Strong surface high pressure over the Great Basin generated another round of strong Santa Ana winds across Southern California. The strongest winds occurred in the mountains and valleys of Ventura and Los Angeles counties with wind gusts as high as 70 MPH 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.
Strong surface high pressure over the Great Basin generated another round of strong Santa Ana winds across Southern California. The strongest winds occurred in the mountains and valleys of Ventura and Los Angeles counties with wind gusts as high as 70 MPH 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 Jan 27, 3:50 AM PST, 2 hours 6 minutes earlier.
SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 350 AM PST FRI JAN 27 2012 .SYNOPSIS... STRONG SANTA ANA WINDS WILL AFFECT THE AREA TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY THEN THE OFFSHORE WINDS WILL WEAKEN NOTICEABLY ON SUNDAY. AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN WELL ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH SUNDAY. ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY...LOW PRESSURE WILL RETURN TO THE WEST COAST...RESULTING IN MUCH COOLER CONDITIONS FOR THE AREA. HOWEVER ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...HIGH PRESSURE WILL RETURN...WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES AND SOME NORTHEASTERLY WINDS. && .SHORT TERM (TODAY-SUN)...OVERALL...00Z MODELS IN VERY GOOD SYNOPTIC AGREEMENT THROUGH THE PERIOD. AT UPPER LEVELS...TROUGH DIVING DOWN INTO THE GREAT BASIN TODAY WILL AMPLIFY THE RIDGE JUST OFFSHORE... THEN THE RIDGE WILL MIGRATE A BIT EASTWARD ON SATURDAY...BEFORE FLATTENING OUT ON SUNDAY. NEAR THE SURFACE...HIGH PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO BUILD INTO THE GREAT BASIN TODAY...PEAK IN STRENGTH ON SATURDAY...THEN WEAKEN ON SUNDAY WITH EVEN SOME WEAK ONSHORE FLOW SUNDAY AFTERNOON. FORECAST-WISE...MAIN CONCERN IS THE OFFSHORE WIND EVENT. CURRENTLY NORTHWEST TO NORTH WINDS HAVE PICKED UP STRONGLY ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS. EXPECT THESE NORTHERLY WINDS TO FILTER DOWN QUICKLY INTO THE VALLEY AREAS AND EVEN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS EARLY THIS MORNING. LATER THIS MORNING...THE MAIN FLOW WILL SHIFT TO A MORE NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION WITH MODELS STILL INDICATING VERY GOOD UPPER SUPPORT (40-50 KT) AND GOOD SUBSIDENCE. SO SOMETIME AFTER SUNRISE...WOULD EXPECT SOME GUSTY NORTHEASTERLY WINDS TO BEGIN TO SURFACE ACROSS THE VENTURA/LA VALLEYS AND COASTS. THE WINDS MAY WANE SLIGHTLY THIS AFTERNOON...BUT SHOULD INCREASE ONCE AGAIN THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT AS THE NORTHEAST PRESSURE GRADIENT PEAKS. IN TERMS OF NON-ROUTINE PRODUCTS...WILL UPGRADE TO HIGH WIND WARNINGS FOR THE VENTURA AND LA MOUNTAINS (INCLUDING THE SANTA MONICA RANGE) AS THERE SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM GETTING SOME AREAS GUSTING OVER 60 MPH. WILL CONTINUE WITH ADVISORIES FOR THE VENTURA VALLEYS AS WELL AS THE SAN FERNANDO/SANTA CLARITA VALLEYS...BUT UP THE START TIME TO 300 AM THIS MORNING. ALSO...HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY (STARTING AT 10 AM) AS THE FOOTHILL AREAS SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET GUSTS AROUND 35 TO 40 MPH. AS FOR THE COASTAL PLAIN OF VENTURA AND LA COUNTIES...WILL BUMP UP THE ADVISORY START TIMES TO 700 AM THIS MORNING. THE WINDS SHOULD SUBSIDE NOTICEABLY LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON...WITH MORE LOCALIZED OFFSHORE WINDS LINGERING SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. AS FOR CLOUDS...THE NORTHERLY FLOW HAS ALLOWED FOR WIDESPREAD CLOUD COVER THIS MORNING ACROSS INTERIOR SECTIONS OF SLO/SBA COUNTIES AS WELL AS NORTH SLOPE AREAS OF THE VENTURA AND LA MOUNTAINS. WOULD EXPECT THIS CLOUD COVER TO PERSIST THROUGH THIS MORNING...BUT DISSIPATE RATHER QUICKLY THIS AFTERNOON. FOR TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...WILL EXPECT SKIES TO REMAIN MOSTLY CLEAR ACROSS THE AREA. AS FOR TEMPS...TEMPS TODAY WILL BE RATHER TRICKY. WITH THE INCREASING OFFSHORE WINDS...THERE WILL BE SOME PRETTY GOOD COLD ADVECTION SO THE DESERT AND MOUNTAIN AREAS SHOULD BE SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER THAN THURSDAY. ALSO...THE VALLEYS SHOULD EXHIBIT SOME NICE COOLING WITH TEMPS RUNNING IN THE 70S (DOWN FROM THE WIDESPREAD 80S ON THURSDAY). AS FOR COASTAL AREAS TODAY...WOULD EXPECT RATHER PERSISTENT TEMPS. FOR SATURDAY...ALL AREAS SHOULD BE A FEW DEGREES WARMER AS THERE WILL BE LESS EFFECTS FROM COLD ADVECTION. ON SUNDAY...THE RETURN OF WEAK ONSHORE FLOW WILL COOL DOWN THE COASTAL AND VALLEY AREAS...WHILE INLAND AREAS WARM A FEW DEGREES. .LONG TERM (MON-THU)...FOR THE EXTENDED...MODELS ARE NICELY ON THE SAME SYNOPTIC PAGE. AT UPPER LEVELS...A COUPLE OF DISTURBANCES WILL MOVE ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST/NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY...KEEPING A BIT OF A TROUGHY PATTERN OVER OUR AREA. ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...A RIDGE WILL ONCE AGAIN BUILD OVER THE WEST COAST. NEAR THE SURFACE...ONSHORE FLOW WILL PERSIST MONDAY AND TUESDAY...BUT THEN OFFSHORE FLOW WILL RETURN ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. FORECAST-WISE...THE ABOVE PATTERN WILL CONTINUE TO BE A DRY ONE. WITH THE ONSHORE FLOW AND WEAK TROUGH...MONDAY AND TUESDAY WILL CONTINUE TO BE COOL DAYS WITH TEMPS RUNNING NEAR SEASONAL NORMS. THERE COULD BE SOME RETURN OF COASTAL STRATUS...BUT NOT ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO INCLUDE IN THE FORECAST YET. FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...THE BUILDING UPPER RIDGE AND DEVELOPING OFFSHORE FLOW WILL RESULT IN ANOTHER ROUND OF ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPS FOR THE COASTS AND VALLEYS. ALSO...THERE WILL BE SOME GUSTY NORTHEAST CANYON WINDS AT TIMES. && .AVIATION...27/1145Z... DEVELOPING OFFSHORE FLOW IS PRODUCING WIDESPREAD CLOUD COVER ACROSS INTERIOR SECTIONS THIS MORNING WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN SOME LIFR CIGS FOR KPRB THROUGH THE NEXT FEW HOURS...OTHERWISE CLOUD CLOVER FROM SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY IS MVFR/VFR IN NATURE. OTHERWISE...OFFSHORE FLOW SHOULD KEEP ALL OTHER AREAS IN VFR CATEGORY. WITH THE OFFSHORE FLOW...LLWS/TURBULENCE WILL BE AN ISSUE FOR A FEW COASTAL AND VALLEY TAF SITES OF VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES. KLAX...HIGH CONFIDENCE WITH 12Z TAF...EXCEPT MODERATE CONFIDENCE THAT EASTERLY WINDS WILL STAY BELOW 8 KT THROUGH 18Z. THERE IS A 30 PERCENT CHANCE FOR LLWS BELOW 1500 FT THIS MORNING. KBUR...HIGH CONFIDENCE IN 06Z TAF. EXPECT LLWS THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. 30 PERCENT CHANCE FOR ADDITIONAL LLWS AFTER 21Z. && .FIRE...WITH LITTLE CHANGE IN THE WIND SITUATION...CURRENT RED FLAG WARNINGS WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE LA/VENTURA MOUNTAINS...VENTURA VALLEYS...SANTA CLARITA...SAN FERNANDO VALLEY AND LA COASTAL STRIP FROM MALIBU TO THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS...FROM 800 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL REMAIN AT MODERATE TO HIGH LEVELS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON..BUT SHOULD DROP DRAMATICALLY THIS EVENING...AND CONTINUE AT LOW LEVELS THROUGH THE DAY ON SATURDAY. COMBINED WITH THE EXPECTED WIND SPEEDS...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. DISCUSSIONS ON THURSDAY WITH LOCAL FIRE AGENCIES INDICATED...DESPITE THE RECENT RAINFALL...THAT LIVE FUEL MOISTURES IN MANY AREAS OF VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES WERE STILL IN THE 65-70% RANGE (WHICH IS QUITE LOW FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR). && .LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING (SEE LAXNPWLOX). RED FLAG WARNING (SEE LAXRFWLOX). WIND ADVISORY (SEE LAXNPWLOX). SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY (SEE LAXMWWLOX). HIGH SURF ADVISORY (SEE LAXCFWLOX). HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK (SEE LAXSRFLOX). && PUBLIC...THOMPSON AVIATION...KAPLAN SYNOPSIS...RAT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/LOSANGELES
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 230 PM PST THU JAN 26 2012 CAZ034>041-044>046-051>054-059-087-088-547-548-271400- 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- 230 PM PST THU JAN 26 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE... TODAY AND TONIGHT A LARGE WEST TO NORTHWEST SWELL WILL BRING HIGH SURF AND THE POTENTIAL FOR DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS TO MOST BEACHES FROM THE CENTRAL COAST TO LOS ANGELES COUNTY. BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTH WILL BRING GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS TO THE I-5 CORRIDOR TONIGHT. * WIND ADVISORY..............SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH SURF ADVISORY.........SEE WHUS46 KLOX - CFWLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK......SEE FZUS56 KLOX - SRFLOX FOR DETAILS * .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE HIGH SURF CONDITIONS AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS WILL CONTINUE ALONG MOST AREA BEACHES THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE OVER OREGON WILL SHIFT INTO IDAHO AND BUILD FRIDAY NIGHT. GUSTY NORTH WINDS THROUGH THE I-5 CORRIDOR ON FRIDAY MORNING WILL SHIFT...STRENGTHEN...AND SPREAD INTO MOST OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OVER 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE MOUNTAINS. THESE WINDS SHOULD WEAKEN SIGNIFICANTLY BY SATURDAY EVENING. THESE WINDS WILL ALSO COMBINE WITH VERY DRY AIR TO BRING AN INCREASED RISK OF RAPID FIRE GROWTH IN THE PRESENCE OF A FIRE IGNITION SOURCE TO MUCH OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES. * RED FLAG WARNING...........SEE WWUS86 KLOX - RFWLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH WIND WATCH............SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * WIND ADVISORY..............SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH SURF ADVISORY.........SEE WHUS46 KLOX - CFWLOX FOR DETAILS * .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. KITTELL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OXNARD CA
542 AM PST FRI JAN 27 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0157 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 SSW CASTAIC LAKE 34.57N 118.74W
01/27/2012 M86 MPH LOS ANGELES CA MESONET
86 MPH AT WHITAKER PEAK RAWS SITE. ELEVATION 4120 FT.
&&
KAPLAN5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong north to northeast winds were reported across the Santa Monica mountains. The Malibu Hills RAWS sensor reported wind gusts to 63 MPH.
Strong north to northeast winds were reported across the mountains of Los Angeles county. The Camp Nine RAWS sensor reported a peak wind gust of 69 MPH. Other strong wind reports included the Clear Creek RAWS (gust to 68 MPH) and the Chilao RAWS (gust to 59 MPH).
Strong north to northeast winds were reported across the mountains of Ventura county. Wind gusts in excess of 60 MPH were reported.
Strong north to northeast winds were reported across the valleys of Ventura county. The Wiley Ridge RAWS sensor reported wind gusts to 70 MPH.
A trained weather spotter in the community of Northridge reported northerly wind gusts to 65 MPH.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2012
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: 362775, 362773, 362774, 362776, 362777.