A strong late-season winter storm brought significant precipitation and gusty winds to Southwestern California. Rainfall totals generally ranged between 1 and 4 inches.
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 late-season winter storm brought significant precipitation and gusty winds to Southwestern California. Rainfall totals generally ranged between 1 and 4 inches. This heavy rainfall produced widespread reports of urban flooding. In the mountains, the resorts (above 6000 feet) received significant snowfall, ranging anywhere from 9 to 22 inches. The snowfall combined with gusty south winds to produce dangerous winter storm conditions in the local mountains.
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 Mar 17, 4:10 AM PST, 40 minutes earlier.
SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 510 AM PDT SAT MAR 17 2012 UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION .SYNOPSIS... A VIGOROUS COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING WITH RAIN...MOUNTAIN SNOW...GUSTY WINDS AND A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE IN THE MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS THAT WILL MOVE IN BEHIND THROUGH SUNDAY. A WEAK DISTURBANCE WILL KEEP THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND COOL WEATHER OVER THE AREA THROUGH MONDAY...THEN HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING DRY AND MILDER CONDITIONS TO THE AREA TUESDAY THROUGH LATE IN THE WEEK. && .SHORT TERM (TODAY-MON)... A COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY DRAPED OVER SLO AND SBA COUNTY WITH NW SLO COUNTY ALREADY REPORTING A WIND SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST. PERHAPS OF MORE IMPORTANCE IS A FAST MOVING AREA OF ENHANCED DRIVEN BY A LOW LEVEL JET. THE DISTURBANCE WAS MOVING ALONG THE TAIL END OF THE FRONT ABOUT 200 MILES SW OF POINT CONCEPTION. THERE WAS ALSO A SMALL VORT MAX ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLD CORE OF THE UPPER LOW ABOUT 100 MILES WSW OF MONTERREY...THIS VORT MAX WAS PRODUCING MULTIPLE TSTMS. THE FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING GIVING ALL AREAS A 3 TO 4 HOUR SHOT OF MODERATE RAIN. THINGS WILL BE THE MOST INTERESTING OVER L.A. COUNTY AS SATELLITE TRENDS INDICATE THAT THE FRONT AND THE LOW LEVEL JET WILL INTERSECT THE COUNTY AT THE SAME TIME. THE SYNERGY BETWEEN THESE TWO FEATURES WILL PRODUCE AN EXPLOSION OF RAIN ALONG WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS. LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL ALSO INCREASE AND WARNING LEVEL WIND GUSTS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ACROSS THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS AND THE WESTERN ANTELOPE VLY. A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE WILL MOVE IN OVER THE AREA BEHIND THE FRONT. THIS ATMOSPHERE WILL PRODUCE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AS WELL AS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH SUNDAY. THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS AS WELL AS THE CLOUDS WILL SLOWLY DECREASE FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE SUNDAY UNTIL ONLY A SLIGHT CHC OF SHOWERS REMAINS BY MONDAY. SNOW LEVELS ARE AROUND 6000 FEET BUT THEY WILL DROP TO 5000 FEET LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND THEN PLUMMET TO 2500 TO 3000 FEET OVERNIGHT AND INTO SUNDAY. SNOW LEVELS THIS LOW WILL BRING ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL TO THE FOOTHILLS OF THE ANTELOPE VLY...THE FOOTHILLS OF THE CUYAMA VLY AND THE FOOTHILLS OF THE INTERIOR SLO VALLEY. THESE AREAS ARE NOR UNDER A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY STARTING AT 600 PM. WINTER STORM WARNINGS CONTINUE OVER THE MTNS OF VTA AND LA COUNTIES. LOOK FOR STORM TOTALS OF 12 TO 18 INCHES OF SNOW ABOVE 6000 FEET WITH LESSER BUT STILL SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW DOWN TO 3000 FEET. THESE LOW SNOW LEVELS WILL AFFECT MAJOR MTN HIGHWAYS 1-5 AND 1-14. STRONG WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH WILL PRODUCE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH NEAR ZERO VISIBILITIES. THERE WILL BE A LITTLE LESS SNOW AND WIND OVER THE SBA COUNTY MOUNTAINS. RAINFALL ESTIMATES WITH THIS STORM ARE STILL ON TRACK AND ARE FORECAST TO GENERALLY RANGE BETWEEN .75 AND 1.50 INCHES...WITH AMOUNTS BETWEEN 1.50 AND 3.00 INCHES ACROSS FAVORED FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS. HGTS FALL TO 535 DM OVERNIGHT WHICH WILL MAKE THIS QUITE THE COLD SYSTEM. WITH THE FALLING HGTS AND RAIN MAX TEMPS TODAY ACROSS THE COASTS AND VLYS WILL REMAIN IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S. THERE WILL NOT BE MUCH CHANGE IN TEMPS SUNDAY WITH MAX TEMPS REMAINING 12 TO 18 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. A FEW DEGREES OF WARMING ON SUNDAY AS HGTS SLOWLY RISE...STILL CSTL/VLY TEMPS WILL TOP OUT ONLY IN THE LOWER 60S. .LONG TERM (TUE-FRI)... ALL MEDIUM MDLS AGREE THAT A SMALL RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA TUESDAY AND LAST THROUGH THURSDAY. THERE WILL BE A SLOW WARMING TREND AND SKIES WILL BE MOSTLY CLEAR. MAX TEMPS WILL REACH OR EXCEED NORMAL VALUES BY WEDNESDAY. THE RIDGE SHOULD WEAKEN AND PUSH EASTWARD FRIDAY. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN SOME COOLING BUT OTHERWISE LITTLE CHANGE IN THE WEATHER. && .AVIATION....17/1210Z. FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. WIDESPREAD IFR CONDS WILL PREVAIL THIS MORNING...WITH LOCAL VLIFR CONDS AT TIMES. RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES WILL TURN TO SHOWERS FROM NW TO SE ACROSS THE REGION LATER THIS MORNING AND THIS AFTERNOON. THERE IS A CHANCE OF TSTMS...ESPECIALLY BETWEEN 16Z THIS MORNING AND 02Z THIS EVENING. GUSTY SOUTH WINDS THIS MORNING WILL SHIFT TO WEST AND REMAIN GUSTY BEHIND THE FRONT. THE THREAT OF SHOWERS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS WILL PERSIST INTO SUNDAY. KLAX...LOW TO MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN TAF. EXPECT MVFR CONDS TO DEVELOP THIS MORNING...WITH CONDS OCCASIONALLY DROPPING TO IFR. THERE IS A 20 TO 30 PERCENT CHANCE IFR CONDS WILL BECOME THE PREDOMINANT CONDITIONS BETWEEN 15Z AND 22Z. THERE IS A 20 PERCENT CHANCE THAT THERE COULD BE CROSS WINDS IN EXCESS OF 35 KNOTS BETWEEN 16Z AND 21Z. THERE IS A 20 TO 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF TSTMS BETWEEN 16Z AND 02Z. KBUR...LOW TO MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN TAF. THERE IS A 20 TO 30 PERCENT CHANCE THAT IFR CONDS WILL PERSIST THRU 02Z. THERE IS A 20 PERCENT CHANCE THAT WIND GUSTS COULD EXCEED 30 KT FROM THE SOUTH BETWEEN 15Z AND 21Z. THERE IS A 20 TO 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF TSTMS BETWEEN 16Z AND 02Z. && .LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING (SEE LAXWSWLOX). HIGH WIND WARNING (SEE LAXNPWLOX). WIND ADVISORY (SEE LAXNPWLOX). WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY (SEE LAXWSWLOX). GALE WARNING (SEE LAXMWWLOX). SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY (SEE LAXMWWLOX). HIGH SURF ADVISORY (SEE LAXCFWLOX). HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK (SEE LAXSRFLOX). MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT (SEE LAXMWSLOX). && PUBLIC...RORKE AVIATION...DB SYNOPSIS...ASR WWW.WEATHER.GOV/LOSANGELES
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 1022 PM PDT FRI MAR 16 2012 CAZ034>041-044>046-051>054-059-087-088-547-548-171300- 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- 1022 PM PDT FRI MAR 16 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE... TONIGHT STRONG RIP CURRENTS MAY EXIST ALONG EXPOSED SOUTH FACING SHORES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS A RISING TIDE COMBINES WITH A LONG PERIOD SOUTH SWELL. STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS DEVELOPING AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD WILL IMPACT THE MOUNTAIN AND VALLEY AREAS OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND THE CUYAMA VALLEY. * WIND ADVISORY..............SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX 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... SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA ON SATURDAY. THIS FRONT WILL BRING A 6 HOUR PERIOD OF WIDESPREAD RAIN AND SNOW AND A POSSIBILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA. SHOWERS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY BEHIND THE FRONT. SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP TO BETWEEN 2000 AND 3000 FEET SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...IMPACTING MAJOR TRAFFIC CORRIDORS THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS...ANTELOPE VALLEY...AND CUYAMA VALLEY. STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS DEVELOPING AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD WILL IMPACT THE ANTELOPE VALLEY...THEN SHIFT TO THE WEST AND AFFECT MOST COASTAL AND SOME VALLEY AREAS. CONDITIONS WILL ALSO BE FAVORABLE FOR SMALL HAIL AND ISOLATED WATERSPOUTS SATURDAY. GALE FORCE NORTHWEST WINDS ARE POSSIBLE SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY. HIGH SURF WILL IMPACT LOCAL BEACHES SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY. * WINTER STORM WARNING.......SEE WWUS46 KLOX - WSWLOX FOR DETAILS * * WIND ADVISORY..............SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY....SEE WWUS46 KLOX - WSWLOX FOR DETAILS * * GALE WARNING...............SEE WHUS76 KLOX - MWWLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH SURF ADVISORY.........SEE WHUS46 KLOX - CFWLOX FOR DETAILS * * MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT...SEE FZUS76 KLOX - MWSLOX FOR DETAILS * * GALE WATCH...............SEE WHUS76 KLOX - MWWLOX FOR DETAILS * .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. HALL
2 winter storm, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A powerful late-season storm generated strong southwesterly winds across the Antelope Valley. The ASOS at Palmdale reported sustained winds of 43 MPH.
A powerful late-season storm produced dangerous winter weather conditions across the mountains of Los Angeles county. Above 6000 feet, significant snowfall was reported. Some snow reports from the local resorts included: Mountain High (18-22 inches), Mount Baldy (18 inches), Big Pines (11 inches), and Wrightwood (9 inches). Along with the heavy snowfall, gusty south winds in excess of 65 MPH were reported.
A powerful late-season storm produced dangerous winter weather conditions across the mountains of Ventura county. Above 6000 feet, significant snowfall (12 to 20 inches) was reported. Along with the heavy snowfall, gusty south winds in excess of 65 MPH were reported.
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, March 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: 368334, 368335, 368336.