Strong and gusty winds affected the mountains of Los Angeles and Ventura counties as well as the Antelope Valley and the Santa Clarita Valley. In the mountains, northwest to north winds gusting over 70 MPH in some locations were reported.
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 and gusty winds affected the mountains of Los Angeles and Ventura counties as well as the Antelope Valley and the Santa Clarita Valley. In the mountains, northwest to north winds gusting over 70 MPH in some locations were reported. Across the Antelope Valley, gusty west to northwest winds developed with 50 power poles reported down due to the winds while wind gusts in the Santa Clarita Valley reached 64 MPH.
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 22, 4:10 PM PST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 510 PM PDT TUE MAY 22 2012 ***UPDATE FOR NEW AVIATION DISCUSSION*** .SYNOPSIS... GUSTY TO STRONG WINDS WILL BE ON THE MENU INTO THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH THE PEAK WINDS OCCURRING IN THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. A LOW WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTH BY FRIDAY AND INCREASE CLOUDS INTO THE WEEKEND...THEN EXIT EARLY NEXT WEEK. A GENERAL COOLING TREND FOR THE AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES THAT WILL REACH BELOW NORMAL BY FRIDAY...AND THEN RISE TO REACH ABOVE NORMAL ON MONDAY. && .SHORT TERM (TODAY-FRIDAY)... UPPER LEVEL PATTERN HAS STARTED ITS SHIFT...WITH THE RIDGE ALOFT TO THE SOUTHWEST SLIDING NORTHWARD...WHILE AN UPPER LEVEL LOW DROPS INTO BRITISH COLUMBIA. THIS BUDDING NORTHWEST WIND PATTERN IS STARTING TO MATERIALIZE...WITH GUSTY WINDS INCREASING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT ITS PEAK...THEN GRADUALLY WEAKENING INTO FRIDAY. THE PREVIOUS SUITE OF WIND ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS LOOK GOOD...BUT MADE A FEW TWEAKS. A GUST TO 70 MPH OVER SANDBERG PROMPTED US TO START THE WARNING OVER THE LA/VTU MTNS NOW. ALTHOUGH THE FLOW IS NOT NORTHEASTERLY ENOUGH TO MAKE MONTECITO A SLAM DUNK FOR WINDS WELL OVER 60 MPH...THE POTENTIAL STILL EXISTS...ESPECIALLY FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AS A RESULT...UPGRADED SRN SBA COUNTY...WITH A HIGH WIND WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE MTNS...AND A WATCH NOW FOR THE SOUTH COAST FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THESE WINDS ARE ALSO CREATING AN INCREASED FIRE WEATHER CONCERN...ESPECIALLY FOR SRN SBA COUNTY AND THE MONTECITO AREA...AND A RED FLAG WARNING WILL SOON BE ISSUED. THE DEPARTING RIDGE HAS BROUGHT AMPLE COOLING TO THE INTERIOR AREAS...BUT THE INCREASING NORTHWEST WINDS HELPED TO MODERATE THAT COOLING CLOSER TO THE COAST. AS THE AIRMASS COOLS THROUGH SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO LOWER...BUT THE PERSISTENT NORTHWEST FLOW WILL KEEP SOME AREAS WARMER THAN USUAL...ESPECIALLY THE COASTAL AREAS. THE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG SHOULD BE KEPT MOSTLY AT BAY THROUGH THU THANKS TO THE NORTHWEST WINDS...THOUGH A SMALL BUT POTENT EDDY WILL LIKELY KEEP THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PARTS OF LA COUNTY UNDER MORNING STRATUS. BY FRIDAY...THE UPPER LEVEL LOW THAT WAS OVER BRITISH COLUMBIA WILL DROP INTO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. THIS WILL BRING DRASTIC CHANGES TO OUR NECK OF THE WOODS...WITH THICKNESS VALUES IN LATE MAY THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN A DECADE. THE MARINE LAYER WILL RAPIDLY DEEPEN FRIDAY MORNING...WITH CLOUDS LIKELY PUSHING INTO THE MOUNTAINS. THIS HAS DRIZZLE WRITTEN ALL OVER IT...ESPECIALLY FOR THE SAN GABRIEL FOOTHILLS...AND WILL NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE ACCUMULATIONS. BESIDES THE AMPLE CLOUDS...TEMPERATURES WILL DROP TO WELL BELOW NORMAL... WITH MOST COASTAL AND VALLEY AREAS STRUGGLING TO GET OUT OF THE 60S. GUSTY ONSHORE WINDS WILL ALSO LIKELY FORM OVER THE INTERIOR AREAS ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. .LONG TERM (SATURDAY-TUESDAY)... THE LOW SHOULD MEANDER TO THE EAST OVER THE WEEKEND...WITH CONDITIONS FINALLY RETURNING TO MORE NORMAL BY SUNDAY OR MONDAY...BUT SATURDAY LOOKS TO BE A COOL AND GLOOMY START TO THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. EXTENDED MODELS HINT AT A NICE RIDGE FORMING BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...WHICH MAKES SENSE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. WITH THAT IN MIND...WE WOULD RISE NICELY ABOVE NORMAL...EXCEPT FOR THE COASTAL AREAS WHICH SHOULD BE PREPPING FOR JUNE GLOOM. && .AVIATION...23/0005Z...HI CONFIDENCE OVERALL IN THE CURRENT TAF PACKAGE. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL AT MOST AIRFIELDS THRU WED. MARINE LAYER CLOUDS AND IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATER TONIGHT AT KLGB AND KLAX AND PERSIST INTO MID TO LATE WED MORNING. OTHERWISE THESE AIRFIELDS WILL HAVE VFR CONDITIONS AS WELL THRU WED. GUSTY W TO NW WINDS WILL AFFECT KPRB...KSBP...KSMX...KPMD AND KWJF DURING THE PERIOD...WITH A 10-20 PERCENT CHANCE OF REDUCED VSBYS AT TIMES DUE TO BLOWING DUST AT KPMD AND KWJF. LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR IS ALSO EXPECTED TONIGHT AT KSBA DUE TO GUSTY N CANYON WINDS IN THE VICINITY. KLAX...GENERALLY HI CONFIDENCE IN THE CURRENT TAF WITH VFR CONDITIONS THRU WED EVENING...EXCEPT FOR A PERIOD OF IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS FROM ABOUT 10Z-17Z. KBUR...HI CONFIDENCE IN THE CURRENT TAF WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THRU WED. && .MARINE... NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BECOME EVEN STRONGER INTO THURSDAY...WITH STORM FORCE GUSTS UP TO 50 KNOTS EXPECTED MAINLY WELL OFFSHORE AND NORTHWEST OF SAN NICOLAS ISLAND. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. DUE TO THE STRENGTH AND DURATION OF STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS...THERE WILL LIKELY BE A PROLONGED PERIOD OF VERY STEEP AND HAZARDOUS SEAS...POSSIBLY REACHING HEIGHTS OF 12 TO 14 FEET BY MIDWEEK. THE COMBINATION OF WINDS AND SEAS MAKES THIS EVENT VERY UNUSUAL FOR THE COASTAL WATERS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR THE MONTH OF MAY. PLEASE SEE LAXMWWLOX FOR FURTHER DETAILS. && .LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING (SEE LAXRFWLOX). HIGH WIND WARNING (SEE LAXNPWLOX). STORM WARNING (SEE LAXMWWLOX). WIND ADVISORY (SEE LAXNPWLOX). SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY (SEE LAXMWWLOX). MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT (SEE LAXMWSLOX). HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK (SEE LAXSRFLOX). && PUBLIC...KITTELL AVIATION...SIRARD SYNOPSIS...SETO WWW.WEATHER.GOV/LOSANGELES
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 330 PM PDT TUE MAY 22 2012 CAZ034>041-044>046-051>054-059-087-088-547-548-231300- 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- 330 PM PDT TUE MAY 22 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE... TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE REGION...WITH POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS OVER THE I-5 CORRIDOR...SOUTHERN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY...AND THE ANTELOPE VALLEY. STRONG STORM FORCE WINDS WILL ALSO BRING POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEA CONDITIONS TO THE WATERS OFF THE CENTRAL COAST. GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO IMPACT THE CENTRAL COAST...SANTA YNEZ VALLEY...AND THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY. THE COMBINATION OF THE STRONG WINDS AND DRY AIR WILL CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SANTA YNEZ RANGE. * 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 * * STORM WARNING..............SEE WHUS76 KLOX - MWWLOX FOR DETAILS * * MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT...SEE FZUS76 KLOX - MWSLOX FOR DETAILS * .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE REGION...WITH POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS OVER THE I-5 CORRIDOR...SOUTHERN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY...AND THE ANTELOPE VALLEY INTO EARLY THURSDAY. GUSTY BUT WEAKER WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW THROUGH FRIDAY. STRONG STORM FORCE WINDS WILL ALSO BRING POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEA CONDITIONS TO THE WATERS OFF THE CENTRAL COAST THROUGH THURSDAY. GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO IMPACT THE CENTRAL COAST...SANTA YNEZ VALLEY...AND THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY ONCE AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY. THE COMBINATION OF THE STRONG WINDS AND DRY AIR WILL CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SANTA YNEZ RANGE. * HIGH WIND WARNING..........SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * 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 * * STORM 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. KITTELL
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The RAWS sensor at Poppy Park reported a west to northwest wind gust of 60 MPH. Along 110th Street between Avenue D and AVenue G, 50 power poles were knocked down by the gusty winds.
Strong and gusty northwest to north winds were reported in the mountains of Los Angeles county. The strongest winds (gusts to 77 MPH) were reported by the ASOS at Sandberg. Other notable wind reports include Warm Springs (61-63 MPH), Camp Nine (59-65 MPH) and Whitaker Peak (60-72 MPH).
Strong and gusty northwest to north winds were reported in the mountains of Ventura county. Wind gusts in excess of 70 MPH were reported in some locations.
The RAWS sensor at Saugus reported northwest to north winds gusting between 58 and 64 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, May 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: 384135, 384139, 384140, 384136.