California, 2013

High Wind in California, October 4 to 5, 2013

October 4 to 5, 2013 · NWS LOX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Strong surface high pressure across the Great Basin generated strong Santa Ana winds across Southern California. The strongest winds occurred across Ventura and Los Angeles counties where northeast wind gusts as high as 90 MPH were recorded.

Where it happened

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.

  • 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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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS LOX wrote it up.

Strong surface high pressure across the Great Basin generated strong Santa Ana winds across Southern California. The strongest winds occurred across Ventura and Los Angeles counties where northeast wind gusts as high as 90 MPH were recorded.

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 Los Angeles, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 3, 2:20 PM PST, 12 hours 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 3, 2:20 PM PST, 12 hours 33 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 3, 1:36 PM PST, 13 hours 17 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Los Angeles County Mountains Excluding the Santa Monica Range

When
October 4, 2:53 AM PST to October 5, 6:55 PM PST
Where
Los Angeles County Mountains Excluding the Santa Monica Range forecast zone
Measured
57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS

Strong northeast winds developed across the mountains of Los Angeles county. Some wind observations from local RAWS stations include: Chilao (Sustained 48 MPH/Gusts 63 MPH), Warm Springs (Sustained 52 MPH/Gusts 66 MPH) and Camp Nine (Gusts 65 MPH).

High Wind, Ventura County Mountains

When
October 4, 2:53 AM PST to October 5, 6:55 PM PST
Where
Ventura County Mountains forecast zone
Measured
57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet

Strong northeast winds developed across the mountains of Ventura county. Wind gusts in excess of 60 MPH were reported across the area.

High Wind, Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area

When
October 4, 7:54 AM PST to October 5, 6:49 AM PST
Where
Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area forecast zone
Measured
78 kt (90 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet

Strong northeast winds developed across the Santa Monica Mountains. The sensor at Laguna Peak reported sustained winds as high as 54 MPH and wind gusts as high as 90 MPH.

High Wind, Santa Clarita Valley

When
October 4, 7:56 AM PST to October 5, 7:56 AM PST
Where
Santa Clarita Valley forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
34.198, -118.261 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong north to northeast winds developed across the Santa Clarita Valley. The RAWS sensor at Newhall Pass reported wind gusts as high as 63 MPH.

High Wind, Ventura County Coastal Valleys

When
October 4, 8:49 AM PST to October 5, 6:49 PM PST
Where
Ventura County Coastal Valleys forecast zone
Measured
62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS

Strong northeast winds developed across the coastal valleys of Ventura county. The RAWS sensor at Wiley Ridge reported sustained winds as high as 52 MPH and wind gusts as high as 71 MPH.

What these are

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.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in California, October 2013

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 476722, 476723, 476724, 476725, 476726.