A strong trough moved inland along the California Coast on the 31st. The trough was accompanied by a surface low that rapidly deepened in the Southern California Bight and an exceptionally strong Pacific Cold Front.
Every event with a place to put it; 16 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 trough moved inland along the California Coast on the 31st. The trough was accompanied by a surface low that rapidly deepened in the Southern California Bight and an exceptionally strong Pacific Cold Front. A broken line of thunderstorms formed along the leading edge of the front, and combined with post frontal winds to produce extensive wind damage over the coast and valleys. The County of San Diego received over 500 calls for downed trees. While the wind were the main player with this system, significant precipitation was observed. A remnant atmospheric river produced efficient orographic effects, resulting in 2.5 to 4.5 inches of rain along the west and south-facing slopes. Snow levels fell as low as 4000 ft, with moderate accumulations above 6000 ft.
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 Jan 31, 9:00 AM PST, 2 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
900 AM PST SUN JAN 31 2016
.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CREATE PERIODS OF STRONG WESTERLY WINDS
THROUGH MONDAY...WITH STRONGEST AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS
TONIGHT. LIGHT PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING...WITH
HEAVY PRECIPITATION EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE COLD FRONTAL
PASSAGE. SHOWERS WILL DECREASE FROM THE NORTHWEST TONIGHT. BELOW
NORMAL HIGHS THROUGH TUESDAY...THEN DRY AND GRADUALLY WARMER NEXT
WEEK WITH HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST AND WEAK
OFFSHORE FLOW.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
AT 8 AM PST...WATER VAPOR SATELLITE IMAGERY DISPLAYED A COLD FRONT
ACROSS CENTRAL CA...AND AN UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE FOLLOWING BEHIND.
COMPOSITE RADAR SHOWED MODERATE TO HEAVY PRECIPITATION FALLING
NEAR AND JUST NORTH OF POINT CONCEPTION...AND LIGHT SHOWERS OVER
AND WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS IN SW CA.
SHOWERS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY TODAY AS THE
AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. HIGH-RES MODELS
ARE SHOWING TWO FRONTS OF PRECIP MOVING ACROSS THE AREA TODAY.
THE WARM FRONT WILL CONTINUE LIGHT PRECIP THIS MORNING...AND
POSSIBLY MODERATE PRECIP CLOSER TO NOON OVER AND WEST OF THE
MOUNTAINS. THE MORE SIGNIFICANT COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE
AREA FROM 1PM TO 6PM...DEVELOPING MODERATE TO HEAVY PRECIP FIRST
FROM THE NW THEN TO THE SE. ENHANCED MOISTURE AND UPPER-LEVEL
DYNAMICS WILL SUPPORT THE POSSIBILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER AREAS
WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS AS THE COLD FRONT SAGS SE. HIGHER RAIN RATES
IN STRONGER CELLS WILL LIKELY CREATE AREAS OF URBAN
FLOODING...WITH A SMALL POSSIBILITY OF FLASH FLOODING NEAR RECENT
BURN SCARS. LOWER-LEVEL WIND SHEAR WILL SUPPORT THE POSSIBILITY OF
ISOLATED WATER SPOUTS OVER THE WATERS AND ALONG THE COAST WITH THE
COLD FRONT. UPSLOPE FLOW WILL CONTINUE RAIN CHANCES IN THE
MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT...WITH
PRECIPITATION ENDING BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING. A SNOW LEVEL AROUND
8500 FEET THIS MORNING WILL LOWER TO NEAR 6000 FEET DURING THE
LATE AFTERNOON...5000 FEET EARLY THIS EVENING...AND AROUND 3500
FEET BY MONDAY MORNING. SEE LAXWSWSGX FOR DETAILS ON THE WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY AND WINTER STORM WARNING CURRENTLY IN EFFECT.
...FORECAST STORM TOTAL PRECIP (IN) THROUGH EARLY MON...
DESERTS.........0.25 TO 0.50
COAST/VALLEYS...0.75 TO 1.50
MOUNTAINS.......1.50 TO 3.00...WITH LOCALLY GREATER AMOUNTS
...FORECAST STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL (IN) THROUGH EARLY MON...
3500 TO 4000 FT...UP TO 1
4000 TO 5000 FT...2 TO 4
5000 TO 6000 FT...3 TO 10
6000 TO 7000 FT...6 TO 15
ABOVE 7000 FT.....12 TO 22
TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENTS AND AN APPROACHING UPPER-LEVEL JET
WILL CREATE STRONG WESTERLY WINDS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND
DESERTS...AND STRENGTHEN THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. COASTAL AREAS
WILL HAVE WINDS STRENGTHENING AS WELL...WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH
EXPECTED THROUGH MONDAY. STRONGEST SUSTAINED WINDS ARE EXPECTED
TONIGHT...WITH DAMAGING GUSTS TO 85 MPH POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS
AND DESERTS. ISOLATED DAMAGING GUSTS TO 55 MPH ARE POSSIBLE NEAR
THE COAST...WITH SLIGHTLY WEAKER WINDS EXPECTED IN THE VALLEYS.
WINDS WILL SLIGHTLY DIMINISH MONDAY MORNING. HOWEVER...GUSTY WEST
TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY EVENING. SEE
LAXNPWSGX FOR DETAILS ON THE WIND ADVISORY AND HIGH WIND WARNING
CURRENTLY IN EFFECT.
COLD AIR BEHIND THE FRONT WILL LOWER HIGH TEMPERATURES 5 TO 15
DEG F BELOW NORMAL THROUGH TUESDAY. WEAK UPPER-LEVEL RIDGING AND
WEAK SURFACE OFFSHORE FLOW WILL HELP HIGH TEMPERATURES RISE TO
AROUND 5 DEG F ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS BY FRIDAY...AND CONTINUE
THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. AFTER PRECIPITATION ENDS TONIGHT...DRY
WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND.
&&
.AVIATION...
311615Z...COAST/VALLEYS...OCCASIONAL LIGHT/MODERATE SHRA WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH 20Z WITH VARIABLE OVC BASES 700-2000 FT MSL WITH
LAYERS TO 10000 FT MSL...AREAS OF VIS 1-3 MI AND TERRAIN
OBSCURATIONS. PRECIPITATION WILL INCREASE AFTER 20Z WITH A SLIGHT
CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS...THOUGH VIS AND CIGS WILL NOT CHANGE MUCH.
AFTER 02Z TONIGHT...PRECIP WILL GRADUALLY TAPER OFF WITH SCT/BKN
CLOUD BASES MOSTLY 2500-3500 FT MSL WITH MOST VIS ABOVE 5 MILES.
PRECIP SHOULD END ENTIRELY BY 14Z MONDAY.
SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE 18Z AND 21Z TODAY...WITH GUSTS TO 30
KT NEAR THE COAST AND 40-60 KT IN THE MOUNTAINS/DESERTS. COLD FRONT
WILL SWITCH WINDS TO WEST 23Z-01Z WITH GUSTS 30-40 KT AT THE
COAST...INCLUDING VCNTY KSAN...WITH LOCAL GUSTS TO 50 KT POSSIBLE
OVER HIGHER COASTAL TERRAIN...AND GUSTS 50-70 KT IN THE
MOUNTAINS/DESERTS. WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 14Z MONDAY...THEN
GRADUALLY WEAKEN MONDAY. STG-SVR UP/DOWNDRAFTS AND LLWS WILL BE
LIKELY OVER AND E OF THE MTNS.
&&
.MARINE...
815 AM...GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS 25-35 KT WILL DEVELOP AHEAD OF AN
APPROACHING COLD FRONT LATE THIS MORNING...THEN SHIFT TO THE WEST-
NORTHWEST AND INCREASING TO 30-40 KT...LOCALLY AS HIGH AS 45 KT...IN
THE MID-LATE AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL LOWER SOMEWHAT TO 25-35 KT BY
MONDAY MORNING. STRONG WINDS AND STEEP COMBINED SEAS OF 14 TO 18 FT
WILL RESULT IN DANGEROUS BOATING CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING...SEE LAXMWWSGX FOR MORE INFORMATION. THERE IS ALSO THE
POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND ISOLATED
WATERSPOUTS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES
THROUGH. SEE THE MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT...LAXMWSSGX...FOR MORE
DETAILS.
&&
.BEACHES...
815 AM...A LARGE SHORT-PERIOD WEST-NORTHWEST SWELL WILL BRING
ANOTHER ROUND OF HIGH SURF AND STRONG RIP CURRENTS LATE TODAY
THROUGH MONDAY. VERY ROUGH SURF OF 5 TO 8 FT WITH LOCAL SETS TO 10
FT ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT AND MONDAY. SEE THE HIGH SURF
ADVISORY...LAXCFWSGX...FOR MORE DETAILS.
&&
.SKYWARN...
SKYWARN ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED AT THIS TIME...BUT MAY BE
NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ALWAYS
ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS WHEN OBSERVED.
&&
.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...HIGH WIND WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM PST MONDAY FOR APPLE
AND LUCERNE VALLEYS-COACHELLA VALLEY-RIVERSIDE COUNTY
MOUNTAINS-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY
DESERTS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SAN GORGONIO PASS NEAR
BANNING.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 AM PST
MONDAY FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL NOON PST TODAY FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY
MOUNTAINS-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY
MOUNTAINS-SAN GORGONIO PASS NEAR BANNING.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR RIVERSIDE
COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM PST MONDAY FOR ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL
AREAS-ORANGE COUNTY INLAND AREAS-SAN BERNARDINO AND
RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE-SAN DIEGO COUNTY
COASTAL AREAS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS-SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS
AND FOOTHILLS.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM PST TUESDAY
FOR ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL
AREAS.
PZ...GALE WARNING UNTIL 2 AM PST TUESDAY 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...JJT
AVIATION/MARINE/BEACHES...MAXWELLThe San Diego radar (KNKX), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:45 UTC.
13 high wind, 11 thunderstorm wind, 2 heavy snow, 1 strong wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple mesonet stations reported wind gusts in the 50 to 70 mph range. Both the Serra Peak and Fremont Canyon mesonets reported peak wind gusts of 74 mph.
Winds downed trees in Wrightwood and caused damage to multiple utility poles in the near Lake Arrowhead. The strongest measured winds were at the Heaps Peak mesonet station, where sustained winds in the upper 30s and a peak gust of 71 mph occurred from 1315 to 1515 PST.
San Bernardino Department of Public Works reported 12 inches of storm total snowfall in Big Bear, elevation 6750 ft.
San Bernardino Department of Public Works reported 14 inches of storm total snowfall in Fawnskin, elevation 6825 ft.
Thunderstorm wind gust estimated at 60 mph by a trained spotter.
A mesonet station 3 miles southwest of Hesperia reported a peak wind gust of 60 mph and sustianed winds in the low 30s. Strong wind gusts in the 40 to 50 mph range were reported elsewhere in the upper deserts.
High winds blew out windows in a downtown skyscraper.
The Oceanside Jetty reported a 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
The Silver Strand mesonet reported a thunderstorm wind gust of 59 mph.
A pine tree 8 ft in diameter succumbed to strong winds, falling on 4 cars and killing a 48 year old woman who was driving down Ingraham Street. An additional tree fell during the cleanup operations, injuring 2 reporters.
The mesonet station at Mission Trails reported a 68 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
A 59 mph thunderstorm wind gust occurred at the Ramon Airport ASOS.
CHP reported 1.5 ft diameter 100 ft tall eucalyptus tree downed by strong winds. The tree damaged a street sign.
Large rock slide blocking the south bound lanes of State Highway 18.
Multiple mesonet stations reported wind gusts in excess of 70 mph during this period, with a peak gust of 85 mph at the Harrison Park mesonet between 1520 and 1530 PST.
Multiple mesonet stations in the Santa Ysabel and Julian area reported thunderstorm wind gusts of 58 to 72 mph. The peak gust of 72 mph occurred at Hoskings Ranch between 2320 and 2330 PST.
A 59 mph thunderstorm wind gust reported at the Anderson Valley mesonet.
Multiple mesonet stations reported winds in excess of 70 mph during this period. The strongest winds were reported at the Harrison Park and Luck Five Ranch mesonets, where respective 85 mph and 80 mph wind gusts occurred between 1520 and 1530 PST.
Two mesonet stations at Lake Cuyamaca reported thunderstorm wind gusts between 64 and 70 mph.
The Boulevard West mesonet reported a thunderstorm wind gust of 59 mph.
The San Clemente Pier reported sustained winds in excess of 40 mph for a period of 8 hours, with a peak of 47 mph. Winds caused tree damage along the coast.
Multiple mesonet stations at Otay Mountain reported wind gusts in excess of 58 mph between 1614 and 2359 PST, with a peak gust of 74 mph. Nearby Lyons Peak gusted to 60 mph between 2135 and 2145 PST. Numerous large trees were downed in the surrounding valleys.
The Mateo Ridge mesonet reported wind gusts in excess of 58 mph for 5 hours, with a peak gust of 74 mph between 1922 and 2022 PST. Numerous large trees were downed in the surrounding valleys.
The 20 ft light tower on the North Mission Bay Jetty was destroyed by high winds. Winds at surrounding coastal mesonet sites were gusting to 60 mph. The tower was a steel lattice structure.
Multiple mesonet stations measured wind gusts in excess of 58 mph all along the San Diego County coast. The strongest gust occurred at Cabrillo National Monument where a 64 mph gust was reported. The winds caused extensive tree damage along the coast.
The San Clemente Ridge mesonet station reported a gust to 59 mph, with multiple additional gusts in excess of 50 mph between 1720 and 2320 PST. Tree damage was reported over other inland portions of the county.
Multiple boats were pulled from their moorings by strong winds, they were blown up against a boardwalk and partially submerged.
Multiple mesonet stations reported wind gusts in excess of 70 mph during this period, with a peak gust of 72 mph at the Harrison Park mesonet between 2150 and 2200 PST.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind, San Diego | 2016-01-31 | 48 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2016
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: 615147, 615135, 615528, 615529, 615164, 615136, 615524, 615242, 615243, 615345, 615245, 616518, 615170, 616543, 616531, 616519, 615248, 615522, 616520, 616532, 615163, 615278, 615156, 615348, 615307, 615162, 615525, 615523.