On December 5th, the second strong Santa Ana wind event brought strong and gusty north to northeast winds to the mountains of Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Wind gusts between 58 and 79 MPH were reported.
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.
On December 5th, the second strong Santa Ana wind event brought strong and gusty north to northeast winds to the mountains of Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Wind gusts between 58 and 79 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 Dec 5, 3:30 AM PST, 3 hours 25 minutes earlier.
SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 330 AM PST MON DEC 5 2011 .SYNOPSIS... GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS PORTIONS OF VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS THROUGH THE WEEK WITH DRY CONDITIONS...AND WIND SHELTERED LOCATIONS CAN EXPECT FROST AND FREEZE CONDITIONS OVERNIGHT. && .SHORT TERM (TODAY-WED)... MODERATE WIND EVENT BEGINNING TO UNFOLD. MOUNTAIN WINDS HAVE JUST BEGUN TO PICK UP AND A FEW GUSTS TO 50 MPH HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPORTED. COLD AIR IS A LITTLE LATE IN ARRIVING AND PRESSURE GRADIENTS ARE ALSO LAGGING THEIR FORECAST VALUES. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THIS EVENT WILL LIKELY START AN HOUR OR TWO AFTER SUNRISE. 06Z RUN WAS NOT THAT IMPRESSIVE AND THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A MINIMAL WARNING WITH GUSTS OF 60 MPH. IN FACT THE SANTA CLARITA VLY WILL PROBABLY STRUGGLE TO REACH WARNING LEVELS. WIND ADVISORY GUSTS FROM 35 TO 45 MPH WILL ALSO DEVELOP ACROSS THE VTA AND LA COASTS...THE VENTURA VALLEYS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE OJAI VALLEY...AND THE SAN FERNANDO VLY. THE WINDS WILL BE STRONGEST THROUGH AND BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS. THE WINDS WILL ABATE SOME IN THE AFTERNOON. THKNS FALL FROM 552DM YDY AT 00Z TO 548DM THIS AFTERNOON AT 00Z. SO EVEN WITH NON STOP SUNSHINE AND COMPRESSIONAL HEATING MAX TEMPS WILL ONLY REACH INTO THE LOWER TO MID 60S OVER THE COASTS AND VLYS. THE INTERIOR WILL BE EVEN COLDER. BIG QUESTION TONIGHT IS IF THE WINDS WILL REDEVELOP. THE LATEST NAM INDICATES THAT WHILE WINDS WILL INCREASE LATE IN THE PERIOD THEY WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY DIMINISHED FROM TODAYS SPEEDS. BASED ON HOW THE WINDS COME UP THIS MORNING...THE DAY SHIFT MAY WELL HAVE END THE WIND ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS EARLY. MIN TEMPS WILL BE THE NAME OF THE GAME TONIGHT ESP IF THE WINDS ARE NOT AS STRONG AS FORECAST. THE DRY AIR...CLEAR SKIES...AND COLD AIRMASS WILL ALLOW FOR RAPID COOLING. IT IS LIKELY THAT COUPLE OF LOW TEMP RECORDS WILL BE SET. QUITE A FEW WIND SHELTERED AREAS AWAY FROM THE IMMEDIATE COAST WILL SEE AT OR SLIGHTLY BELOW FREEZING. BUT THE CENTRAL COAST...THE SANTA YNEZ VLY...AND THE OJAI VALLEY WILL FACE THE SPECTER OF HARD FREEZE WITH LOWS IN THE MID 20S POSSIBLE. A FREEZE WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS FOR TONIGHT. TUESDAY WILL BE A REPEAT OF TODAY WITH JUST A LITTLE LESS WIND. MAX TEMPS WILL LIKELY BE VERY SIMILAR TO TODAYS WITH MAY A DEGREE OR TWO OF WARMING ACROSS THE INTERIOR. LOW TEMPS WILL AGAIN BE THE MAIN CONCERN TUESDAY NIGHT. THERE WILL BE LESS WINDS AND THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE PREVIOUSLY WINDY AREAS TO SEE MUCH COOLER TEMPS. BECAUSE OF THIS THERE WILL LIKELY BE MANY MORE AREAS WITH SUB FREEZING TEMPS AND FURTHER ADVISORIES OR WARNINGS MAY BE NEEDED. SINGLE DIGIT LOWS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ANTELOPE VLY WHICH COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH FREEZING PIPES. NOT MUCH EXCITEMENT WEDNESDAY. MAX TEMPS WILL BE A COUPLE OF DEGREES WARMER THAN TUESDAY AS THE COLD AIR MODIFIES AND THE SKIES WILL BE SUNNY. THERE WILL BE A FEW PUFFS OF MORNING OFFSHORE WINDS BUT NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT. .LONG TERM (THU-SUN)... BOTH THE EC AND THE GFS AGREES THAT THE LONG WAVE TROFING PATTERN THAT A WEAK INSIDE SLIDER WILL MOVE THROUGH NV ON THURSDAY. RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS SO WEAK THAT IT WILL NOT AFFECT THE WEATHER DOWN HERE MUCH AT ALL. ON FRIDAY A LITTLE RIDGE POPS UP (MORE SO ON THE GFS THE ECC IS SORT OF FLAT) THIS WITH THE WEAK OFFSHORE SFC WILL MAKE FRIDAY THE WARMEST DAY OF THE NEXT WEEK. A LITTLE COOLER SATURDAY AS THE RIDGE FLATTENS OUT AND THEN COOLER YET SUNDAY AS A LARGER TROF SETS UP OVER THE WEST COAST. IF ONE WERE TO BELIEVE THE DAY 8 FORECAST FROM THE EC IT WILL RAIN NEXT MONDAY...BUT I WOULD NOT GET MY UMBRELLA OUT JUST YET. && .AVIATION... 05/1135Z. CLEAR SKIES ACROSS THE REGION THRU THE PERIOD. WIDESPREAD GUSTY NE WINDS WILL AFFECT VTU COUNTY...THE MTNS AND VLYS OF L.A. COUNTY AND CSTL SECTIONS OF L.A. COUNTY BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS FROM MALIBU TO HOLLYWOOD TODAY THRU TUE. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED FROM MID MORNING THRU MID AFTERNOON TODAY. EXPECT SOME MDT TO STG UDDFS ACROSS THESE AREAS TODAY...WITH SOME LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR AT KBUR AND KVNY THIS MORNING. KLAX...HIGH CONFIDENCE IN CAVU TAF. EXPECT NE WINDS TO STAY BELOW 10 KNOTS FOR THE MOST PART TODAY. THERE IS A 20 PERCENT CHANCE THAT NE WINDS COULD REACH OR EXCEED 10 KNOTS FOR A TWO OR THREE HOUR PERIOD THRU 19Z. KBUR...HIGH CONFIDENCE IN CAVU TAF. && .LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING (SEE LAXNPWLOX). RED FLAG WARNING (SEE LAXRFWLOX). FREEZE WARNING (SEE LAXNPWLOX). WIND ADVISORY (SEE LAXNPWLOX). FROST ADVISORY (SEE LAXNPWLOX). GALE WARNING (SEE LAXMWWLOX). && PUBLIC...RORKE AVIATION...BRUNO SYNOPSIS...B WWW.WEATHER.GOV/LOSANGELES
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 630 AM PST MON DEC 5 2011 CAZ034>041-044>046-051>054-059-087-088-547-548-061400- 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- 630 AM PST MON DEC 5 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE... TODAY AND TONIGHT A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES...WHICH WILL CAUSE ANOTHER INCREASE IN FIRE DANGER. STRONG WINDS WILL OCCUR IN THE MOUNTAINS...WITH DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE. AREAS OF FROST WILL LAST THROUGH MID MORNING ON THE CENTRAL COAST...THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY...THE SOUTH COAST OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY...AND IN THE OJAI VALLEY. * HIGH WIND WARNING..........SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * RED FLAG WARNING...........SEE WWUS86 KLOX - RFWLOX FOR DETAILS * * FREEZE WARNING.............SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * FROST ADVISORY.............SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * GALE WARNING...............SEE WHUS76 KLOX - MWWLOX FOR DETAILS * .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR MUCH OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES...WHICH WILL CAUSE HIGH FIRE DANGER. STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE IN THE MOUNTAINS AND MOST VALLEY AREAS OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES THROUGH TUESDAY...WITH DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE. GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO AFFECT THE VENTURA COUNTY COASTAL PLAIN AND THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY COAST BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS FROM MALIBU TO HOLLYWOOD MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...INCLUDING THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. THERE WILL BE AREAS OF FROST ON THE CENTRAL COAST...IN THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY...ON THE SOUTH COAST OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY...AND IN THE OJAI VALLEY THROUGH MID MORNING DURING THE LATE NIGHT THROUGH MID MORNING HOURS THROUGH WEDNESDAY. * HIGH WIND WARNING..........SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * RED FLAG WARNING...........SEE WWUS86 KLOX - RFWLOX FOR DETAILS * * FREEZE WARNING.............SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * WIND ADVISORY..............SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * FROST ADVISORY.............SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * GALE WARNING...............SEE WHUS76 KLOX - MWWLOX 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. ASR
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 515 AM PST MON DEC 5 2011 CAZ034>041-044>046-051>054-059-087-088-547-548-061400- 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- 515 AM PST MON DEC 5 2011 ...VERY COLD OVERNIGHT LOWS THROUGH WEDNESDAY... A COLD AND DRY AIRMASS WILL REMAIN OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH MID WEEK. CLEAR SKIES EACH NIGHT WILL ALLOW FOR FURTHER COOLING. MANY AREAS WILL BE BREEZY TONIGHT AND THAT WILL KEEP THEIR OVERNIGHT LOWS ABOVE FREEZING BUT OTHER NON WINDY AREAS INCLUDING THE CENTRAL COAST...THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY AND THE OJAI VALLEY COULD SEE A THREE HOUR PERIOD WITH TEMPERATURES NEAR 25 DEGREES. THESE THREE AREAS ARE UNDER A FREEZE WATCH. IT WILL BE LESS WINDY TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS WILL ALLOW A GREATER NUMBER OF SITES TO REACH FREEZING. IN THE ANTELOPE VALLEY...TEMPERATURES WILL DROP INTO THE TEENS TONIGHT AND TUESDAY NIGHT...AND A FEW LOCATIONS COULD DROP AS LOW AS 10 TO 12 DEGREES. TEMPERATURES THIS LOW COULD LEAD TO FROZEN PIPES. RESIDENTS SHOULD TAKE STEP NECESSARY TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. A SLOW WARMING TREND WILL START LATER WEDNESDAY. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION. ASR/DB
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong and widespread north to northeast winds developed across the mountains of Los Angeles County. Wind gusts between 58 and 62 MPH were reported by several RAWS sensors, including Acton, Camp Nine, Chilao, and Warm Springs.
Strong and widespread north to northeast winds developed across the mountains of Ventura County. Wind gusts in excess of 58 MPH were reported across sections of the mountains.
The sensor at Laguna Peak reported north to northeast wind gusts between 64 and 79 MPH.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2011
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: 353416, 353417, 353414.