California, 2016High Surf in California, November 4 to 5, 2016
November 4 to 5, 2016 · NWS SGX · 1 event in 1 county or zone
A northwest swell brought a brief period of high surf to the southern San Diego County coast.
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.
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
A northwest swell brought a brief period of high surf to the southern San Diego County coast.
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 San Diego, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 4, 7:48 AM PST, 4 hours 12 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Nov 4, 7:48 AM PST, 4 hours 12 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Diego CA
848 AM PDT Fri Nov 4 2016
.SYNOPSIS...
SoCal weather will be dominated by weak riding through the end of
next week. This will bring fair and dry conditions with only minor
day to day fluctuations in temperatures through at least next
Friday. Other than the potential for a few patches of fog along
the coast and elevated surf at local beaches, no significant
weather concerns are expected through the forecast period.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
.SYNOPSIS...
At 830 AM, SoCal was on the western periphery of a longwave
ridge with a weak shortwave to our west and cut off upper low to
our east. The morning sounding was quite dry with only a small
amount of moisture near 300 mb, resulting in mostly clear skies.
At the surface pressure gradients were weakly offshore, with
light winds.
Today and Tonight, the weather will remain quiet over the
region with increasing high clouds as the weak shortwave
currently to our west shifts eastward. Afternoon highs will be
3-8 degrees above seasonal averages. A few patches of fog are
possible along the immediate coast tonight, but coverage and
potential will be limited by high clouds and weak drainage flow.
Significant fog impacts are not expected at this time.
Weak ridging aloft and onshore flow will take hold over the
weekend, brining slight cooling through Sunday and a few passing
high clouds. Near the coast, night and morning low clouds or fog
will remain possible, and periods of locally dense fog in the
mornings can't be ruled out.
Through next week, ridging will remain in place with weak onshore
flow becoming weak offshore flow by Wednesday as surface high
pressure back builds toward the Four Corners. This will keep
temperatures at to slightly above seasonal averages, confine the
marine layer toward to coastal areas, and keep the forecast dry.
&&
.AVIATION...
041515Z...Mostly clear with unrestricted visibilities through
05/0600Z. After 05/0600Z through about 05/1600Z Saturday
morning patchy dense fog near the coast. Confidence is low that
fog will reach KSAN or KCRQ during that period. There is a very
low risk that clouds based below 500 ft MSL with visibilities 1 SM
or less will develop at KSAN, and an even lower risk at KSNA and
KCRQ.
Mountains and Deserts...SCT high clouds at/above 25000 ft MSL will
continue through tonight along with unrestricted visibilities.
&&
.MARINE...
Patchy fog, locally dense, is possible tonight through
Saturday morning and again Saturday night into Sunday
morning with visibility less than 1 NM. Otherwise,
no hazardous marine weather is expected through Tuesday.
&&
.BEACHES...
At times moderate to long period WNW swells from 290 degrees will
bring elevated surf through Monday. Surf of 3 to 6 ft with
sets to 7 ft are likely along exposed west facing beaches. Surf will
decrease a bit Tuesday before another larger WNW swell arrives
Wednesday into Thursday. A Beach Hazards Statement is in effect
today through Monday for elevated surf and strong rip currents.
&&
.SKYWARN...
Skywarn activation will not be needed today.
&&
.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...Beach Hazards Statement through Monday afternoon for Orange
County Coastal Areas-San Diego County Coastal Areas.
PZ...None.
&&
PUBLIC...Albright
AVIATION/MARINE/BEACHES...SmallHigh Surf, San Diego County Coastal Areas
- When
- November 4, 12:00 PM PST to November 5, 12:00 AM PST
- Where
- San Diego County Coastal Areas forecast zone
- Reported by
- Lifeguard
- Coordinates
- 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Mission Beach lifeguards reported sets to 8 ft during the afternoon and evening hours on the 4th.
- High Surf
- Large waves breaking on the shore that caused damage, erosion or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Hail in Texas, November 4, 2016$300 million · 1.75 in hail · 4 events
- Flash Flood and Hail in Arizona, November 4, 2016$135,000 · 1 in hail · 3 events
- Flash Flood and Hail in New Mexico, November 4 to 6, 2016$50,000 · 1.25 in hail · 10 events
- High Wind in Alaska, November 4, 2016$20,000 · 58 kt wind · 3 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in New Mexico, November 4, 20162 in hail · 10 events
- Flash Flooding in Texas, November 4, 20163 events
- Winter Weather in Colorado, November 4 to 5, 20162 events
- Flood and Damaging Wind in Puerto Rico, November 4, 2016$1,000 · 2 events
- Waterspout in South Atlantic Coastal Waters, November 4, 20161 event
- Hail in Arizona, November 4, 20160.75 in hail · 1 event
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: 666062.