California, 2013High Wind in California, December 7, 2013
December 7, 2013 · NWS SGX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones
On the 7th, a deep trough of low pressure dug southward through the Great Basin, bringing gusty winds, rain, mountain snow and a reinforcing shot of cold air to the region. 5 inches of rain in the foothills of the San Bernardino County mountains.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
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.
On the 7th, a deep trough of low pressure dug southward through the Great Basin, bringing gusty winds, rain, mountain snow and a reinforcing shot of cold air to the region. The coast and valley locations measured between one-tenth and one-third of an inch, with up to 1.5 inches of rain in the foothills of the San Bernardino County mountains. The snow level was higher with this event, hovering around 5000 feet. Snowfall reports were generally 2 to 8 inches, with the heaviest amounts in Pine Cove and Running Springs. The strongest westerly winds occurred in the mountains of San Diego and Riverside Counties with several peak gusts over 65 mph.
What forecasters said that day
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 San Diego, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 7, 3:00 AM PST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 7, 3:00 AM PST, 4 hours 30 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
300 AM PST SAT DEC 7 2013
.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FROM THE NORTH WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA THROUGH TONIGHT. IT WILL BRING RAIN SHOWERS WEST OF THE
MOUNTAINS AND SNOW SHOWERS IN THE MOUNTAINS. IT WILL ALSO BRING
STRONG GUSTY WEST WINDS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS THROUGH
TONIGHT. FOR MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...DRY AND A LITTLE WARMER WITH
PERIODS OF GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS NEAR THE COASTAL FOOTHILLS. WEAKER
WINDS FOR THURSDAY...THEN SLOW COOLING WITH INCREASING ONSHORE FLOW
INTO NEXT WEEKEND.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
.SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH MONDAY)...
A COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FROM THE NORTH WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA THROUGH TONIGHT. SHOWERS WILL SPREAD SOUTHWARD ALONG AND
WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS THIS MORNING WITH GREATEST COVERAGE AND
AMOUNTS THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWERS WILL DECREASE DURING THE EVENING.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM ONE TENTH TO ONE QUARTER
INCH NEAR THE COAST TO ONE HALF TO ONE INCH IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH
LOCALLY GREATER AMOUNTS.
THE SNOW LEVEL WILL BE NEAR 3000 TO 3500 FEET WITH 2 TO 4 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL ABOVE 3500 FEET AND 4 TO 8 INCHES ABOVE 5000 FEET. LOCALLY
GREATER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE ON THE HIGHEST PEAKS...MAINLY ABOVE
7000 FEET.
IT WILL ALSO BRING STRONG GUSTY WEST WINDS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND
DESERTS THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS
MORNING...PEAK THIS AFTERNOON EARLY EVENING...THEN DECREASE LATE
TONIGHT.
BEHIND THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM...OFFSHORE NORTHEAST WINDS COULD
GUST TO NEAR WARNING STRENGTH...TO AROUND 60 MPH IN THE NORMALLY
WINDIER LOCATIONS BELOW THE CAJON PASS AND IN THE COASTAL FOOTHILLS
OF THE SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS.
WIND SHELTERED AREAS IN THE VALLEYS COULD SEE FROST EARLY SUNDAY
MORNING AND AGAIN LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING.
&&
.LONG TERM (TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)...
FOR TUESDAY...GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS SHOULD WEAKEN SLIGHTLY WITH SLOW
WARMING. SLOW WARMING WILL CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WITH
WEAKENING WINDS. ANOTHER TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL BRING SOME
COOLING TOWARD THE END OF NEXT WEEK WITH STILL A DECENT AMOUNT OF
MODEL SPREAD WITH THE DETAILS.
&&
.AVIATION...
071009Z...COAST/VALLEYS/MTNS...BKN CLDS AND UNRESTRICTED VIS
3500-7000 FT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 1500 UTC. 1500-08/0300
UTC...WIDESPREAD SHOWERS MOVING INTO THE FORECAST AREA FROM
NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST...WITH BKN-OVC CLD LAYERS FROM 2500 TO 10000
FT MSL...AREAS OF VIS 2-5SM...LOCAL VIS/CIGS AOB 1SM/1200 FT MSL AND
MTN OBSCURATION. FREEZING LEVEL WILL LOWER TO AROUND 3500 FT...WITH
SNOW AND ICING POSSIBLE ABOVE THAT LEVEL. AFTER 08/0300
UTC...SHOWERS DIMINISHING...WITH MOSTLY UNRESTRICTED VIS AND BKN-SCT
CLDS 3500-6000 FT MSL.
DESERTS...PRIMARILY UNRESTRICTED VIS...WITH FEW-SCT CLDS 4000-7000
FT MSL THROUGH 1700 UTC...BECOMING BKN-OVC CLDS 4000-9000 FT MSL
DURING THE 1700-08/0000 UTC TIME-FRAME...THEN FEW-SCT CLDS 4000-7000
FT MSL AFTER 08/0000 UTC. A FEW SHOWERS MAY BRING SOME LOCAL
VIS/CIGS 4-6SM/3000 FT MSL DURING THE 1700-08/0000 UTC TIME-PERIOD.
FOR THE MTN RIDGE-TOPS...DESERT SLOPES AND PORTIONS OF THE ADJACENT
DESERT AREAS...W TO SW WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN SIGNIFICANTLY EARLY
THIS MORNING...WITH WIND GUSTS PEAKING AT 40-50 KT DURING THE
1800-08/0900 UTC TIME-FRAME...AND THEN WINDS DIMINISHING AFTER
08/0900 UTC. THIS WILL RESULT IN STG-SVR UDDFS/ROTORS/LLWS OVER AND
E OR NE OF THE MTNS...AS WELL AS LOCAL VIS AOB 5SM IN BLOWING
DUST/SAND IN THE DESERTS. SFC WINDS DO NOT LOOK TO BE OVERLY STRONG
AT KPSP OR KTRM HOWEVER.
&&
.MARINE...
A COLD TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TODAY
WILL BRING WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25-30 KT AND STEEP
SEAS AS HIGH AS 9-11 FEET IN SOME LOCATIONS...RESULTING IN ROUGH AND
HAZARDOUS BOATING CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY
FOR BOTH THE INNER AND OUTER SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL WATERS GOES
INTO EFFECT AT 8 AM. WINDS AND SEAS WILL START TO DIMINISH SUNDAY
MORNING...WITH CONDITIONS CONTINUING TO IMPROVE AS THE DAY GOES ON.
A MODERATE WEST-NORTHWEST SWELL WILL ARRIVE MONDAY AND PEAK
TUESDAY...BRINGING ELEVATED SURF AND STRONG RIP CURRENTS TO EXPOSED
WEST-FACING BEACHES.
&&
SKYWARN ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED. HOWEVER WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS.
&&
.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 PM PST THIS
EVENING FOR THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS...SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY MOUNTAINS...SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 4 AM EARLY THIS MORNING TO 4 AM PST
SUNDAY FOR THE COACHELLA VALLEY...SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 4 AM EARLY THIS MORNING TO MIDNIGHT PST
TONIGHT FOR THE APPLE AND LUCERNE VALLEYS.
PZ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 AM PST SUNDAY
FOR THE WATERS FROM SAN MATEO POINT TO THE MEXICAN BORDER
EXTENDING 30 TO 60 NM OUT INCLUDING SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 3 AM PST SUNDAY
FOR THE COASTAL WATERS FROM SAN MATEO POINT TO THE MEXICAN
BORDER AND OUT 30 NM.
&&
PUBLIC...17
AVIATION/MARINE...HARRISONHigh Wind, San Diego County Mountains
- When
- December 7, 7:30 AM PST to 11:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Diego County Mountains forecast zone
- Measured
- 79 kt (91 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High winds began at the Volcan Mountain SDGE mesonet between 0740-0750 PST on the 7th and ended between 2250-2300 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained 40-55 mph with most gusts 60-70 mph. A peak gust of 79 mph was measured between 1620-1630 PST. |High winds began at the Harrison Park SDGE mesonet between 0740-0750 PST on the 7th and ended between 2010-2020 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained 40-50 mph with gusts 55-65 mph. A peak gust of 66 mph was measured between 1640-1650 PST. |High winds began at the Lucky Five Ranch SDGE mesonet between 1500-1510 PST on the 7th and ended between 1740-1750 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained 40-45 mph. A peak gust of 62 mph was measured between 1520-1530 PST. |High winds began at the Julian 2E mesonet between 1519-1524 PST on the 7th and ended between 1658-1703 PST the same day. During this time, a peak gust of 58 mph was measured four times.
High Wind, Apple and Lucerne Valleys
- When
- December 7, 9:30 AM PST to 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Apple and Lucerne Valleys forecast zone
- Measured
- 67 kt (77 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- RAWS
- Coordinates
- 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High winds began at the Burns Canyon RAWS between 0951-1051 PST on the 7th and ended between 1551-1651 PST the same day. During this time, winds were sustained 35-45 mph with gusts over 60 mph. A peak gust of 77 mph was measured between 1151-1251 PST.
High Wind, Coachella Valley
- When
- December 7, 3:00 PM PST to 9:00 PM PST
- Where
- Coachella Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High winds began at the Sky Valley mesonet between 1536-1541 PST on the 7th and ended between 1936-1941 PST the same day. During this time, winds gusted over 60 mph off and on, with a peak gust of 73 mph measured between 1541-1546 PST and a secondary peak gust of 72 mph between 1651-1701 PST. |High winds occurred at the Boyd Deep Canyon mesonet between 1900-1930 PST on the 7th. During this time, winds were sustained 30-35 mph with gusts 60-64 mph with the peak gust of 64 mph measured between 1500-1510 PST. |High winds occurred at the Whitewater RAWS between 1850-2050 PST on the 7th. During this time, winds were sustained around 40 mph with a peak gust of 58 mph measured between 1950-2050 PST.
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Tennessee, December 7 to 8, 20131 death · $145,000 · 12 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Nebraska, December 7 to 8, 20131 death · 6 events
- Heavy Snow in Idaho, December 7, 20131 death · 2 events
- Winter Weather in Texas, December 7, 2013$100,000 · 1 event
- Winter Weather in Arkansas, December 7 to 8, 201335 events
- Extreme Cold in Oregon, December 7 to 8, 201322 events
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Colorado, December 7 to 8, 201320 events
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Tennessee, December 7 to 8, 201317 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Nebraska, December 7 to 8, 201314 events
- Winter Storm in Utah, December 7 to 9, 201311 events
- Winter Weather in Mississippi, December 7 to 8, 20139 events
- Extreme Cold in Minnesota, December 7, 20138 events
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: 489622, 489623, 489624.