACHELLA VALLEY-SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS- 300 AM PST WED DEC 27 2006 ...WEATHER SYSTEM TO IMPACT SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA TODAY... ...LOCAL STRONG GUSTY OFFSHORE WINDS THURSDAY... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA TODAY. THIS WILL LIKELY BRING RAIN TO THE AREA AND SOME SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS. HOWEVER...THE BIGGEST IMPACT WILL BE THE STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS. WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TODAY IN THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS. WIND GUSTS BY MID MORNING COULD EXCEED 60 MPH...MAINLY ON THE DESERT SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS. WIND GUSTS ELSEWHERE IN SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA...INCLUDING THE COASTAL SECTIONS...ARE LIKELY TO BE AROUND 35 MPH. BLOWING DUST AND SAND ARE POSSIBLE IN THE DESERTS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL AVERAGE AROUND ONE QUARTER INCH ALONG THE COAST AND IN THE VALLEYS. LOCAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AROUND ONE HALF INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE FOOTHILLS AND WEST FACING MOUNTAINS. THERE COULD BE BRIEF MODERATE RAIN WITH THE FRONT LATER THIS MORNING. THE DESERTS WILL RECEIVE LITTLE OR NO RAINFALL. LOCAL SNOWFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE ABOVE 5000 FEET IN THE MOUNTAINS. THERE COULD ALSO BE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. BEHIND THE SYSTEM...OFFSHORE FLOW WILL DEVELOP AND PRODUCE VERY STRONG NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS THROUGH AND BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS IN MOUNTAIN AND VALLEY AREAS THURSDAY. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT GUSTS WILL EXCEED 75 MPH IN THE WIND PRONE AREAS. THE WINDS WILL MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY FOR MOTORISTS WITH HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. LOCAL VISIBILITY MAY BE REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO IN BLOWING DUST AND SAND. WATCH FOR BROKEN TREE LIMBS AND DOWNED POWER LINES. DVA
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 strong wind, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Huntington Beach Lifeguards measured a 49 mph wind gust.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2006
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: 6674, 6666, 6671, 6672, 6637, 6665, 6677, 6675.