Strong surface high pressure in the Great Basin along with strong north to northeast flow aloft generated strong Santa Ana winds across Ventura and Los Angeles counties. North to northeast wind gusts up to 83 MPH were reported in the mountains while gusts to 59 MPH were reported across the coastal plain.
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 episode as NWS LOX wrote it up.
Strong surface high pressure in the Great Basin along with strong north to northeast flow aloft generated strong Santa Ana winds across Ventura and Los Angeles counties. North to northeast wind gusts up to 83 MPH were reported in the mountains while gusts to 59 MPH were reported across the coastal plain.
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 Nov 1, 7:50 PM PST, 4 hours 6 minutes earlier.
SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 850 PM PDT TUE NOV 1 2011 ...STRONG SANTA ANA WINDS WITH HIGH FIRE DANGER EXPECTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY... .SYNOPSIS... OFFSHORE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE A QUICK WARMUP ON WEDNESDAY WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS IN LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES. A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH WILL BRING CLOUDY SKIES AND POSSIBLE PRECIPITATION ON FRIDAY WITH SIGNIFICANT COOLING. EXPECT ONLY SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH THE ARRIVAL OF ANOTHER COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. && .SHORT TERM (TODAY-FRI)...BEEN A VERY BUSY SHIFT THIS EVENING. AS LATEST 00Z NAM MODELS HAVE INCREASED THE OFFSHORE TREND TONIGHT OVER LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THEREFORE... HAVE UPGRADED TO HIGH WIND WARNINGS FOR THE VENTURA COUNTY VALLEYS AND COASTAL PLAIN AS WELL AS THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY...MAINLY THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN PORTIONS. THESE AREAS SHOULD SEE PEAK WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT AND PERSIST THROUGH TOMORROW AROUND NOON BEFORE DIMINISHING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THIS WIND EVENT WILL BE QUICK TO DEVELOP AND BE THROUGH BY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. WHERE THERE ARE HIGH WIND WARNINGS ISSUED...EXPECT SOME POWER POLES AND TREES TO BE KNOCKED DOWN. OF COURSE THIS WILL BRING HEIGHTENED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS ACROSS THE SOUTHLAND. SEE FIRE WEATHER SECTION TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THIS DISCUSSION. BESIDES THE WINDS...FORECAST LOOKS TO BE ONTRACK OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS ANOTHER DEEP TROUGH OUT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL BEGIN TO DIVE DOWN TOWARDS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BY THURSDAY. THIS WILL END THE OFFSHORE FLOW AND QUICKLY TURN ONSHORE AS THE TROUGH DEEPENS THROUGH THE DAY. LOW CLOUDS SHOULD COME IN WITH AVENGENCE BY THU EVENING AHEAD OF THE TROUGH. A RELATIVELY STRONG JET WILL DIG THE TROUGH A BIT FARTHER WEST COMPARED TO EARLIER RUNS. THIS SHOULD ENSURE SOME SHOWERS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE REGION LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. WINDS AT THE LOWER LEVELS REMAIN OUT THE WEST...SO THIS IS NOT FAVORABLE FOR ENHANCED RAINFALL AMOUNTS ACROSS THE SANTA YNEZ...VENTURA AND SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAIN RANGES. BUT AS TROUGH GETS CLOSER AND CONTINUES TO TREND OVER THE WATERS...COULD SEE A BETTER RAINFALL AMOUNTS IF SW FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT GETS BETTER ORGANIZED. AS FOR TEMPS TOMORROW...BEST WARMING SHOULD BE ALONG THE COAST AS WINDS WILL CERTAINLY BE STRONG AND COMPRESSIONAL HEATING WILL LET TEMPS REACH THE LOWER TO MID 80S. WITH TEMPS BARELY REACHING 80 ACROSS THE VALLEYS. MUCH COOLER ACROSS THE ANTELOPE VALLEY IN THE 60S. AS FOR THURSDAY...TEMPS WILL COOL ONCE AGAIN ACROSS THE BOARD...EXCEPT FOR THE ANTELOPE VALLEY AS COOL ONSHORE FLOW WILL PREVAIL DURING MUCH OF THURSDAY. ***FROM PREVIOUS DISCUSSION*** A VERY COLD BUT MOSTLY MOISTURE STARVED SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. THE TRAJECTORY OF THE STORM IS MOSTLY FROM THE NORTH, MEANING BASICALLY NO SOUTH FLOW AND UPWARD FORCING AT LOW LVLS TO GENERATE MUCH PRECIP SOUTH OF PT CONCEPTION. THE GFS IS TAKING THE LOW AND COLD CORE FURTHER SOUTH THAN THE NAM AND THUS A SLIGHTLY BETTER CHANCE FOR SHOWERS ACROSS LA/VENTURA COUNTIES ON FRIDAY. FOR NOW I BUMPED UP POPS JUST A TAD INTO THE 20-30 RANGE, BUT EITHER WAY ANY PRECIP WILL BE LIGHT AND INSIGNIFICANT. MAIN THING WILL BE MUCH COOLER TEMPS FRIDAY, FOLLOWED BY SOME GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS DEVELOPING MAINLY IN THE MOUNTAINS AND OUTER COASTAL WATERS LATE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. .LONG TERM (SAT-TUE)...COLD AIR ADVECTION BEHIND THE FRIDAY STORM WILL LIKELY CLEAR ANY MARINE LYR OUT OF THE AREA SO MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES EXPECTED SATURDAY SAVE FOR SOME POSSIBLE MORNING CLOUDS/FOG FOR OUR UPSLOPE AREAS BORDERING KERN COUNTY. BREEZY AND COOL IN THE AFTERNOON WITH HIGHS GENERALLY 5-15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. A SECOND SYSTEM WILL BRING CLOUDS AND A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AGAIN MAINLY FOR NORTHERN AREAS SUNDAY, OTHERWISE CONTINUED WELL BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND BREEZY AT TIMES. THE SECOND SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY AND MAY HAVE ENOUGH LEFT TO BRING A FEW SHOWERS TO THE LA/VENTURA COUNTY MTNS THROUGH MONDAY MORNING, OTHERWISE PROBABLY LITTLE IMPACT LOCALLY OTHER THAN TO MAINTAIN THE COOL AND BREEZY CONDITIONS. A SLIGHT WARMING TREND WILL BEGIN EARLY NEXT WEEK UNDER MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. && .AVIATION...01/1805Z...GENEARLLY HIGH CONFIDENCE WITH 00Z TAFS FOR CAVU CONDITIONS. 30 PERCENT CHANCE FOR HIGH WINDS ACROSS KCMA/KOXR TO BE SOMEWHAT WEAKER THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. EXPECT MODERATE TO SEVERE LLWS FOR KBUR...KVNY...KCMA AND KOXR FROM 06Z THROUGH 20Z...WITH WEAK TO MODERATE LLWS FOR KLAX BETWEEN 08Z-21Z AS WELL. EXPECT SOME UDDF ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN RIDGETOPS AS WELL FOR LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES. KLAX...GENERALLY HI CONFIDENCE IN THE CURRENT TAF. THERE WILL BE A BRIEF PERIOD OF MVFR VSBYS TIL AROUND 04Z THEN VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THRU WED. NE WINDS GENERALLY 10 KT OR LESS ARE EXPECTED AFT ABOUT 06Z WITH LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR FROM 08Z-21Z. LLWS COULD BE MODERATE THROUGH THIS PERIOD AROUND 1500 FT. KBUR...HI CONFIDENCE IN THE CURRENT TAF. MVFR VSBYS WILL GIVE WAY TO VFR CONDITIONS BY 03Z THEN PERSIST THRU WED MORNING. SOME GUSTY NE WINDS WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT WITH LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR POSSIBLE FROM 08Z-18Z. THERE COULD BE MODERATE TO SEVERE LLWS BETWEEN 03Z-18Z..THEN WEAKER LLWS BETWEEN 18Z-21Z. EXPECT CAVU CONDITIONS AFTER 03Z THIS EVENING. && .FIRE... STAGE IS SET FOR A STRONG AND WIDESPREAD SANTA ANA WIND EVENT ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. CRITICAL RED FLAG CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS ALL OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ANTELOPE VALLEY). 12Z NAM AND GFS CONTINUE TO TREND STRONGER WITH THIS OFFSHORE WIND EVENT IN TERMS OF OFFSHORE PRESSURE GRADIENTS AND UPPER LEVEL WIND SUPPORT. AS A RESULT...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING FOR A STRONGER AND MORE WIDESPREAD EVENT...WITH OFFSHORE WINDS SPREADING DOWN TO THE COAST. AS IS TYPICALLY THE CASE ACROSS OUR REGION...LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES WILL BE THE FOCUS OF THIS EVENT. OFFSHORE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO RAMP UP QUICKLY THIS EVENING ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS...AND BECOME WIDESPREAD ACROSS ALL OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES AFTER MIDNIGHT. OFFSHORE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN STRONG THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. AS THE STRONG OFFSHORE WINDS DEVELOP...HUMIDITIES WILL RAPIDLY LOWER TO 15 PERCENT OR LESS ACROSS MOST OF THE RED FLAG WARNING AREA OVERNIGHT...WITH WIDESPREAD SINGLE DIGIT READINGS EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY. OFFSHORE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH LATER WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...HOWEVER SINGLE DIGIT HUMIDITIES WILL LIKELY CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS. DUE TO THE STRENGTH OF THIS WIND EVENT...THERE WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR DOWNED POWER LINES. IF ANY FIRE IGNITIONS WERE TO OCCUR...THERE WOULD BE A HIGH RISK FOR RAPID SPREAD ACROSS LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES. && .MARINE...OFFSHORE FLOW IS FORECAST TO BECOME MODERATE TO STRONG OVER PORTIONS OF THE COASTAL WATERS THIS EVENING THEN PERSIST THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. NORTHEAST TO EAST WINDS 15 TO 25 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 35 KNOTS ARE EXPECTED FROM RINCON POINT TO SANTA MONICA AND OFFSHORE. ISOLATED GUSTS UP TO 40 KNOTS WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR SHORE LATER TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING AS WELL. IT ALSO LOOKS LIKE THERE IS SUPPORT FOR THE WINDS TO EXTEND TO THE OFFSHORE WATERS TO THE SOUTH AND WEST OF THE CHANNEL ISLANDS AS WELL. COMBINED SEAS OVER THE INNER WATERS WILL BUILD TO 3 TO 6 FEET TONIGHT...WITH SEAS AROUND 6 TO 8 FEET FOR THE OUTER WATERS SOUTH AND WEST OF THE CHANNEL ISLANDS. THE EXPECTED STRONG WINDS HAVE PROMPTED THE ISSUANCE OF A GALE WARNING FOR PORTIONS OF THE INNER WATERS AND ALSO FOR MARINE ZONE 676 FOR AREAS NORTHWEST OF SAN NICOLAS ISLAND. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH QUICKLY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. ANOTHER CONCERN IS NORTHEAST WINDS OF 10 TO 20 KNOTS AND CHOPPY SEAS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OFF ORANGE COUNTY COAST OUT TO CATALINA ISLAND. AS A RESULT...AVALON HARBOR SHOULD BE AFFECTED BY A NORTHEAST SWELL AND HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR LATER TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. A MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT REFLECTING THESE CONDITIONS WILL BE ISSUED SHORTLY. && .LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING (SEE LAXNPWLOX). RED FLAG WARNING (SEE LAXRFWLOX). WIND ADVISORY (SEE LAXNPWLOX). GALE WARNING (SEE LAXMWWLOX). SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY (SEE LAXMWWLOX). MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT (SEE LAXMWSLOX). SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT (SEE LAXSPSLOX). && PUBLIC...KAPLAN/WOFFORD AVIATION...KAPLAN FIRE...GOMBERG MARINE...SIRARD SYNOPSIS...BARTLING WWW.WEATHER.GOV/LOSANGELES
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 315 PM PDT TUE NOV 1 2011 CAZ034>041-044>046-051>054-059-087-088-547-548-021300- 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- 315 PM PDT TUE NOV 1 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE... TODAY A MODERATE TO STRONG SANTA ANA WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LATE TONIGHT WITH LOWERING HUMIDITIES DURING THE PERIOD. GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS WILL IMPACT MOST OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES...WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OVER THE MOUNTAINS INCLUDING THE SANTA MONICA RANGE AND SANTA CLARITA VALLEY. COMBINED WITH WIDESPREAD DRY AIR...THESE WINDS WILL CREATE A HEIGHTEN FIRE WEATHER RISK...ESPECIALLY FOR THE VALLEYS AND MOUNTAINS OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES. GALE WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT AFTER MIDNIGHT FOR THE INNER WATERS...MAINLY BETWEEN RINCON POINT TO MALIBU...AND THE SAN PEDRO CHANNEL. * 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 * * MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT...SEE FZUS76 KLOX - MWSLOX FOR DETAILS * * SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT..SEE WWUS86 KLOX - SPSLOX FOR DETAILS * .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY A MODERATE TO STRONG SANTA ANA WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH LOWERING HUMIDITIES DURING THE PERIOD. GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS WILL IMPACT MOST OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES...WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OVER THE MOUNTAINS INCLUDING THE SANTA MONICA RANGE AND SANTA CLARITA VALLEY THROUGH THE MID AFTERNOON HOURS. COMBINED WITH WIDESPREAD DRY AIR...THESE WINDS WILL CREATE A HEIGHTEN FIRE WEATHER RISK...ESPECIALLY FOR THE VALLEYS AND MOUNTAINS OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES. A SERIES OF PACIFIC STORMS WILL BRING A POSSIBILITY OF RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOWERS...AND GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS TO THE REGION FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY. GALE WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH THE MID AFTERNOON HOURS WEDNESDAY FOR THE INNER WATERS...MAINLY BETWEEN RINCON POINT TO MALIBU...AND THE SAN PEDRO CHANNEL. WINDS WILL DIMINISH TOMORROW NIGHT. * 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 * * MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT...SEE FZUS76 KLOX - MWSLOX FOR DETAILS * * SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT..SEE WWUS86 KLOX - SPSLOX FOR DETAILS * .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. KAPLAN
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Newhall Pass RAWS sensor reported north to northeast winds gusting to 58 MPH.
The Wiley Ridge RAWS reported sustained northeast winds between 40 and 42 MPH and gusts as high as 65 MPH.
The sensor at Laguna Peak reported northeast wind gusts between 72 and 83 MPH.
The Warm Springs RAWS sensor reported sustained north to northeast winds between 40 and 46 MPH with gusts as high as 74 MPH. Additionally, the Camp 9 RAWS sensor reported northeast winds gusting to 61 MPH.
Strong and gusty north to northeast winds were reported across the mountains of Ventura county. Sustained winds over 40 MPH with gusts between 60 and 70 MPH were reported.
The Camarillo ASOS reported sustained northeast winds of 45 MPH with a gust to 59 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, November 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: 353403, 353401, 353402, 353404, 353405, 353400.