Strong and gusty north to northeast winds impacted the mountains of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Peak wind gusts up to 86 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.
Strong and gusty north to northeast winds impacted the mountains of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Peak wind gusts up to 86 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 5, 11:08 AM PST, 2 hours 39 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
1108 AM PST Sun Jan 5 2020
.SYNOPSIS...05/242 AM.
Strong northerly winds will develop this morning for mountains,
valleys and some coastal areas, mostly affecting Santa Barbara,
Ventura and LA Counties. These gusty winds will persist into
Monday morning. Otherwise, the area should be mostly dry for the
weekend and into next week.
&&
.SHORT TERM (TDY-TUE)...05/1000 AM.
The north winds have begun. Montecito Hills at 1619' above Santa
Barbara has checked in with 45 mph gusts and Whitaker Peak and
Sandberg, both in the I5 corridor, have reported gusts in the low
50s. Even Porter Ranch in the hills above the north end of the
San Fernando Valley has recorded a gust to 42 mph so far. The
"Beverly Hills" RAWS site, which is actually in Franklin Canyon at
1260' has just kicked in with a gust to 26 mph. So everything is
on track for the event with winds still peaking tonight into early
Monday before shifting to northeast.
There has been some light precip near the Kern County Line from
southeast SLO County through the Grapevine area. However snow
levels are above pass levels at around 5000-5500 feet and precip
is very light so impacts from that will be minimal. The much
bigger impacts will be from the winds.
***From Previous Discussion***
A small trof running through the northern portion of the state
will kick off a strong wind event. High pressure will quickly
build into the San Joaquin vly while at the same time north winds
and cold air advection set up over the area. This north flow along
with the tail end of the front will be enough to create upslope
clouds and slight chc of showers across the north slopes of the
mtns along the Kern County line. The northerly winds will work
their way from the mountains southward into the valleys and then
over the coasts. The strongest winds will occur about 10 miles
either side of the VTA/LA county line and across the SBA south
coast. The mtns including the Santa Monica will see gusts to 60
mph while the vlys and coastal sections will see gusts to 50 mph.
Please see the product LAXNPWLOX for more details.
The north flow will usher in cooler air and max temps today will
be 2 to 4 degrees off of the max temps seen on Saturday.
The winds will shift to the NE tonight as the sfc high pressure
shifts to the east. This shift in direction will greatly reduce
the winds in SBA county. It will still be windy in LA and VTA
county but in different areas as the NE and E canyons will have
the strongest winds.
The northeast winds on will peak Monday morning as the event
becomes more of a traditional Santa Ana. Advisory level winds will
continue across much of LA/Ventura Counties through the
afternoon. Look for 3 to 5 degrees of warming across the coasts
and vlys due to the compressional nature of the offshore flow. The
interior sections will see below normal highs similar to today
Offshore flow will continue into Tuesday with weaker gradients
and less upper support. The mtns will likely see advisory level
gusts and its not of the question that some vlys and even the VTA
coast may also have low end advisory level gusts in the morning.
The weaker offshore flow will allow the csts/vlys to cool a degree
or two but the lack of cool air advection will allow the interior
to warm a few degrees.
.LONG TERM (WED-SAT)...05/317 AM.
Another quick hitting mostly inside slider will whip through the
state on Wednesday. It will bring another chc of north slope
showers to the area and another North wind event that will quickly
transition to a NE Santa Ana event. Wind speeds could be similar
to today/Monday's winds. Quite a bit of cool air advection will
lop 3 to 6 degrees off of the max temps compared to Tuesday.
Thursday will be a northeast wind day but it looks like the cool
air advection will continue and there will not be much change in
the high temps. The upper flow stays in more of northerly
direction and this will keep the slight chc of north slope showers
going.
Friday should be dry and a little warmer as a fast moving upper
ridge moves over the area. Max temps will, however, still be a
little blo normal.
Another trof is forecast to move over the state on Saturday. It is
a little further to the west that Today's or Wednesday's trof and
will bring a slight chc of rain to SLO and SBA counties on
Saturday along with clouds and cooling everywhere.
The EC and most of its ensemble members bring more rain for next
Sunday but the GFS is much drier. Just something to watch for now.
&&
.AVIATION...05/1907Z.
At 1752Z at KLAX, there was no marine layer.
Good confidence with TAFs.
Strong north to northeast winds will develop aft 22Z this
afternoon and will create UDDFs and turbc over and near to the
hier trrn.
KLAX...Moderate confidence in 18z TAF. Good confidence the east
wind component will remain less than 7 knots. Northerly cross
winds 15-25 knots are likely between 22Z and 01Z.
KBUR...Good confidence in 18z TAF. LLWS and UDDFs possible late
this afternoon through tonight.
&&
.MARINE...05/1009 AM.
Outer Waters...Moderate confidence with GALE Warning which is now
in effect for the entire outer waters through early Monday
morning. Winds will likely weaken back to SCA level strength by
late tonight or early Monday morning and continue through Monday
afternoon or evening. Moderate confidence in SCA level winds
returning to much of the area Tuesday night through Thursday.
Inner Waters N of Point Sal...Moderate confidence for SCA in
effect through late tonight or early Monday morning for gusty
northerly winds and choppy seas over 10 feet. There is a 30%
chance for additional SCA conditions through Monday afternoon.
Otherwise, winds should remain below SCA levels through at least
Wednesday.
Inner Waters S of Point Conception...
Moderate confidence in current forecast. SCA level NW winds are
likely to reach the western Santa Barbara Channel this morning and
continue through this afternoon and evening. Moderate confidence
that winds will reach SCA levels as they shift to the northeast
overnight into Monday, from south of Ventura to Santa Monica and S
of Point Vicente out to Avalon. Seas up to 7 to 9 feet will also
be possible in the Santa Barbara Channel tonight. Winds and seas
should drop below SCA levels Tue and Tue night, followed by
possible SCA winds Wed and Thu.
&&
.BEACHES...05/417 AM.
Another large northwest swell is forecast to move into the
coastal waters through tonight. High surf is likely to occur at
the beaches along the Central Coast and the Ventura County coast,
with elevated surf along the Los Angeles County coast. Strong rip
currents are likely to continue through Monday, as well. High Surf
Advisories have been issued for the Central Coast and Ventura
County coast along with a Beach Hazards statement for the Los
Angeles County Coast.
&&
.LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...High Surf Advisory in effect until 3 AM PST Monday for zones
34-35. (See LAXCFWLOX).
Wind Advisory in effect until 3 AM PST Monday for zone 39. (See LAXNPWLOX).
High Surf Advisory in effect until 6 AM PST Monday for zone
40. (See LAXCFWLOX).
Wind Advisory in effect from 10 PM this evening to 3 PM PST
Monday for zone 40. (See LAXNPWLOX).
Beach Hazards Statement in effect through late tonight for
zone 41. (See LAXCFWLOX).
Wind Advisory in effect until 3 PM PST Monday for zones
41-44-45-88-547. (See LAXNPWLOX).
High Wind Warning in effect until 3 PM PST Monday for zones
46-53-54. (See LAXNPWLOX).
High Wind Warning in effect until 3 AM PST Monday for zone
52. (See LAXNPWLOX).
PZ...Small Craft Advisory in effect until 3 AM PST Monday for zone
645. (See LAXMWWLOX).
Small Craft Advisory in effect until 3 PM PST Monday for zone
650. (See LAXMWWLOX).
Small Craft Advisory in effect from 3 PM this afternoon to 3
PM PST Monday for zone 655. (See LAXMWWLOX).
Gale Warning in effect until 3 AM PST Monday for zones
670-673-676. (See LAXMWWLOX).
&&
.HAZARD POTENTIAL OUTLOOK (TUE-SAT).
High surf and strong rip currents are possible late Wednesday
through Thursday.
&&
PUBLIC...MW/Rorke
AVIATION...Sweet/Kaplan
MARINE...Sweet/Kaplan
BEACHES...Kaplan/Hall
SYNOPSIS...Phillips
weather.gov/losangeles3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong and gusty northerly winds impacted the mountains of Los Angeles county. Some peak wind gusts reported include Whitaker Peak (gusts to 96 MPH) and Camp Nine (gusts to 61 MPH).
Strong and gusty northerly winds impacted the mountains of Ventura county. Peak wind gusts up to 70 MPH were reported.
Strong and gusty northerly winds impacted the mountains of Santa Barbara county. Some peak wind gusts reported include Montecito (gusts to 70 MPH) and Tepusquet (gusts to 64 MPH).
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: 879261, 879263, 879260.