Very gusty winds came with a series of Pacific troughs that impacted the region on January 22nd-25th, with gusts near 60 MPH from the coast to the mountains. Small debris flows were also reported near burn areas along with heavy mountain snow.
Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 SGX wrote it up.
Very gusty winds came with a series of Pacific troughs that impacted the region on January 22nd-25th, with gusts near 60 MPH from the coast to the mountains. Small debris flows were also reported near burn areas along with heavy mountain snow.
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 22, 1:26 PM PST, 1 hour 34 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Diego CA
126 PM PST Fri Jan 22 2021
.SYNOPSIS...
A cooler and wetter weather pattern is developing over the West
Coast and will provide periods of rain and mountain snow, along with
gusty southwest to west winds at times through next week. The first
round of precipitation will arrive tonight and continue into
Saturday, with a second for Sunday night through Monday night.
Additional rounds of heavier precipitation are possible later next
week. Gale force winds are possible over the coastal waters by
Monday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
Satellite imagery at 1 PM PST showed broken low clouds from the
mountains westward to the coast. Farther to the northwest, a stripe
of clouds extended from Point Conception southwestward beyond the
outer coastal waters and was moving SE. This should bring the first
round of measurable light rain to lower elevations later this
evening. The sfc pressure gradient from KSAN to the high deserts was
10 MBS onshore now. Southwest winds over the mountains were 25-45
MPH and should increase through the afternoon over the mountains and
high desert areas where a Wind Advisory has been posted. Some light
rain had already broken out in the San Bernardino Mts, and along
coastal San Diego County, a narrow frontal band managed a few light
showers that moved inland around midday.
Our impending active weather pattern remains on track based on the
latest forecast data available. The first event will be a weak
frontal band this evening, followed by periods of showers through
Sunday morning. most of these showers are expected to be of the
light to moderate variety, but isolated embedded thunderstorms are
not out of the question and could produce some brief heavy rain and
small hail. The snow level will lower to around 4000 FT with several
inches of snow expected to accumulate above 4500 FT. A Winter
Weather Advisory is in effect for slippery road conditions, gusty
winds, and limited visibility at times in the mountains due to fog
and blowing snow.
On the heels of the weekend storm will be another, even colder
system beginning Sunday night and continuing into Monday night. A
Winter Storm Watch has been issued for heavier snowfall and strong
winds expected through Monday. The snow level could lower to 2000 FT
over the northern mountains and 2500 FT over our southern mountains
with snowfall potential increasing to a foot or more above 4000 FT.
The second system will move out on Tuesday as yet another cold
trough sets up along the West Coast. This one could tap a better
moisture supply as it sinks slowly south across California with
drenching rains and heavy mountain snowfall from Wednesday through
Friday. Timing is uncertain, but precipitation could begin over
SoCal on Thursday and not end until Saturday. This one poses a
bigger flood threat for our rivers and streams, but there is more
uncertainty as well.
&&
.AVIATION...
222120Z...Coast/Valleys/Mountains...BKN locally SCT clouds with
bases 1500-3500 feet MSL. Partial obscuration of terrain above 2500
feet MSL. Scattered showers after 03Z this evening and into Saturday
morning, with greater frequency of showers Saturday afternoon. Cloud
bases locally down to 2000 feet and vis 3-5 miles in -SHRA.
Deserts...Strong winds to develop today in the high desert around
KVCV with 25-35 kt after 22Z. Otherwise, SCT to locally BKN clouds
at 6000-10000 feet MSL with unrestricted vis through Saturday.
&&
.MARINE...
No marine weather hazards are expected through the weekend, though
light showers are expected tonight through Saturday night. Another
winter storm will likely bring strong winds and hazardous seas
Sunday night into Tuesday. Gales are possible. Combined seas over 10
feet in the inner waters and over 14 feet in the outer waters are
also possible.
&&
.Beaches...
Elevated short-period west northwest swells could bring surf of 7+
feet for late Monday into Tuesday. This will produce hazardous
swimming conditions and a higher risk for rip currents.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
For tonight through Saturday evening....Mostly light showers at
times with a few heavier showers Saturday afternoon and evening and
a small chance of thunderstorms. Rainfall is not expected to cause
significant runoff except near the heaviest showers in urban areas.
No river or small stream flooding is likely. The snow level will
fall to around 4000 FT which will also limit runoff. One-tenth in
the deserts...0.75-1.5" mountains...0.3-0.6" coast/valleys.
For late sunday night through Monday night...This will be a colder
storm with slightly heavier rainfall rates possible, but the snow
level will drop to between 2000-2500 feet which will limit runoff to
the valleys and coastal areas where heavier showers develop. Once
again river and small stream flooding is not expected, but urban
flooding will be possible in the heavier activity. 0.10-0.25"
deserts...1-2 inches liquid mountains(almost all snow)...0.50-1.15"
coast/valleys.
Later next week a slower moving system will tap significant moisture
and could result in heavy rain and snowfall with significant runoff.
Uncertainty is too great at this time to estimate how much rain and/
or flooding is possible so stay tuned.
.SKYWARN...
Skywarn activation is not requested. However weather spotters are
encouraged to report significant weather conditions.
&&
.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...Winter Weather Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 10 PM PST
Saturday for Riverside County Mountains-San Bernardino
County Mountains-San Diego County Mountains.
Wind Advisory until 10 PM PST this evening for Apple and Lucerne
Valleys-Riverside County Mountains-San Bernardino County
Mountains-San Diego County Mountains-San Gorgonio Pass Near
Banning.
Winter Storm Watch from Sunday evening through Monday evening
for Riverside County Mountains-San Bernardino County
Mountains-San Diego County Mountains.
PZ...NONE.
&&
PUBLIC...10
AVIATION/MARINE/BEACHES...MMThe Edwards AFB radar (KEYX), 129 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:04 UTC.
4 heavy snow, 3 high wind, 2 strong wind, 1 astronomical low tide, 1 funnel cloud, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Spotters, public, and ski resort reports of snow 12-18 inches of fresh snow.
Heavy snow fell, including around 17 inches in Fern Valley.
Reports over one foot of snow fell across the area. A power outage occurred near the Mt. Laguna village on the 25th, according to a COOP observer.
Trained spotter reports funnel cloud near North Island military base in the San Diego Bay with weak rotation.
Trained spotter measures areas of heavy snow between 2-3 inches.
Very gusty winds occurred at the coast. Solana Beach Fletcher Cove reported a peak gust of 64 MPH. Some areas experienced tree damage that led to blocked roads, including State Highway 76 in Oceanside.
Uprooted tree fell on a carport at mariners cove apartments in ocean beach, trapping several cars underneath. Extent of damage to cars unknown. Winds gusted 30-40 MPH all morning.
Gusty westerly winds occurred across the region primarily 45-55 MPH. Otay Mountain reported a peak gust of 66 MPH. Impacts included road closures due to large trees being uprooted from the wind and blocking roadways, including a tree falling on a vehicle in Ramona.
Gusty winds occurred across the region with some sites gusting over 70 MPH.
Minor flooding and debris flows occurred near Williams Canyon on the early morning of the 25th closing some local roadways.
Public report via social media measures an inch of snow at 1,600 feet elevation in Ramona.
Reports of two empty cars crushed by toppled trees in Lemon Grove.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2021
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: 938544, 938545, 938543, 938536, 938546, 938464, 938467, 938540, 938541, 938801, 938542, 938804.