A building surface high over the great basin brought Santa Ana winds to Southern California on the 26th and 27th of December. Minor impacts were reported in Orange and San Diego Counties, and below the Cajon Pass.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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 building surface high over the great basin brought Santa Ana winds to Southern California on the 26th and 27th of December. Minor impacts were reported in Orange and San Diego Counties, and below the Cajon Pass.
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 26, 3:48 AM PST, 3 hours 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
348 AM PST SAT DEC 26 2015
.SYNOPSIS...
STRONG COLD SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT BASIN WILL BRING
PERIODS OF STRONG GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS ALONG AND BELOW COASTAL
MOUNTAIN SLOPES THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...STRONGEST THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. SLIGHTLY WARMER WITH WEAKER WINDS FOR SUNDAY. ANOTHER COLD LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL BRING A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS
FOR LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY EVENING. SLOW WARMING FOR THE LATTER
HALF OF NEXT WEEK WITH PERIODS OF GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS. NIGHTS
WILL REMAIN COLD THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK WITH AREAS OF
FROST IN PORTIONS OF COASTAL...VALLEY...AND LOWER DESERT
AREAS...ESPECIALLY WIND SHELTERED LOCATIONS. HIGH TEMPERATURES
WILL REMAIN BELOW AVERAGE...THEN SLOWLY WARM THE LATTER HALF OF
NEXT WEEK.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
A COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE SOUTHWEST STATES WILL MOVE
SLOWLY EASTWARD AND INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS ON SUNDAY. NORTH
WINDS ALOFT BEHIND THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND STRONG COLD
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT BASIN WILL BRING PERIODS OF
STRONG GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS ALONG AND BELOW COASTAL
MOUNTAIN SLOPES WITH THE STRONGEST AND MOST WIDESPREAD WINDS FROM
LATE THIS MORNING INTO THIS EVENING. RECENT AIRCRAFT SOUNDINGS
SHOW A STRONG SUBSIDENCE INVERSION NEAR 600 MB. THIS WILL LOWER
TO NEAR RIDGE TOP LEVEL TODAY...FAVORABLE FOR MOUNTAIN WAVE
DEVELOPMENT...ALSO SHOWN IN CROSS SECTIONS OF THE HIGHER
RESOLUTION MODELS.
HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL WARM SLIGHTLY TOWARDS TO THE COAST
AND REMAIN QUITE COOL INLAND WITH SLIGHT WARMING FOR INLAND AREAS
ON SUNDAY. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL BE QUITE COOL WITH AREAS OF FROST
IN PORTIONS OF THE VALLEYS...LOWER DESERTS...AND INLAND COASTAL
AREAS...ESPECIALLY IN WIND SHELTERED LOCATIONS.
ANOTHER COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL MOVE
THROUGH CALIFORNIA FOR SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY EVENING. THE GFS
AND ECMWF SHOW AN INITIAL SHORTWAVE MOVING INLAND THROUGH SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY MONDAY...WITH A SECOND
SHORTWAVE FOR MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THE LIMITED
AVAILABLE COVERAGE OF THE HIGHER RESOLUTION MODELS IS MORE
SUPPORTIVE OF SHOWERS WITH THE SECOND SHORTWAVE FOR MONDAY
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HOWEVER SHOWERS CANNOT BE RULED OUT FOR
LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY. WITH A VERY COOL DRY
ATMOSPHERE IN PLACE...VERY LOW SNOW LEVELS ARE POSSIBLE WITH ANY
SHOWERS THAT DEVELOP FOR LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY...LOW
ENOUGH FOR SNOW IN PORTIONS OF THE INLAND VALLEYS AND UPPER
DESERTS AS WELL AS THE MOUNTAINS.
BEHIND THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM...THERE WILL BE PERIODS OF GUSTY
NORTHEAST WINDS FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WITH SLOW WARMING OF
HIGH TEMPERATURES. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN QUITE COOL THROUGH
AROUND THURSDAY MORNING WITH AREAS OF FROST POSSIBLE IN PORTIONS
OF THE INLAND VALLEYS AND LOWER DESERTS.
&&
.AVIATION...
261030Z...THE PRIMARY FOCUS OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS WILL CONTINUE TO
BE THE STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS. AT LEAST PERIODIC IMPACTS ARE LIKELY
FOR ALL TAF SITES. AREAS OF NORTHEAST SFC WINDS 15-30 KT WITH LOCAL
GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 KT WILL OCCUR ALONG THE RIDGES AND THROUGH THE
PASSES/CANYONS. WINDS 10-15 KT AND GUSTS TO 25-30 KT MAY EXTEND ALL
THE WAY TO THE COAST...ESPECIALLY DURING THE MORNING AND EARLY
AFTERNOON. DUE TO THESE STRONG WINDS...STRONG UP/DOWNDRAFTS AND LLWS
ARE EXPECTED THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR LLWS
IMPACTS AT KSAN...KPSP...KCRQ APPEARS TO BE 12-21Z...WITH LLWS
POTENTIALLY LINGERING UNTIL 04Z AT KSNA AND KONT. WINDS WILL BEGIN
TO SLOWLY WEAKEN AFTER 06Z SUNDAY.
&&
.MARINE...
230 AM...STEEP WAVES AND NORTHEAST WINDS 15-20 KT WITH GUSTS 25-30
KT WILL IMPACT ALL AREAS OF THE COASTAL WATERS THROUGH NOON
SATURDAY. AFTER NOON...THE STRONGEST WINDS SHOULD BE FOCUSED OVER
AND SOUTH OF THE NINE MILE BANK...AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM THE 181
TO THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE. WINDS AND SEAS WILL SLOWLY DIMINISH
THIS EVENING. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONTINUES UNTIL 1 PM SATURDAY
IN THE INNER WATERS AND 1 AM SUNDAY FOR THE OUTER WATERS. WINDS WILL
INCREASE AGAIN FROM THE NORTHWEST MONDAY EVENING AS ANOTHER FRONT
MOVES THROUGH THE SOCAL BIGHT.
&&
.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 3 AM PST SUNDAY FOR ORANGE COUNTY
COASTAL AREAS-ORANGE COUNTY INLAND AREAS-RIVERSIDE COUNTY
MOUNTAINS-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SAN BERNARDINO
AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE-SAN DIEGO
COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS-SAN GORGONIO PASS
NEAR BANNING-SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS.
FROST ADVISORY FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 AM PST SUNDAY FOR
COACHELLA VALLEY-ORANGE COUNTY INLAND AREAS-SAN BERNARDINO
AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE-SAN DIEGO
COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS-SAN DIEGO
COUNTY VALLEYS-SAN GORGONIO PASS NEAR BANNING.
FROST ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR SAN BERNARDINO
AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE-SAN DIEGO
COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 3 AM PST SUNDAY FOR COACHELLA VALLEY.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY
COASTAL AREAS.
PZ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM PST SUNDAY FOR WATERS FROM SAN
MATEO POINT TO THE MEXICAN BORDER EXTENDING 30 TO 60 NM OUT
INCLUDING SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR COASTAL
WATERS FROM SAN MATEO POINT TO THE MEXICAN BORDER AND OUT
TO 30 NM.
&&
PUBLIC...17
AVIATION/MARINE...BAThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 high wind, 5 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Santiago Peak mesonet reported multiple gusts into the mid and upper 70s with a max sustained wind of 69 mph.
The Pleasants Peak mesonet station recorded multiple gusts over 70 mph and sustained winds as high as 66 mph over a 6 hour period.
Six utility poles were downed by strong winds.
The Fremont Canyon mesonet recorded a wind gust of 70 mph and sustained winds to 48 mph.
Santa Ana winds surfaced at Ontario International Airport resulting in a wind gust of 62 mph and sustained winds in the upper 30s.
A large tree was blown down by strong winds. The tree partially blocked Highway 189 near Blue Jay cutoff.
Winds toppled a tree onto a home in the 10700 Block of Holmes Ave., in Jurupa Valley.
A girl and her father were injured by a falling tree at Big Rock Park. Near by mesonet stations were reported wind gusts of 25 to 30 mph.
Multiple trees downed and blocking lanes near the intersection of Vista Del Verde and Coto De Caza Dr.
Strong winds flipped a semitrailer near the intersection of Interstate 10 and Cherry Ave.
The mesonet station at Sill Hill reported sustained winds over 50 mph for 30 min and a gust of 70 mph between 0410 and 0420PST.
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: 608674, 608671, 608657, 608672, 608668, 608666, 608669, 608646, 608673, 608667, 608649.