California, 2017High Wind and Heavy Rain in California, January 8 to 9, 2017
January 8 to 9, 2017 · NWS SGX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones
A series of troughs and associated Pacific fronts swung through the region between the 5th and 9th of January, bringing largely beneficial rains, high elevation snow, and strong inland winds. Rainfall west of the mountains caused some minor urban flooding, but overall impacts were limited by low rain rates over an extended period.
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.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- 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.
A series of troughs and associated Pacific fronts swung through the region between the 5th and 9th of January, bringing largely beneficial rains, high elevation snow, and strong inland winds. Rainfall west of the mountains caused some minor urban flooding, but overall impacts were limited by low rain rates over an extended period. Rain totals ranged from 6-7 inches along the coastal slopes to 1-2 inches near the coast. Peak westerly wind gusts along the desert slopes were mostly in the 45-65 mph range, though a surfacing mountain wave in Burns Canyon produced a very impressive 107 mph wind gust.
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 Jan 8, 1:25 PM PST, 7 hours 26 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 8, 1:25 PM PST, 7 hours 26 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Diego CA
125 PM PST Sun Jan 8 2017
.SYNOPSIS...
Low pressure off the West coast will feed Pacific moisture across
the region this week as weakening disturbances wring out periods of
light rain and mountain snow. Precipitation is expected to impact at
least portions of Southwest California several days this week
beginning on Monday. The clouds and precipitation will keep daytime
temperatures below average, and overnight temperatures above
average. Strong gusty southwest to west winds will develop over the
mountains on Monday. A ridge of high pressure is forecast to bring
dry and warmer weather by next weekend.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
Temperatures were climbing through the 70s west of the mts at 1 PM
PST, and above average across the mts as well. Satellite imagery
showed a thick swath of clouds across the northern half of the
state, with fair skies across much of the south. Surface pressure
gradients were still weak offshore from the deserts, but westerly
winds were picking up at higher elevations in the mts with peak
gusts 30 to 35 MPH.
A low pressure trough centered off the PacNW will gradually weaken as
it steers several disturbances onto the West Coast. A deep plume of
moisture is enhancing rainfall with these systems across northern
parts of the State today, and will gradually press south and
dissipate by Tuesday. Some of that moisture will arrive across SoCal
on Monday, bringing our best chance of precipitation. Several other
weakening systems will take a run at us through the week, with
chances of rain and mountain snow, but at this time, none are
expected to be heavy. Precipitation values should be heaviest across
the northern parts of the CWA and decrease south through riverside
and San Diego Counties.
The last event in this series should clear the area by next weekend
as a weak ridge develops aloft. This should bring fair, dry, and
warmer conditions this coming weekend and into the first part of
next week.
Aside from the precipitation, strong winds are forecast to develop
over the higher elevations in the mountains and along the desert
slopes tonight. Hires models suggest peak winds could exceed 70 MPH,
but largely in unpopulated areas. As a consequence, a Wind Advisory
was issued for the mountains, high deserts, San Gorgonio Pass, and
San Diego County desert areas, mainly to highlight those foothill
areas close to the desert slopes.
&&
.AVIATION...
082000Z...SCT-BKN clouds mainly above 10000 ft MSL with mostly
unrestricted vis will prevail through this evening. Showers will
move in tonight with variable cigs blo 3000 ft MSL developing west
of the mtns aft 12Z Mon. Cigs could drop blo 1500 ft MSL at times
with vis blo 3SM during showers. KSNA, KONT and KSBD are more likely
to see lowering cigs before locations farther south.
Southwest to west winds are strengthening and will continue to do so
through tonight, with gusts up to 55 knots at times from the
mountain crests to the desert foothills. This will produce mdt-
strong up/downdrafts and LLWS over and east of the mtns through
Monday evening.
&&
.MARINE...
Periods of showers Monday as a storm moves across the region. Chance
of more showers on Wednesday with another fast moving system.
Increasing northwest winds could produce rough conditions on
Thursday, mainly in the outer waters near San Clemente Island.
&&
.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...Wind Advisory from midnight tonight to 10 PM PST Monday for
Apple and Lucerne Valleys-Riverside County Mountains-San
Bernardino County Mountains-San Diego County Deserts-San
Diego County Mountains-San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning.
PZ...None.
&&
PUBLIC...JAD
AVIATION/MARINE...PGHigh Wind, San Bernardino County Mountains
- When
- January 8, 8:51 PM PST to January 9, 4:51 AM PST
- Where
- San Bernardino County Mountains forecast zone
- Measured
- 93 kt (107 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Very strong mountain wave activity surfaced along the eastern slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains over an 8 hours period. A peak gust of 107 mph was reported between 2351PST on the 8th and 0051PST on the 9th. Numerous gusts in the 80-95 mph range were also reported during this period in Burns Canyon.
Heavy Rain, San Diego
- When
- January 9, 8:25 AM PST to 8:35 AM PST
- Where
- San Diego County, 3.2 mi NE of Fallbrook
- Deaths
- 0 direct, 1 indirect
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 33.410, -117.208
An 80 ft oak tree fell on a mini van killing the driver. Saturated soils were likely an influencing factor. Winds were light at the time.
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
- Heavy Rain
- Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Cold in Mississippi, January 8, 20171 death · 1 event
- High Wind in Wyoming, January 8 to 11, 201776 kt wind · 78 events
- High Wind in Washington, January 8, 2017$351,000 · 58 kt wind · 1 event
- Winter Storm in Wyoming, January 8 to 12, 201717 events
- High Wind in New Mexico, January 8 to 10, 201770 kt wind · 6 events
- Winter Storm in Colorado, January 8 to 11, 20173 events
- Heavy Snow in Idaho, January 8 to 9, 20173 events
- Flooding in California, January 8 to 9, 20172 events
- High Wind in Utah, January 8 to 9, 2017$10,000 · 60 kt wind · 2 events
- Winter Storm in Montana, January 8 to 12, 20171 event
- Winter Weather in Utah, January 8 to 9, 20171 event
- Winter Storm in Idaho, January 8 to 9, 20171 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: 675838, 675847.