California, 2016High Surf in California, November 9 to 12, 2016
November 9 to 12, 2016 · NWS SGX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones
An elevated short period swell brought high surf and choppy seas to local beaches and the adjacent waters. One fatality was reported when a private fishing vessel capsized.
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.
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- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 5
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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.
An elevated short period swell brought high surf and choppy seas to local beaches and the adjacent waters. One fatality was reported when a private fishing vessel capsized.
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 9, 4:09 AM PST, 1 hour 51 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Nov 9, 4:09 AM PST, 1 hour 51 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Diego CA
409 AM PST Wed Nov 9 2016
.SYNOPSIS...
Warm and dry through early next week. Very warm for valley and
coastal locations as gusty offshore winds continue into Thursday...
weakening into the weekend. Expect daytime temperatures 10 to 20
degrees above seasonal averages. High temperatures will cool some
for Friday into early next week...but remain above average.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
High pressure aloft will continue much warmer high temperatures
for today with slight cooling for Thursday. Combined with weak to
locally moderate offshore flow...this will push warmest high
temperatures for inland coastal and western valley areas into the
lower to mid 90s on Wednesday with high temperatures well into the
80s toward the coast. Surface high pressure over the western
plains into New Mexico will bring periods of gusty east winds near
the coastal foothills of the mountains into the valleys of San
Diego and Riverside Counties and inland Orange County with the
strongest and most widespread winds on today. Strongest gusts
overnight have exceeded 40 mph...mostly in the coastal foothills
and far inland valleys of San Diego County.
High pressure aloft will weaken for Friday into early next week.
This will bring cooling...but with high temperatures remaining
above average...generally around 10 degrees above average for
inland areas. Around Wednesday of next week...a trough of low
pressure moving inland through the western states has enough
amplitude to bring stronger onshore flow with stronger and gusty
west winds for the mountains and deserts...cooling to a little
below average...and a chance of precipitation.
&&
.AVIATION...
081000Z...Mostly clear skies and unrestricted vis will prevail today
through tonight. Areas of east surface winds 15-25 kt gusts 30-40 kt
will increase this morning and continue all day today, mainly in the
valleys and foothills, including VCNTY KCZZ, KRNM and KBNG. MOD-STG
up/downdrafts are possible over and west of the mountains, along
with periods of LLWS at KSAN, KCRQ, and KSNA today. Winds will
weaken slightly tonight.
&&
.MARINE...
No hazardous marine weather is expected through Sunday.
&&
.BEACHES...
A large, long period swell will arrive this morning and bring high
surf. The surf will increase today, peak this evening and tonight,
and gradually decrease Thursday. The high surf advisory contains all
the details.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
High pressure aloft will bring much warmer conditions through today
with slight cooling for Thursday. Surface high pressure over the
western plains and New Mexico will bring periods of weak to
locally moderate offshore flow Wednesday and Thursday. This will
bring much lower humidities for inland areas and periods of gusty
east winds along the coastal slopes of the mountains and valleys
of Riverside and San Diego Counties and inland Orange County.
Lowest daytime humidities will fall to 10 to 15 percent with gusty
east winds to 45 mph...locally stronger at times. Critical fire
weather conditions are expected for valley areas of San Diego and
Riverside Counties today...and continuing for the San Diego
County valleys on Thursday. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for
through Thursday for the valleys. Winds will decrease more
substantially for Friday into the weekend with a gradual recovery
in humidities.
&&
.SKYWARN...
Skywarn activation is not requested. However weather spotters are
encouraged to report significant weather conditions.
&&
.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...Red Flag Warning from 10 AM this morning to 7 PM PST this
evening for San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys -
The Inland Empire.
Wind Advisory until 1 PM PST Thursday for San Bernardino and
Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire-San Diego County
Valleys-San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning.
High Surf Advisory from 7 AM this morning to 5 PM PST Thursday
for Orange County Coastal Areas-San Diego County Coastal
Areas.
Red Flag Warning from 10 AM this morning to 4 PM PST Thursday
for San Diego County Inland Valleys.
Wind Advisory until 1 PM PST this afternoon for Orange County
Inland Areas.
PZ...None.
&&
PUBLIC/FIRE WEATHER...17
AVIATION/MARINE/BEACHES...MMHigh Surf, San Diego County Coastal Areas
- When
- November 9, 6:00 AM PST to November 12, 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Diego County Coastal Areas forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Injuries
- 5 direct, 0 indirect
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Reported by
- Lifeguard
- Coordinates
- 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Surf, with frequent sets to 8 ft, impacted primarily west facing beaches along the San Diego County coast. The highest sets were reported from La Jolla southward on the 9th and 10th, where the Children's Pool Walk, and Ocean Beach Piers were closed. A 24 ft private vessel fishing for Lobster capsized in the surf zone off Windansea Beach at 1800 PST on the 9th. The owner of the vessel drowned, and 4 other passengers were injured. One lifeguard was injured by surf during the rescue attempt.
High Surf, Orange County Coastal
- When
- November 9, 12:00 PM PST to November 12, 12:00 AM PST
- Where
- Orange County Coastal forecast zone
- Reported by
- Lifeguard
- Coordinates
- 33.677, -117.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Huntington Beach lifeguards reported frequent sets to 7 ft throughout the afternoon and evening of the 9th. Occasional sets to 7 ft persisted thereafter through the 11th.
- 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.
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: 666056, 666058.