A strong Pacific low pressure system brought increasing wind and precipitation with a period of heavy rain the morning of the 12th and showers continued into the following morning. Significant post-frontal showers occurred in San Diego County, as well as local convergence of air around coastal islands, producing a narrow band of showers.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 SGX wrote it up.
A strong Pacific low pressure system brought increasing wind and precipitation with a period of heavy rain the morning of the 12th and showers continued into the following morning. Significant post-frontal showers occurred in San Diego County, as well as local convergence of air around coastal islands, producing a narrow band of showers. Widespread rainfall amounts of 1 to 1.5 inches were recorded in the coast and valley areas. The snow level dropped to around 6000 feet, with 2 to 5 inches of snow above 6000 feet and 6 to 8 inches above 7000 feet. Mountain locations below 6000 feet saw up to around 4 inches of rain. River rises in the San Diego River at Fashion Valley resulted in a levee breach which flooded the parking lot of Qualcomm Stadium. Several other roadways in San Diego County were closed due to flooding with mud and debris in the road, especially near the Tijuana River Valley. Most wind gusts were below 58 mph, with the exception of Burns Canyon in the upper desert. High Surf was also generated along west facing Orange and San Diego County beaches by the storm that moved through.
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 11, 9:30 PM PST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
930 PM PST THU DEC 11 2014
.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING GUSTY WINDS AND RAIN TONIGHT AND
EARLY FRIDAY WITH A PERIOD OF HEAVY RAIN LIKELY EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING. SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE
ENDING EARLY SATURDAY. SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW WILL ACCUMULATE IN THE
HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS. DRY WITH
SEASONAL WEATHER LATE SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...BUT THEN ANOTHER
STORM WILL BRING MORE PRECIPITATION NEXT TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
AT 9 PM THE LEADING EDGE OF HEAVY RAIN WAS NEARING PT CONCEPTION.
6-HOUR RAIN TOTALS OVER THE COASTAL RANGES SOUTH OF MONTEREY THROUGH
9 PM WERE IMPRESSIVE WITH WIDESPREAD 2-4" AMOUNTS. NEARLY 6" WAS
REPORTED AT BIG SUR.
THERE IS GOOD MODEL INITIALIZATION THIS EVENING OF THE STRENGTH AND
POSITION OF THE UPPER TROUGH AND THE SURFACE FEATURES. THE BAND OF
HEAVY RAIN WILL MOVE SOUTH ACROSS SANTA BARBARA AND INTO THE LA
BASIN BETWEEN 10PM AND 4AM...THEN ACROSS OUR AREA BETWEEN 4AM AND
10AM FRIDAY. BOTH THE GLOBAL MODELS AND THE LOCAL HIGH RESOLUTION
MODELS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT WITH THE TRACK AND TIMING FOR SEVERAL
DAYS NOW. MAIN IMPACTS FRIDAY MORNING WITH BE TWOFOLD: WIND AND
RAIN.
WIND: HIGH PROBABILITY FOR A FEW HOURS OF ANOMALOUSLY STRONG SOUTH
WINDS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY. A
STRONG MID LEVEL JET PRECEDES THE COLD FRONT TONIGHT WITH 850 MB
WINDS PEAKING AT 50KT BETWEEN 12-15Z. SSE SURFACE WINDS EARLY
TONIGHT WILL SHIFT SOUTH AND ACCELERATE THROUGH DAYBREAK AS THE COLD
FRONT APPROACHES. CONFLUENT FLOW ALONG THE COLD FRONT WILL BRING A
BURST OF STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS TO THE COASTAL WATERS AND TO THE
COASTAL AND VALLEY ZONES BETWEEN 4AM AND 9AM FRIDAY. A PERIOD OF
STRONG SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20-30 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 40-45 MPH IS
LIKELY DURING THIS TIME. A FAVORABLE LOW LEVEL DIRECTIONAL SHEAR
PROFILE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS OF ORANGE AND SAN DIEGO COUNTIES IN
THE PRE-DAWN HOURS FRIDAY COULD GENERATE A WATERSPOUT. THIS
MODERATELY STRONG 0-3KM SHEAR PROFILE MOVES INLAND AROUND DAYBREAK
AND WEAKENS...BUT IT POSSIBLE A WATERSPOUT COULD MOVE ASHORE ALONG
THE COAST EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. WILL BECOME WESTERLY BY 9 AM AND
DECREASE TO 20-25 KNOTS...ENDING THE STRONG WIND THREAT.
RAINFALL: NO CHANGES WITH THE TIMING OR RAINFALL AMOUNTS WITH THIS
UPDATE. PREFRONTAL LIGHT RAIN HAS MOVED INTO VENTURA COUNTY THIS
EVENING AND WILL SLOWLY DRIFT EAST ACROSS LA AND SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY THROUGH 4 AM. A BAND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN WILL ACCOMPANY
THE COLD FRONT AS IT MOVES ACROSS SOCAL BETWEEN 4AM AND 9AM FRIDAY.
THIS IS WHEN RAIN RATES OF UP TO ONE-HALF INCH PER HOUR ARE MOST
LIKELY...WITH HIGHER RATES IN THE OROGRAPHICALLY ENHANCED MOUNTAIN
AREAS DUE TO THE STRONG SOUTH WINDS AND MIDLEVEL SATURATION.
AFTER COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE THERE WILL BE A BRIEF BREAK FRIDAY
AFTERNOON BEFORE THE MAIN LONG WAVE TROUGH WITH EMBEDDED SHORTWAVES
MOVES THROUGH. 500 MB TEMPS FALL TO -25C AND INCREASE CONVECTIVE
POTENTIAL. A THUNDERSTORM IS ALSO POSSIBLE. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS
MAY IMPACT DEBRIS FLOW/FLASH FLOODING IN/BELOW BURN AREAS. A FLASH
FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SANTA ANA MTNS/SAN DIEGO COUNTY
VALLEYS/RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS FOR THE BURN SCARS. ISLAND
BANDING WILL OCCUR IN THE WEST FLOW WITH LOW-LEVEL
INSTABILITY/SATURATION IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOR EXTRA PRECIP FRIDAY
NIGHT. TOTAL PRECIP THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING WILL AVERAGE AROUND ONE
INCH NEAR THE COAST...1-2 INCHES IN THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS WITH
LOCAL AMOUNTS OVER 3 INCHES ON S/SSW FACING SLOPES. THE DESERTS
SHOULD AVERAGE ABOUT ONE-HALF INCH AS MOISTURE WILL BE DEEP
ENOUGH...TO 600 MB OR HIGHER...TO PRODUCE PRECIP THERE.
SNOWFALL: SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL FROM 8000 FEET EARLY FRIDAY TO 6000
FEET FRIDAY AFTERNOON...THEN 5000-6000 FEET FRIDAY NIGHT. 2-5 INCHES
OF SNOW ARE POSSIBLE IN THE SHOWERS OVER SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
MOUNTAINS...WITH LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS ON HIGHEST PEAKS...WITH
SMALL AMOUNTS OF SNOW POSSIBLE IN RIVERSIDE/SAN DIEGO COUNTY
MOUNTAINS. SNOW LEVELS WILL BE CLOSER TO 6000 FEET IN SAN DIEGO
COUNTY...BUT ISLAND BANDING COULD CONTRIBUTE TO SOME SNOW NEAR THE
PEAKS THERE.
WEAK RIDGING SATURDAY NIGHT WILL BRING DRY...MILD WEATHER SUNDAY
INTO MONDAY. THE ACTIVE PACIFIC JET STREAM THEN DIPS SOUTH ALONG THE
COAST BRINGING IN A MODERATELY STRONG STORM TROUGH THIS IS GETTING A
LITTLE DEEPER AND STRONGER WITH EACH PASSING MODEL RUN. SHOWERS ARE
LOOKING MORE AND MORE LIKELY TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. A THIRD PACIFIC
TROUGH WILL BRING ANOTHER CHANCE FOR RAIN NEXT WEEKEND.
&&
.AVIATION...
120400Z...STRATUS...WITH BASES FROM 2500-3500 FT MSL AND TOPS NEAR
4500 FT MSL...WILL CONTINUE WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING. A
COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION TONIGHT...LOWERING VIS AND
CEILINGS IN SHOWERS. THE FRONT WILL MOVE FROM NORTHWEST TO
SOUTHEAST...AND IMPACT ALL AERODROMES IN SW CA. ISOLATED TO
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AFTER THE FRONT
PASSES...WITH CONDITIONS IMPROVING BY LATE SATURDAY MORNING. VARIOUS
CLOUD DECKS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. SOUTHERLY WIND
GUSTS TO 35 KT WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT ALONG THE COAST AND
VALLEYS...WHILE PORTIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS COULD SEE
GUSTS NEAR 50 KT. WINDS WILL SLOWLY DIMINISH THROUGH THE DAY ON
FRIDAY...AND BECOME WESTERLY ONCE THE FRONT PASSES.
&&
.MARINE...
800 PM...SEAS WILL CONTINUE TO RISE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK AS A
SERIES OF ELEVATED WEST-NORTHWEST SWELLS ENTER THE REGION...AND THE
LARGEST OF THE SET ENTER THE COASTAL WATERS TONIGHT. COMBINED SEAS
OF 10 TO 13 FEET ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT THROUGH THIS WEEKEND...MAINLY
OVER THE OUTER COASTAL WATERS. SOUTH WINDS GUSTING NEAR 35 KT ARE
EXPECTED AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT TONIGHT INTO FRI MORNING...WITH WEST
WINDS GUSTING TO NEAR 20 KT BEHIND THE FRONT FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY BE HAZARDOUS TO SMALL CRAFT DURING
THIS TIME. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN ON SATURDAY. A SMALL CRAFT
ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR THE SEAS AND
WIND.
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FRIDAY MORNING AS THE COLD
FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS. CLOUD-TO-WATER
LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL...HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY AND ERRATIC WINDS...AND
A WATERSPOUT WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR THUNDERSTORMS. A MARINE WEATHER
STATEMENT HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COASTAL WATERS FOR FRIDAY AND
FRIDAY NIGHT.
&&
.BEACHES...
800 PM...SURF WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE ALONG SAN DIEGO AND ORANGE
COUNTY BEACHES...BECOMING 7 TO 10 FEET WITH LOCAL SETS TO 14 FEET ON
FRIDAY. STRONG RIP CURRENTS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD...WITH
BEACH EROSION POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. SWELL AND SURF WILL
BEGIN TO SUBSIDE EARLY NEXT WEEK.
&&
.SKYWARN...
SKYWARN ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUESTED EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. WEATHER
SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER.
&&
.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY
COASTAL AREAS...SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY
VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE...SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL
AREAS...SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS...SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND
FOOTHILLS.
BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR THE BEACHES IN
THE ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS...SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL
AREAS.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 4 AM FRIDAY TO 10 PM PST SATURDAY FOR
THE ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS...SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL
AREAS.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 AM FRIDAY TO 6 AM PST SATURDAY
FOR THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 AM FRIDAY FOR THE APPLE AND LUCERNE
VALLEYS...SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT
FOR THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS...SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND
FOOTHILLS.
PZ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST SATURDAY FOR THE COASTAL
WATERS FROM SAN MATEO POINT TO THE MEXICAN BORDER AND OUT
30 NM...WATERS FROM SAN MATEO POINT TO THE MEXICAN BORDER
EXTENDING 30 TO 60 NM OUT INCLUDING SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND.
&&
PUBLIC...MOEDE
AVIATION/MARINE/BEACHES...JJTThe Edwards AFB radar (KEYX), 129 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:58 UTC.
6 flood, 2 high surf, 1 high wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Burns Canyon RAWS reported high winds between 0151-0451 PST on the 12th. During this time, winds were sustained out of the southwest at 40-50 mph. The peak gust of 76 mph was recorded between 0151-0251 PST.
Streets just south of Garden Grove were closed due to flooding, as reported by the Orange County Skywarn coordinator. The nearby Anaheim Barber City mesonet station reported a 3-hour rainfall total of 1.22 inches.
KOGO radio reported flooding along Highway 78 and El Camino Real. An NWS employee reported around an inch of standing water on Interstate 5 stretching from Camp Pendleton, south to Highway 78.
A spotter reported flooding on Bastanchury Road with streets under up to a foot of standing water. Flooding was also reported by a spotter at the Miraloma and Lakeview Avenue low water crossing with 6 inches of water on the roadway. A nearby mesonet station in Yorba Linda recorded a 3-hour rain total of 1.06 inches.
KOGO radio reported a flooded ramp onto Interstate 5 near National City.
News10 reported a levee breech along the San Diego River near Qualcomm stadium, releasing large amounts of water into the parking area. At the time, the San Diego River stage was at 4.1 feet at the nearby Fashion Valley gage.
Surfline reports surf of 5 to 8 feet at Huntington Beach.
Solana Beach lifeguards reported 5 to 8 foot surf. Oceanside Beach lifeguards reported 5 to 7 foot surf. Mission Beach lifeguards reported 6 to 8 foot surf. Moonlight Beach lifeguards reported 6 to 8 foot surf.
The Country Club Road webcam shows the road closed and water flowing over roadway at the Escondido Creek crossing.
Quarry Road was flooded with several inches of flowing water per a county flood control webcam. The road was closed as a result.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2014
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: 552537, 552587, 552601, 552597, 552602, 552603, 552599, 552600, 552604, 552605.