Between October 20th and 24th, strong surface high pressure developed over the Great Basin and produced a strong and long-lasting Santa Ana wind event across Southern California. This particular Santa Ana wind event was the strongest and most widespread in recent memory with peak wind gusts over 100 mph reported at Laguna Peak and Whitaker Peak.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 LOX wrote it up.
Between October 20th and 24th, strong surface high pressure developed over the Great Basin and produced a strong and long-lasting Santa Ana wind event across Southern California. This particular Santa Ana wind event was the strongest and most widespread in recent memory with peak wind gusts over 100 mph reported at Laguna Peak and Whitaker Peak. The offshore winds produced very warm and dry conditions across Southern California which led to 9 different wildfires across Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Four of the wildfires exceeded 700 acres with one fire burning nearly 60,000 acres.
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 Oct 20, 12:30 PM PST, 2 hours earlier.
SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 130 PM PDT SAT OCT 20 2007 .SHORT TERM (TODAY-TUE)...NO MAJOR CHANGES TO EARLIER THINKING. GOOD NORTHWEST WIND EVENT GOING ON NOW AND EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING. THEN, AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER UTAH AND NEVADA TONIGHT AND SUN WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST, FAVORING THE EASTERN PORTION OF VENTURA AND WESTERN PORTION OF LA COUNTIES. THROUGH THAT CORRIDOR WINDS COULD GUST AS HIGH AS 60-80 MPH AND WARNINGS CERTAINLY LOOK VALID. THE USUAL CAVEATS EXIST WITH THESE WARNINGS AS PROBABLY 70 PERCENT OR MORE OF ZONE 41 WILL BE WELL BELOW WARNING LEVELS, AND MOST OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY AS WELL, HOWEVER OTHER AREAS IN THOSE ZONES WILL BE EXPERIENCING POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WINDS. THE ONLY CHANGE MADE TO THE HIGH WIND WARNING WAS TO EXTEND IT ANOTHER 24 HOURS INTO TUESDAY AS IT APPEARS THAT THE STRONG OFFSHORE GRADIENT WILL CONTINUE. THE PEAK OF THE EVENT WILL BE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY, HOWEVER I THINK WE WILL STILL HAVE AT LEAST ADVISORY LEVEL WINDS AND QUITE POSSIBLY WARNING LEVEL INTO TUESDAY MORNING. PRETTY SAFE TO SAY THAT TEMPS AT LOWER ELEVATIONS WILL BE APPROACHING RECORD LEVELS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK. HOWEVER, THE RECORDS ARE AROUND 100 AND THAT MIGHT BE TOUGH TO BEAT, AT LEAST SUN AND MON. TUES IS PROBABLY THE BEST CHANCE AT BREAKING RECORDS AS NOT ONLY WILL THE TEMPS BE WARMER BUT THE RECORDS ARE A FEW DEGREES LOWER IN GENERAL. AS IS TYPICAL WITH A STRONG SANTA ANA EVENT WITH GOOD THERMAL PACKING, THE COASTAL AREAS WILL BE THE WARMEST FOR THE FIRST DAY OR TWO BEFORE INLAND AREAS START TAKING OVER. .LONG TERM (WED-SAT)...LINGERING OFFSHORE FLOW AND A STRONG RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL MAINTAIN WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS AT LEAST THROUGH THU. HOWEVER BY THAT TIME WINDS SHOULD GENERALLY BE BELOW ADVISORY LEVELS, AND BY THU AFTERNOON STRONG ONSHORE TRENDS IN THE PRESSURE GRADIENTS WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT COOLING TO THE COAST AND COASTAL VALLEYS. BEYOND THU THE MODELS ARE IN TOO MUCH DISAGREEMENT TO REALLY SPEAK WITH ANY CONFIDENCE. THE GFS HAS BEEN SHOWING YET ANOTHER CUTOFF LOW DROPPING SOUTH ALONG THE COAST FRI INTO SAT. HOWEVER THE ECMWF IS WAY OFFSHORE WITH THIS LOW AND ACTUALLY MAINTAINS A FAIRLY WARM AIR MASS OVER SO CAL. THE ENSEMBLES ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE AS WELL SO FOR NOW HAVE INDICATED A COOLING TREND BUT NOTHING MORE. && .AVIATION...AT 1730Z...OR 1030 PDT...VIRTUALLY CERTAIN CLEAR SKIES OVER KLAX AND KBUR WILL PERSIST. STRONG SANTA ANA WINDS WILL DEVELOP WHILE HIGH PRES BUILDS OVER THE GREAT BASIN OVERNIGHT. MORE LIKELY THAN NOT STRONG WIND SHEAR WILL EXIST OVER AND LEE VICINITY OF THE TRANSVERSE RANGE BEGINNING THIS EVENING AND PERSISTING THROUGH SUN MORNING. N OR NE WINDS WILL DEVELOP AND LIKELY REMAIN LESS THAN 10KT WHILE NE FLOW AROUND 30KT MAY DEVELOP AT 1KFT OVER KLAX AROUND SUNRISE SUN. && .LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING (SEE LAXNPWLOX). RED FLAG WARNING (SEE LAXRFWLOX). WIND ADVISORY (SEE LAXNPWLOX). GALE WARNING (SEE LAXCWFLOX). SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY (SEE LAXCWFLOX). HIGH SURF ADVISORY (SEE LAXCFWLOX). HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK (SEE LAXSRFLOX). MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT (SEE LAXMWSLOX). && PUBLIC...WOFFORD AVIATION...FORWOOD WWW.WEATHER.GOV/LOSANGELES
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 207 PM PDT SAT OCT 20 2007 CAZ034>041-044>047-051>054-059-087-088-211300- SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY CENTRAL COAST- SANTA BARBARA COUNTY CENTRAL COAST-SANTA YNEZ VALLEY- SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY INTERIOR VALLEYS-CUYAMA VALLEY- SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SOUTH COAST-VENTURA COUNTY COAST- LOS ANGELES COUNTY COAST INCLUDING DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES- VENTURA COUNTY INTERIOR VALLEYS-VENTURA COUNTY COASTAL VALLEYS- SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS RECREATIONAL AREA- LOS ANGELES COUNTY VALLEYS-SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY MOUNTAINS- SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MOUNTAINS-VENTURA COUNTY MOUNTAINS- LOS ANGELES COUNTY MOUNTAINS EXCLUDING THE SANTA MONICA RANGE- ANTELOPE VALLEY-CATALINA ISLAND-SANTA CLARITA VALLEY- 207 PM PDT SAT OCT 20 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE... TODAY STRONG NORTHWEST TO NORTH WINDS WILL AFFECT THE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND SOUTH COAST AS WELL AS THE LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTY MOUNTAINS TODAY. THE ANTELOPE VALLEY WILL BE AFFECTED WITH DANGEROUS WESTERLY WINDS THAT CAN CAUSE BLOWING SAND AND DUST BRINGING VISIBILITY DOWN TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. OUTER WATERS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE NORTHWEST GALE FORCE WINDS TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. WESTERN SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL COULD EXPERIENCE SOME LOCAL GALE FORCE WINDS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS WELL. THERE WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS TO AFFECT THE INNER COASTAL WATERS LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE FOCUSED BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS FROM RINCON POINT IN VENTURA COUNTY TO SAN MATEO POINT IN SOUTHERN ORANGE COUNTY. THERE IS ALSO CONCERN THAT GUSTY OFFSHORE WINDS AND ASSOCIATED WIND WAVES OF 3 TO 5 FEET COULD IMPACT AVALON HARBOR DURING THIS EVENT EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. HIGH SURF OF 10 TO 13 FEET...WITH MAXIMUM SETS TO 15 FT...IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AT WEST AND NORTHWEST FACING BEACHES OF SAN LUIS OBISPO AND SANTA BARBARA COUNTIES LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THESE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT. * HIGH WIND WARNING..........SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * RED FLAG WARNING...........SEE WWUS86 KLOX - RFWLOX FOR DETAILS * * WIND ADVISORY..............SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * GALE WARNING...............SEE FZUS56 KLOX - CWFLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH SURF ADVISORY.........SEE WHUS46 KLOX - CFWLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK......SEE FZUS56 KLOX - SRFLOX FOR DETAILS * * MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT...SEE FZUS76 KLOX - MWSLOX FOR DETAILS * .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY STRONG SANTA ANA WINDS WILL CONTINUE SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY AS ALL OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES WILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO VERY STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 80 MPH POSSIBLE IN WINDIEST LOCATIONS ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND WIND PRONE VALLEY LOCATIONS. SOME WIND PRONE COASTAL AREAS COULD SEE GUSTS TO 60 MPH INCLUDING THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS AND BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS OF PACIFIC PALISADES TO MALIBU. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH MONDAY AFTERNOON. RED FLAG WARNINGS WILL BE VALID FROM SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY FOR ALL OF VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES EXCEPT FOR ANTELOPE VALLEY. FIRE WEATHER WATCHES ARE ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND INTERIOR VALLEYS OF SAN LUIS OBISPO AND SANTA BARBARA COUNTIES AS WELL. GALE WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE OUTER WATERS AND LOCALLY ACROSS THE WIND PRONE AREAS BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE WINDS WILL LIKELY BE STRONG ENOUGH TO AFFECT AVALON HARBOR AND NORTHEAST FACING BEACHES AND HARBORS OF THE CHANNEL ISLANDS. THERE IS ALSO CONCERN THAT GUSTY OFFSHORE WINDS AND ASSOCIATED WIND WAVES OF 3 TO 5 FEET COULD IMPACT AVALON HARBOR DURING THIS EVENT SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. HIGH SURF OF 10 TO 13 FEET...WITH MAXIMUM SETS TO 15 FT...IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. * HIGH WIND WARNING..........SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * RED FLAG WARNING...........SEE WWUS86 KLOX - RFWLOX FOR DETAILS * * FIRE WEATHER WATCH.........SEE WWUS86 KLOX - RFWLOX FOR DETAILS * * GALE WARNING...............SEE FZUS56 KLOX - CWFLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH SURF ADVISORY.........SEE WHUS46 KLOX - CFWLOX FOR DETAILS * * MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT...SEE FZUS76 KLOX - MWSLOX FOR DETAILS * .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. WOFFORD
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 high wind, 5 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The Whitaker Peak RAWS sensor along the Interstate 5 corridor across Ventura and Los Angeles county reported northwest winds gusting to 64 mph.
The Whitaker Peak RAWS sensor along the Interstate 5 corridor across Ventura and Los Angeles county reported northwest winds gusting to 64 mph.
The Montecito Hills RAWS sensor reported north winds gusting to 67 mph.
The Montecito Hills RAWS sensor reported north winds gusting to 67 mph.
The Poppy Park RAWS sensor in the Antelope Valley reported west winds gusting to 58 mph.
The Ranch Fire in the Santa Clarita Valley burned 58,396 acres. The fire destroyed 1 home. No injuries were reported.
The Canyon Fire in the hills of Malibu burned 4,565 acres. The fire destroyed 6 homes and one church while damaging 13 other homes. Only 3 firefighter injuries were reported.
The Wiley Ridge RAWS sensor reported northeast winds gusting to 58 mph.
The Sedgewick Fire in the Santa Barbara county mountains burned 710 acres. No damages or injuries were reported.
The Leo Carillo RAWS sensor reported northeast winds gusting to 60 mph.
The Newhall Pass RAWS sensor reported northeast winds gusting to 69 mph.
The Buckweed Fire in the Aqua Dulce area burned 38,356 acres. The fire destroyed 21 homes. Three civilians and one firefighter were injured.
The Malibu Hills RAWS sensor reported northeast winds gusting to 64 mph.
The Cheeseboro RAWS sensor reported northeast winds gusting to 61 mph.
The Magic Fire in the Stevenson Ranch area burned 2,824 acres. No damages or injuries were reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in California, October 2007
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: 60681, 60682, 60689, 60690, 60680, 60699, 60696, 60684, 60703, 60683, 60687, 60700, 60686, 60685, 60702.