Two upper level toughs moved through Southern California between the 10th and 14th of December. The stronger of the two impacted the region from the 12th to the 14th.
Every event with a place to put it; 18 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.
Two upper level toughs moved through Southern California between the 10th and 14th of December. The stronger of the two impacted the region from the 12th to the 14th. The troughs produced gusty onshore winds, rain, snow, and a few weak thunderstorms. Precipitation totals for the event ranged from 0.25 to 0.50 inches of rain at the coast to 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain along the coastal slopes, with up to 6 inches of snow above 7000 ft. A large northwest swell and high astronomical (King) tides also occurred, resulting in some minor coastal flooding.
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, 9:15 AM PST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
915 AM PST FRI DEC 11 2015
.SYNOPSIS...
A WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE TO BRING COLD...WINDY WEATHER WITH
SCATTERED SHOWERS...AND A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS LATER TODAY.
SHOWERS MOVE SOUTHEAST TONIGHT...THEN FAIR AND WARMER OVER THE
WEEKEND BEFORE ANOTHER TROUGH BRINGS MORE GUSTY WINDS AND SHOWERS
SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. COOL BUT DRY WEATHER WILL
FOLLOW FOR TUESDAY THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY.
&&
DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING
ORANGE... SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTIES...
ISOLATED SHOWERS CONTINUE ACROSS THE REGION...MOSTLY OVER AND WEST
OF THE MTNS. WINDS ARE INCREASING OUT OF THE WEST AND IS CURRENTLY
PEAKING WITH 65 MPH WINDS ACROSS THE MTN RIDGES OF RIVERSIDE AND SAN
DIEGO COUNTIES. SEVERAL LOCATIONS REPORTED WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 66
MPH IN THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS...AND THE HIGHEST GUST WAS 52 MPH IN
THE PAST HOUR.
THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH OUR AREA BETWEEN 11 AM AND 2 PM.
WHILE SHOWERS WILL NOT NECESSARILY INCREASE IN NUMBER...STRONGER
DYNAMIC FORCING AND INCREASING INSTABILITY DUE TO COLD AIR ALOFT
WILL GENERATE HEAVIER SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. OROGRAPHIC
LIFT WILL ENHANCE PRECIPITATION ALONG THE WEST SLOPES OF THE
RIVERSIDE AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS WHERE RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY
APPROACH ONE INCH. ELSEWHERE...RAIN TOTALS WILL BE 0.20-0.50 INCH
WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS...0.50-1.00 INCH IN THE MOUNTAINS...AND LESS
THAN 0.10 INCH IN THE DESERTS. THE SNOW LEVEL IS CURRENTLY 5500-6500
FT. THIS SHOULD DROP TO AROUND 4500-5500 FT THIS AFTERNOON...AND
EVENING. AROUND 2-4 INCHES OF SNOW ARE POSSIBLE ABOVE 7000 FT...1 TO
3 INCHES BETWEEN 6000-7000 FT...AND A TRACE TO 1 INCH AT 4500-6000
FT.
GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TODAY. WINDS ARE
PEAKING IN THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS THIS MORNING...AND WILL PEAK
ALONG THE COAST LATER THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON WITH THE
PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT. HIGH WIND WARNINGS AND WIND ADVISORIES
REMAIN IN PLACE FOR THE MOUNTAINS...DESERTS...AND COASTAL AREAS
THROUGH THIS EVENING.
AS THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS SHIFTS EAST TONIGHT...SUBSIDENCE
ALOFT WILL BRING AN END TO THE SHOWERS BY EARLY SAT MORNING. DRY
WEATHER WITH MARGINALLY HIGHER TEMPERATURES WILL PREVAIL FOR SAT AND
SUN UNDER A WEAK TRANSIENT HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE. ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE
TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT INTO
MONDAY...BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND STRONG WINDS. THIS
SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH PRETTY QUICKLY AND DOES NOT HAVE MUCH IN THE
WAY OF MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH IT...SO AGAIN NOT EXPECTING LARGE
RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS. SNOW LEVELS WILL BE AROUND 4500-5500 FT WITH
THIS SYSTEM. COOL BUT DRIER WEATHER WILL PREVAIL FOR
TUESDAY...FOLLOWED BY SLOW WARMING AND WEAK OFFSHORE FLOW THROUGH
THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK WEEK.
&&
.AVIATION...
111640Z...CURRENTLY...A FEW AREAS OF LIGHT SHOWERS MOVING TO THE
SOUTHEAST...WITH BKN-SCT CLOUDS IN THE 2000-8000 FT MSL LAYER...WITH
PRIMARILY UNRESTRICTED VIS EXCEPT FOR MTN OBSCURATION OF THE COASTAL
SLOPES. CLOUDS AND SHOWERS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA...MAINLY
OVER AND WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS...THROUGH 2200-12/0000 UTC...WITH
MERGING CLOUD DECKS IN THE 2000-15000 FT MSL LAYER AND EMBEDDED ISOL
THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE...PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...LOCAL VIS AOB
1 SM...SMALL HAIL AND STRONG DOWNDRAFTS. CB TOPS TO 25000 FT MSL.
MTN OBSCURATION OF COASTAL SLOPES CONTINUING. SHOWERS AND CLOUDS
DIMINISHING 12/0000-1200 UTC...WITH MOSTLY UNRESTRICTED VIS EXCEPT
FOR POSSIBLE GROUND FOG IN SOME OF THE VALLEY AND MOUNTAIN
LOCATIONS.
STRONG W TO NW WINDS 15-30 KT WITH GUSTS 35-45 KT OVER MTN
RIDGES...THROUGH AND BELOW PASSES/CANYONS...ALONG DESERT SLOPES AND
INTO ADJACENT DESERT AREAS WILL CREATE MOD-STG UDDFS/LLWS OVER AND E
OF THE MTNS THROUGH 12/0300 UTC. ALSO...WINDS AT THE COAST COULD GET
GUSTY AS WELL...WITH 30 KT GUSTS POSSIBLE AT KSAN 2000-12/0200 UTC.
WINDS AND ASSOCIATED UDDFS/LLWS DIMINISHING AFTER 12/0300 UTC.
&&
.MARINE...
840 AM...NORTHWEST WINDS AT SAN CLEMENTE BASIN BUOY SHOW WINDS
SUSTAINED AT 16 KT AND GUSTING TO 21 KT WITH SEAS UP TO 9 FEET.
NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THIS MORNING...AND
LATEST GUIDANCE FROM THE HRRR AND WRF-EMS SHOWS WIDESPREAD GALE-
FORCE WINDS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR BOTH THE INNER AND OUTER
WATERS...WITH WIND GUSTS OF 35 KT LIKELY. IN ADDITION...A LARGE
NORTHWEST SWELL AND STEEP SHORT-PERIOD SWELL...IN ADDITION TO
LOCALLY GENERATED WIND WAVES...WILL CREATE COMBINED SEAS 8 TO 15
FEET THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY. THE STRONG WINDS AND
STEEP SEAS WILL RESULT IN ROUGH AND DANGEROUS SEA CONDITIONS. A GALE
WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR BOTH THE INNER AND OUTER WATERS. SEE
LAXMWWSGX FOR DETAILS. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL LOWER EARLY SATURDAY...
SEAS AT 10 FEET OR GREATER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH LATE SATURDAY
BEFORE LOWERING FURTHER. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE LIKELY
TODAY...WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON...WITH
POSSIBLE WATERSPOUTS. SEE THE MARINE WEATHER
STATEMENT...LAXMWSSGX...FOR MORE DETAILS.
ANOTHER LARGE 9-11 FOOT NORTHWEST SWELL WITH 8-13 SECOND PERIODS AND
STRONG NORTHWESTERLY WIND GUSTS OF 25-35 KT WILL BE POSSIBLE MONDAY
INTO EARLY TUESDAY...AS WELL AS SOME SHOWERS...AS ANOTHER STORM
SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE REGION.
&&
.BEACHES...
840 AM...LATEST READINGS FROM THE SAN CLEMENTE BASIN BUOY SHOWS
NORTHWEST WAVE HEIGHTS/PERIODS AT 9 FEET/14 SECONDS...WITH 7 FOOT/13
SECONDS SEAS OVER THE NEARSHORE WATERS. A LARGE LONG-PERIOD
NORTHWEST SWELL WILL BUILD TODAY AND PRODUCE HIGH SURF THROUGH
SUNDAY MORNING...WITH SURF SETS PEAKING AT 10-12 FEET THIS AFTERNOON
AND SATURDAY ALONG BEACHES NORTH OF NEWPORT BEACH IN ORANGE COUNTY
AND SETS 11 TO 13 FEET...OCCASIONALLY 15 FEET...SOUTH OF OCEANSIDE
IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY. A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR
ORANGE COUNTY WHILE A HIGH SURF WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SAN
DIEGO COUNTY WHERE DAMAGING SURF COULD OCCUR.
STRONG ONSHORE WINDS AND HIGH TIDES REACHING 7 FT DURING THE MID-
MORNING HOURS FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WILL COMBINE WITH THE LARGE SURF
TO THREATEN BEACHES WITH MINOR TO LOCALLY MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING
AND EROSION. FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS...SEE THE HIGH SURF
WARNING...HIGH SURF ADVISORY AND COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY...LAXCFWSGX.
THERE IS ALSO A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS AT THE BEACHES ON
THIS AFTERNOON AND POSSIBLY EARLY EVENING.
ADDITIONAL HIGH SURF IS POSSIBLE MONDAY WITH AN 11 FOOT/13 SECOND
NORTHWEST SWELL.
&&
.SKYWARN...
SKYWARN ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED. HOWEVER WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS.
&&
.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST FRIDAY FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY
MOUNTAINS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SAN GORGONIO PASS NEAR
BANNING.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM PST FRIDAY FOR APPLE AND LUCERNE
VALLEYS-COACHELLA VALLEY-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS.
WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON TO 8 PM PST FRIDAY FOR ORANGE COUNTY
COASTAL AREAS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 3 AM FRIDAY TO NOON PST SUNDAY FOR
ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS.
HIGH SURF WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST SUNDAY FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY
COASTAL AREAS.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST SUNDAY FOR ORANGE COUNTY
COASTAL AREAS.
PZ...GALE WARNING UNTIL 10 AM PST SUNDAY FOR COASTAL WATERS
FROM SAN MATEO POINT TO THE MEXICAN BORDER AND OUT TO 30 NM-
WATERS FROM SAN MATEO POINT TO THE MEXICAN BORDER EXTENDING
30 TO 60 NM OUT INCLUDING SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND.
&&
PUBLIC...PG
AVIATION/BEACHES/MARINE...HARRISONPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
951 AM PST FRI DEC 11 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0451 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 NNE CATHEDRAL CITY 33.87N 116.43W
12/11/2015 M64 MPH RIVERSIDE CA MESONET
WIND GUST TO 55 MPH AT ABOUT 3 AM. PEAK GUST OF 64 MPH AT
ABOUT 5 AM.
&&
PGONSAThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 high surf, 5 coastal flood, 4 high wind, 1 flood, 1 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Ocean Beach pier was closed for two days due to 12 to 13 ft sets. Minor damage to a pier railing and a flipped over a concrete bench were reported.
CHP reported roadway flooding with rocks and debris in the road. Water undermined power poles along the side of the road.
A strong burst of northwest winds produced near zero visibility and a 54 mph wind gust in Palm Springs.
Huntington Beach lifeguards reported 7 to 10 ft surf at the Huntington Beach Pier.
Newport Beach lifeguards reported 7 to 9 ft surf.
San Clemente City lifeguards reported 7 to 9 ft surf.
Solana Beach lifeguards reported 7 to 10 ft surf.
The Mission Beach lifeguards reported 7 to 10 ft surf.
Minor coastal flooding near the intersections of Ocean Front Rd. and 24th, 23rd, 19th, 18th, and 17th in Del Mar. Flooding was due to surf greater than 7 ft and astronomical high tide near 6.5 ft.
Minor coastal flooding of the south end of Seacoast Dr. in Imperial Beach, due to surf greater than 7 ft and an astronomical high tide near 6.5 ft.
Minor coastal flooding of the La Jolla Shores boardwalk. The surf was greater than 7 ft with a high tide near 6.5 feet.
Minor coastal flooding of the strand in Oceanside Beach. Surf in excess of 7 ft and a high tide near 6.5 ft were the primary causes.
Minor coastal flooding occurred along the boardwalk in Pacific Beach, from Pacific Beach Dr. to Santa Clara Place. Surf greater than 7 ft and a high tide near 6.5 ft were occurring at the time.
Three male surfers were rescued from the rocks at Sunset Cliffs. Two of the surfers suffered minor injuries, while the third suffered significant injuries to his head and neck.
Surf of 8 to 12 ft was reported at Blacks Beach.
The Anza Borrego Desert mesonet reported multiple wind gusts to 59 mph.
Multiple gusts to 59 mph were reported at the Borrego Springs mesonet.
The Burns Canyon mesonet station reported a sustained wind of 57 mph and a peak wind gust of 80 mph between 1851 and 1951PST. Additional gusts in the 60 to 75 mph range were reported between 1751 and 2351PST.
The Volcan Mt. mesonet reported a wind gust of 71 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2015
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: 608516, 608496, 608498, 608511, 608512, 608513, 608514, 608515, 608520, 608523, 608555, 608558, 608559, 608518, 608519, 608081, 608632, 608079, 608080.