Strong and gusty north to northeast winds impacted the mountains of Southern California. Wind gusts up to around 80 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 Southern California. Wind gusts up to around 80 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 8, 2:03 PM PST, 4 hours 39 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
203 PM PST Fri Jan 8 2021
.SYNOPSIS...08/219 AM.
Dry weather is expected through next week with periodic gusty
north to northeast winds. Skies will be partly cloudy at times
through the period with some high clouds, otherwise it will be
mostly clear. Temperatures will remain near to slightly above
normal through early next week, then much above normal by
midweek.
&&
.SHORT TERM (TDY-MON)...08/202 PM.
Overall, 12Z models in good synoptic agreement through the short
term period. At upper levels, ridge will gradually build along the
West Coast. Near the surface, high pressure will develop over the
Great Basin and remain through the period.
Forecast-wise, main issue for the short term forecast will be
north to northeast winds. Latest gradient forecast indicates good
northerly pressure gradients tonight and northeasterly gradients
on Saturday. The upper level and thermal support is not
spectacular, but should be enough to bump winds up to low-end
advisory levels this evening through Saturday afternoon. So, will
issue WIND ADVISORIES for the SBA Mountains/South Coast this
evening into early Saturday morning, the LA/VTU mountains this
evening through Saturday afternoon and most LA/VTU valleys and
coasts on Saturday. For Saturday night through Monday, models
indicate continued moderate offshore gradients. So, there is a
chance for advisory-level Santa Ana winds to continue across the
usual areas in Ventura/LA counties. Will have to see how things
develop during that time period.
Otherwise, skies are generally expected to range between mostly
clear and partly cloudy through the period as varying amounts of
cirrus clouds drift overhead. Currently, there is a some stratus
off the LA coast which is expected to dissipate later this
afternoon and evening. So, offshore flow should keep the area
stratus-free through the weekend.
As for temperatures, do not anticipate any significant trends
through the weekend. Overall, temperatures are expected to hover a
couple degrees above seasonal normals.
.LONG TERM (TUE-FRI)...08/203 PM.
For the extended, models continue to exhibit decent synoptic
agreement. At upper levels, high will continue to strengthen off
the West Coast. Near the surface, weak to locally moderate
offshore flow will continue.
Forecast-wise, no rain in sight through the period. Skies should
remain mostly clear to partly cloudy through the extended period
as varying amounts of cirrus clouds drift around the high
pressure. However, the weak to locally moderate offshore flow will
keep the area stratus-free. Given the strength of the offshore
surface gradients and orientation of the upper level high, there
will be the potential for low-end advisory level northeast winds
at times, especially by the Thursday/Friday time frame. As for
temperatures, a warming trend is anticipated through the period
with Thursday/Friday likely the warmest days. Many coastal and
valley areas are expected to climb into the lower to mid 80s by
Thursday/Friday.
&&
.AVIATION...08/2000Z.
At 17z at KLAX... The inversion was around 200 feet. The top of
the inversion was around 1950 feet with a temperature of about 18
degrees Celsius.
Overall... Moderate to high confidence in the current TAFs.
MVFR conditions will linger along the Los Angeles County coastal
terminals through midday, then there is a seventy percent chance
of VLIFR/LIFR conditions returning during the 09z-17z period and
a greater than ninety percent chance of at least MVFR conditions.
There is a thirty percent chance of IFR/MVFR conditions at KPRB,
KSBP, KSMX, KCMA, and KOXR 11z-17z. Otherwise and elsewhere VFR
conditions will prevail.
KLAX... Moderate confidence in the current TAF. MVFR conditions
will linger in the area through midday, then there is a seventy
percent chance of VLIFR/LIFR conditions returning during the 09z-
17z period and a greater than ninety percent chance of at least
MVFR conditions. Otherwise VFR conditions will prevail. There is a
less than ten percent chance of east winds greater than 8 kts
13z-17z.
KBUR... High confidence in the current TAF. VFR conditions will
prevail.
&&
.MARINE...08/1243 PM.
Across the outer waters... Hazardous seas will continue at Small
Craft Advisory (SCA) level through the forecast period. Winds will
reach SCA tonight through Saturday and have a thirty percent
chance of periodically reaching that level through the remainder
of the forecast period in the afternoon and evening hours.
Across the nearshore waters of the Central Coast... Hazardous seas
will continue at SCA level through the forecast period. There is a
thirty percent chance of winds reaching SCA level for tonight as
well.
Across the inner waters south of Point Conception... There is a
forty percent chance of hazardous seas at SCA level tonight and
Saturday from Point Conception to Point Mugu. In addition, there
is a thirty percent chance of SCA level winds across all of the
inner waters through Saturday night. The winds will be strongest
in the afternoon and evening hours. Otherwise and elsewhere,
conditions will remain below SCA levels.
Patchy fog remains along the Los Angeles County coastline, including
Catalina Island, this afternoon and might not clear completely
prior to redeveloping again tonight. Locally dense fog is possible
by early morning.
&&
.BEACHES...08/1245 PM.
Large, long period west to northwest swells will move through the
coastal waters for the next several days resulting in periods of
high surf and dangerous rip currents on all westerly facing beaches.
The next peak swell will arrive tonight and the next on Sunday
into Monday.
Surf will be advisory level through at least late Monday and may
linger well into Tuesday in some locations. There is a thirty
percent chance of warning level surf along the Central Coast late
Sunday into early Monday. Another large, long period swell will
move into the coastal waters Tuesday night.
High tides combined with the large surf may result in minor
coastal flooding and beach erosion along west facing beaches.
Beach goers should remain well back from the water, watch for
rogue waves, and stay off rock walls and jetties.
&&
.LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...High Surf Advisory in effect until 1 AM PST Tuesday for zones
34-35-39>41-87. (See LAXCFWLOX).
Wind Advisory in effect from 6 PM this evening to 6 AM PST
Saturday for zones 39-52. (See LAXNPWLOX).
Wind Advisory in effect from 4 AM to 3 PM PST Saturday for
zones 40-41-44>46-88-547. (See LAXNPWLOX).
Wind Advisory in effect from 6 PM this evening to 3 PM PST
Saturday for zones 53-54. (See LAXNPWLOX).
PZ...Small Craft Advisory in effect until 10 AM PST Sunday for
zones 645-670-673-676. (See LAXMWWLOX).
&&
.HAZARD POTENTIAL OUTLOOK (MON-FRI).
There is a chance of red flag conditions and gusty offshore winds
at times this weekend and into next week. High surf will continue
through Monday at area beaches.
&&
PUBLIC...Thompson
AVIATION...Kj
MARINE...Kj
BEACHES...Kj
SYNOPSIS...Smith
weather.gov/losangeles3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong and gusty northerly winds impacted the South Coast of Santa Barbara county. Some peak wind reports from the local RAWS network include: Montecito (gust 81 MPH) and Carpinteria (gust 59 MPH).
Strong and gusty northerly winds impacted the Santa Ynez Mountains in Santa Barbara county. The RAWS sensor at Montecito reported a wind gust of 81 MPH.
Strong and gusty northerly winds impacted the mountains of Los Angeles county. Some peak wind reports from the local RAWS network include: Warm Springs (gust 62 MPH) and Whitaker Peak (gust 61 MPH).
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: 942707, 942703, 942710.