One last round of gusty northerly winds impacted the mountains of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles county near the end of January. Peak wind gusts up to 81 MPH were reported.
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 LOX wrote it up.
One last round of gusty northerly winds impacted the mountains of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles county near the end of January. Peak wind gusts up to 81 MPH were reported.
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 Los Angeles, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 28, 4:27 PM PST, 20 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
427 PM PST Tue Jan 28 2020
.SYNOPSIS...28/308 PM.
Gusty winds will persist through Friday, with the strongest winds
tonight into Wednesday in most areas. Patchy dense fog is possible
near Paso Robles Wednesday morning. Warm temperatures will
continue into the weekend, then there will be cooler temperatures
and a slight chance of mountain showers late Sunday into Monday.
&&
.SHORT TERM (TDY-FRI)...28/217 PM.
Winds are the main issue for the next several days as we continue
to be in this inside slider upper air pattern which produces
periods of strong northerly flow aloft and pressure gradients.
We're getting a reinforcing shot of upper air support and
northerly gradients tonight as the next insider slider drops into
the Great Basin. This should push winds at least 5-10 mph stronger
than they were last night and many valley areas in LA/Ventura
Counties that didn't have wind last night should see at least low
end advisory level winds tonight. Still quite a bit of uncertainty
on the amount of wind that will get into the SGV as hi res models
have bounced around from not much to moderate advisory speeds,
mainly the western portion. Current feeling is that winds aloft
and cold air advection won't be strong enough to generate
anything more than locally breezy or low end advisory level winds
in the SGV so for now will hold off with any headlines.
Otherwise, forecast remains on track for advisory/warning level
winds across much of the area south of Pt Conception through
at least Thursday, strongest in the I5 Corridor and SB mountains
tonight into Wednesday morning. At that point there will be a bit
more of an easterly component to the winds which will lower speeds
in some areas (SB County) but increase them slightly in others
(eastern SG Mtns, central/eastern Ventura County, and parts of the
Central Coast).
Newest model guidance now is showing additional easterly flow
Friday with surface gradients now in excess of 6mb (LAX-DAG)
Friday morning. So it's quite possible the current slate of
advisories will need extended yet another day into Friday and with
the added easterly component these winds could expand to more
areas and possible some of the coastal waters.
Temperature forecast mostly unchanged with a warming trend through
the end of the week. By Friday we should start to see some near 80
degree temps in the warmer LA/Ventura valleys.
.LONG TERM (SAT-TUE)...28/228 PM.
The warming trend will continue into Saturday as a strong ridge
aloft envelops most of California with light to moderate offshore
surface gradients. There should be plenty of 80 degree readings
across inland portions of LA/Ventura Counties and even near 80
within a few miles of the coast. Not quite as warm north of Pt
Conception but still well into the 70s which would be 10-15
degrees above normal.
The ridge breaks down quickly Sunday as a cold trough moves into
the Pac NW. This one is again taking that inside slider path but
perhaps just enough of a westerly track to pick up some moisture.
The deterministic models are dry as are virtually all of the GFS
ensembles, but the EC does show some very light (<=.05) across
LA/Ventura Counties. This may end up just inducing a much deeper
marine layer and possibly some drizzle in upslope areas across
eastern LA County early Monday but either way the primary impact
will be to bring much cooler temps starting Sunday and then
possibly another strong north/northwest wind event Sunday night
into early Monday.
Models still showing decent northerly winds aloft Tuesday as
another impulse drops into the trough so the first half of next
week may end up being quite windy but cooler than this week.
Beyond that models are still favoring this ridge/inside slider
pattern through at least the middle of the month so likely no big
chances for precip for another couple weeks.
&&
.AVIATION...29/0021Z.
At 2300Z there was a weak, shallow marine layer at KLAX. The layer
was 550 feet deep with a top near 850 feet and a temperature of 19
degrees Celcius.
High confidence in 00Z TAFs with respect to cigs and vsby, except
for for KPRB, with lower confidence in timing of LIFR conditions
overnight. Lower confidence in winds, with strong northerly winds
through much of the period. During times of stronger winds, there
may shift between NW to NE. In addition, moderate turbulence and
LLWS is possible through the TAF period.
KLAX...High confidence in VFR cigs/vsby during the 00Z TAF period,
but lower confidence in winds. Moderate turbulence and LLWS is
possible through the TAF period, but significant LLWS most likely
between 10Z-20Z. Any east wind component should be under 06 kt.
KBUR...High confidence in 00Z TAF in terms of VFR conditions, but
lower confidence in terms of wind. Moderate turbulence and LLWS is
possible through the TAF period.
&&
.MARINE...28/147 PM.
For the outer waters, there is moderate to hi confidence in the
current forecast. Strong NW to N winds to Gale Force can be
expected, with Gale Warnings in effect for the waters W and S of
Point Conception into Wed night. For the northern zone (PZZ670),
a Small Craft Advisory (SCA) is in effect through late Thu night
for winds and seas. Otherwise, there is a 60% chance of SCA wind
gusts to persist at times Thu through Sat, with a 50% chance of
Gale Force winds for Sun.
For the inner waters N of Point Sal, there is moderate to hi
confidence in the current forecast. SCA wind gusts can be expected
through late tonight. There is a 30% chance of SCA wind gusts
afternoons and evenings thru Thu. Conditions should remain
generally below SCA levels Fri through Sat, then there is a 40%
chance of Gale Force wind gusts on Sun.
For the inner waters S of Point Conception, there is moderate to
hi confidence in the current forecast. SCA conditions at times due
to gusty winds can be expected through Thu, with gusty N winds
expected from Point Mugu to Santa Monica at times. For Thu night
thru Sat, winds and seas should remain below SCA levels, then
there is a 50% chance of SCA to Gale Force wind gusts on Sun.
A series of large long period westerly swells will impact the
area at times through Friday, along with a large and steep short
period waves much of the time into Thu night due to the winds.
&&
.BEACHES...28/146 PM.
A series of large west and northwest swells will move into the
coastal waters over the next few days. High Surf is now expected
to continue for the Central Coast through late Thursday night
with breakers of 8 to 13 feet. The highest surf of 10 to 13 feet
should occur Thursday into Thursday night on west and northwest
facing beaches.
S of Point Conception, west-facing beaches will continue to have
high surf up to 7 feet through 6 PM this evening. There is a small
chance this Advisory may need to be extended into Wednesday or
even Thursday, but for now if appears elevated surf will be
prevalent during that period.
The public should keep out of the ocean and stay away from rocks
and jetties during high surf conditions.
&&
.LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...High Surf Advisory in effect until 3 AM PST Friday for zones
34-35. (See LAXCFWLOX).
Wind Advisory in effect until 10 PM PST Wednesday for zone
39. (See LAXNPWLOX).
High Surf Advisory in effect until 6 PM PST this evening for
zones 40-41-87. (See LAXCFWLOX).
Wind Advisory in effect until 3 PM PST Thursday for zones
44-45-88-547. (See LAXNPWLOX).
High Wind Warning in effect until 3 PM PST Thursday for zones
46-53-54. (See LAXNPWLOX).
Wind Advisory in effect until 6 PM PST this evening for zone
52. (See LAXNPWLOX).
High Wind Warning in effect until 10 PM PST Wednesday for
zone 52. (See LAXNPWLOX).
PZ...Small Craft Advisory in effect until 3 AM PST Wednesday for
zone 645. (See LAXMWWLOX).
Small Craft Advisory in effect until 6 PM PST Wednesday for
zone 650. (See LAXMWWLOX).
Small Craft Advisory in effect from 6 AM Wednesday to 6 PM
PST Thursday for zone 655. (See LAXMWWLOX).
Small Craft Advisory in effect until 3 AM PST Friday for zone
670. (See LAXMWWLOX).
Gale Warning in effect until 6 PM PST Wednesday for zone 673. (See LAXMWWLOX).
Gale Warning in effect until 3 AM PST Thursday for zone 676. (See LAXMWWLOX).
&&
.HAZARD POTENTIAL OUTLOOK (FRI-TUE).
Strong Santa Ana winds possible Friday. Gusty north to northwest
winds possible late Sunday through Tuesday. Periods of high surf
are expected for the Central Coast through Thursday.
&&
PUBLIC...MW
AVIATION...Smith
MARINE...Sirard
BEACHES...Sirard
SYNOPSIS...Kj
weather.gov/losangeles3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong and gusty north winds impacted the mountains of Santa Barbara county. Some peak wind reports include Montecito (gusts to 81 MPH) and La Cumbre Peak (gusts to 63 MPH).
Strong and gusty north winds impacted the mountains of Los Angeles county. Some peak wind reports include Camp Nine (gusts to 59 MPH), Chilao (gusts to 65 MPH) and Mill Creek (gusts to 61 MPH).
Strong and gusty north winds impacted the mountains of Ventura county. Peak wind gusts around 60 MPH were reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2020
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: 879269, 879265, 879267.