A strong northerly pressure gradients developed across the counties of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties producing strong and gusty northerly winds across the mountains. Across the Santa Ynez range in Santa Barbara county, wind gusts in excess of 60 MPH were reported which helped fuel the Jesusita Fire.
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.
A strong northerly pressure gradients developed across the counties of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties producing strong and gusty northerly winds across the mountains. Across the Santa Ynez range in Santa Barbara county, wind gusts in excess of 60 MPH were reported which helped fuel the Jesusita Fire. Through the Interstate 5 corridor in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, northerly wind gusts between 69 and 85 MPH were reported.
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 May 6, 7:49 PM PST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.
SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 849 PM PDT WED MAY 6 2009 .UPDATE...CURRENT SURFACE OBSERVATIONS AND GRADIENTS ARE INDICATING AN INCREASING TREND IN THE WINDS FOR THE I-5 CORRIDOR AND LOS ANGELES AND VENTURE COUNTY MOUNTAINS...WHILE WINDS ARE STARTING TO DIMINISH SOME OVER SOUTHERN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY THIS EVENING. CURRENT KSBA-KSMX AND KSBA-KBFL SURFACE GRADIENTS ARE SLACKENING AT THIS HOUR...BUT KLAX-KBFL GRADIENTS ARE STILL QUITE STRONG THIS EVENING AND WILL LIKELY TIGHTEN FURTHER TONIGHT. WITH NAM-WRF STILL INDICATING A STRONG EVENT IN PLACE FOR THE I-5 CORRIDOR LATER TONIGHT AND A POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS FOR THE SOUTHERN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY...HEADLINES AND HAZARDS WILL BE LEFT ALONE FOR NOW...BUT SOME OF THE WINDS HAVE PUSHED UP SOME OF THE SETS OF SURF AT LOCAL BEACHES. A COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED SHORTLY FOR HIGHER THAN NORMAL SURF. A POTENTIAL FOR STRONG WINDS AGAIN EXISTS AT LEAST THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING AS NAM-WRF INDICATES STRONG 850 MB THERMAL AND SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENTS CONTINUING INTO FRIDAY AFTERNOON. LATEST NAM- WRF SURFACE GRADIENTS INDICATE FURTHER TIGHTENING GRADIENTS ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON...BUT THE UPPER-LEVEL SUPPORT IS SLIGHTLY WEAKER ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HOWEVER...TIMING IS CRUCIAL FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE UPPER-LEVEL SUPPORT AS WINDS DO INCREASE ALOFT AFTER MIDNIGHT. THIS COULD ENHANCE THE NORMAL WIND PATTERNS. FOR THE CURRENT TIME...WINDS WILL VERY LIKELY BE AS STRONG AS TONIGHT...BUT THIS WILL HAVE TO MONITORED FOR FUTURE SHIFTS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 150 PM PDT WED MAY 6 2009/ SHORT TERM...WINDS SHOULD BE SLIGHTLY WEAKER FRI NT INTO SAT BUT STILL POSSIBLY ADVISORY LEVELS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS. IT WILL BE A WARM NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS IN MANY AREAS, WITH THE IMMEDIATE COAST THE ONLY LOWER ELEVATION LOCATIONS BELOW 80. WITH WEAK OFFSHORE FLOW IN PLACE THROUGH SATURDAY MOST VALLEY AREAS SHOULD EASILY GET TO 90 WITH A FEW OF THE WARMEST AREAS CLOSE TO 100. MODELS DO INDICATE AN EARLIER SEA BREEZE ON SAT SO COASTAL AREAS SHOULD SEE A FEW DEGREES OF COOLING THEN, BUT MOST OF THE INLAND COOLING SHOULD HOLD OFF UNTIL SUNDAY. LONG TERM...GFS SCALED BACK A TAD ON THE STRENGTH OF THE TROF FOR NEXT WEEK, RESULTING IN A LESS SUBSTANTIAL COOLING TREND. STILL LOOKS SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER BY TUESDAY WITH AN EXPECTED RETURN OF THE MARINE LYR, BUT IF THIS TREND IN THE GFS TOWARDS THE WARMER ECMWF CONTINUES THEN HIGHS IN THE EXTENDED PERIOD WILL PROBABLY NEED TO BE RAISED A FEW DEGREES. NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND AT LOW LVLS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD SO LOCALLY BREEZY CONDITIONS (VERY TYPICAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR) WILL LIKELY REMAIN THROUGH THE USUAL FAVORED AREAS LIKE THE CENTRAL COAST AND SRN SBA COUNTY. && .AVIATION...07/0023Z. VFR CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY PERSIST FOR MOST TERMINALS EXCEPT FOR KSMX...AND POSSIBLY KSBP AND KPRB. AT KSMX...LIFR TO IFR CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP AFTER 09Z TONIGHT...WITH A CHANCE OF SIMILAR CONDITIONS AFTER 10Z AT KSBP AND KPRB. AT TERMINALS NORTH OF POINT CONCEPTION...VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD REDEVELOP BETWEEN 15Z AND 16Z THURSDAY. AT KSBA...KBUR...KVNY...AND KLAX...MODERATE TO STRONG LOW-LEVEL WIND SHEAR AND TURBULENCE IS POSSIBLE THROUGH 08Z TONIGHT. KLAX AND KBUR...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD WITH MODERATE TO STRONG LOW-LEVEL WIND SHEAR AND TURBULENCE THROUGH 08Z TONIGHT. && .LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING (SEE LAXNPWLOX). RED FLAG WARNING (SEE LAXRFWLOX). WIND ADVISORY (SEE LAXNPWLOX). SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY (SEE LAXMWWLOX). GALE WARNING (SEE LAXMWWLOX). && HALL/WOFFORD WWW.WEATHER.GOV/LOSANGELES
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 908 PM PDT WED MAY 6 2009 CAZ034>041-044>046-051>054-059-087-088-547-548-071300- 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- 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- LOS ANGELES COUNTY SAN FERNANDO VALLEY- LOS ANGELES COUNTY SAN GABRIEL VALLEY- 908 PM PDT WED MAY 6 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE... TONIGHT STRONG NORTHWEST TO NORTH WINDS WILL CREATE MULTITUDE OF HAZARDS TODAY. DRIVERS OF HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES WILL NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS FOR SUDDEN WIND GUSTS IN THE MOUNTAINS...THE DESERTS...AND THE SANTA BARBARA SOUTH COAST. THE STRONG WINDS AND LOWERING RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ACROSS THE SANTA BARBARA SOUTH COAST AND MOUNTAINS WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY AS WELL. ACROSS THE OUTER WATERS GALE FORCE WINDS WILL CREATE HAZARDS FOR BOATERS. A HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK EXISTS OVER THE VENTURA COUNTY COAST DUE TO A MIXED SOUTH AND NORTHWEST SWELL. * 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 WHUS76 KLOX - MWWLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK......SEE FZUS56 KLOX - SRFLOX FOR DETAILS * .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...DRIVERS OF HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES WILL NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS FOR SUDDEN WIND GUSTS IN THE MOUNTAINS...THE DESERTS...THE CENTRAL COAST...AND THE SANTA BARBARA SOUTH COAST. THE COMBINATION OF THE STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE HAZARDOUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG THE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SOUTH COAST AND MOUNTAINS. ACROSS THE OUTER WATERS...GALE FORCE WINDS WILL CREATE HAZARDS FOR BOATERS. OTHERWISE...HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. * 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 WHUS76 KLOX - MWWLOX FOR DETAILS * .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. HALL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OXNARD CA
719 PM PDT WED MAY 06 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0323 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 14 SW PORT HUENEME 34.02N 119.36W
05/06/2009 M60.00 MPH VENTURA CA OTHER FEDERAL
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 38 MPH AT ANACAPA ISLAND...ELEVATION
277 FEET.
0455 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 WSW VANDENBERG AFB 34.73N 120.58W
05/06/2009 M45.00 MPH SANTA BARBARA CA ASOS
SUSTAINED NORTH-NORTHWEST WINDS OF 36 MPH AT VANDENBURG
AIR FORCE BASE...ELEVATION 367 FEET.
0537 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NNE SAN FERNANDO 34.35N 118.42W
05/06/2009 M58.00 MPH LOS ANGELES CA OTHER FEDERAL
SUSTAINED NORTHWEST WINDS OF 37 MPH AT CAMP NINE
RAWS...ELEVATION 4000 FEET.
&&
HALL4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong north winds were reported through the Interstate 5 corridor. The RAWS sensor at Whitaker Peak reported wind gusts as high as 85 MPH. The ASOS at Sandberg reported north wind gusts as high as 69 MPH.
Strong north winds were reported through the Interstate 5 corridor. Sustained winds between 40 and 50 MPH with gusts as high as 85 MPH were reported.
The RAWS sensor at Montecito reported north winds with sustained speeds between 40 and 49 MPH with gusts to 63 MPH.
The RAWS sensor at Montecito reported north winds with sustained speeds between 40 and 49 MPH with gusts to 63 MPH.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in California, May 2009
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: 169364, 169365, 169360, 169361.