Some of the area experienced impactful wildfires that prompted evacuations and property damage May 22nd-24th.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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.
Some of the area experienced impactful wildfires that prompted evacuations and property damage May 22nd-24th.
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 May 22, 8:19 AM PST, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Diego CA
919 AM PDT Sat May 22 2021
.SYNOPSIS...
An extensive low pressure system still covers the western states
today, bringing cool weather and a slight chance of showers over
the mountains this afternoon. As this system moves to the
northeast early next week, gradual warming will take place through
Tuesday. The marine layer will become shallower, limiting night
and morning low cloud coverage. A weak low pressure trough will
bring an increase in low cloud coverage and a return of temperatures
at or below seasonal averages for the middle of next week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
This morning, areas of low clouds extend from the foothills
westward to the coast, with large breaks in the cloud layer. The
morning sounding shows a 4000 ft deep marine layer with a weak
inversion due to cooling above the inversion layer. In spite of
the weak inversion, low clouds are likely to persist through the
day in some locations west of the mtns as boundary layer moisture
convects. Sfc pressure gradients remain onshore but are mostly
trending weaker so we can expect more of a diurnal wind pattern
for today.
The extensive low pressure system covering the western U.S. will
remain nearly stationary through today, with the upper level low
over NV. This will continue the cool weather, with high
temperatures 15 to 20 degrees below normal in the mountains and
deserts and 5 to 10 degrees below normal for the coasts and
valleys. A weak shortwave embedded in the mean cyclonic flow aloft
will move over SoCal later today. This could combine with weak
instability enough to convect the low level moisture and produce a
few showers over the San Bernardino Mountains again this
afternoon. High-resolution probabilistic models continue to
indicate a non-trivial probability of occurrence for these
showers. Some snow could again fall above 5500 ft but only trace
amounts are likely due to a lack of deep-layer moisture.
Most members of the model ensembles continue to show the low
beginning to move off to the northeast on Sunday but SoCal remaining
under weak troughing aloft albeit with some height rises on
Tuesday. This provides some confidence that the region will
experience significant warming through Tuesday. Onshore flow and a
coastal eddy could mitigate the warming west of the mtns,
especially on Tuesday. As a result, Monday will be the warmest
day west of the mtns and Tuesday will be the warmest day in the
deserts. Temperatures could reach triple digits in the lower
deserts on Tuesday, about 3-5 degrees above seasonal normals.
After Tuesday, confidence decreases as the spread in the ensemble
solutions increases, mostly with respect to the timing and
trajectory of at least 2 more low pressure troughs moving inland
across the Pacific Northwest. Although there is no overwhelming
consensus, most of the ensemble members favor solutions that show
weak troughing over the Southwest for most of next week. It
appears that the most likely outcome is for minor cooling in all
areas Wed and Thu then some warming Fri and Sat, mainly in the
lower deserts where temperatures could again climb back into the
low triple digits. A somewhat deeper and persistent marine layer
will continue to bring low clouds and fog to areas west of the
mtns during the nights and mornings, keeping temps there near
seasonal normals. Onshore flow will prevail, with minor increases
as the low pressure troughs pass to our north.
&&
.AVIATION...
221530Z...Coast/Valleys...Patches of SCT-BKN with bases 3000-4000 FT
MSL are occurring this morning. Widespread clearing expected 17-19z.
Patchy low clouds will redevelop 03-05z Sun with bases 1500-2000 FT
MSL.
Mountains/Deserts...Mostly clear skies with unrestricted vis through
tonight. Breezy W-NW winds will redevelop this afternoon and persist
into early Sun, with wind gusts of 25-35 kts and higher gusts to 40
kts in wind-prone areas including the San Gorgonio Pass. Moderate
up/downdrafts and LLWS possible over/east of the mtns. Winds will
diminish through Sunday morning.
&&
.MARINE...
Steep combined seas up to 9 feet will diminish through this morning.
Breezy northwest wind gusts to 20 kts will be possible each
afternoon through Monday, mainly across the outer coastal waters.
Otherwise, no hazardous marine conditions are expected through
Wednesday.
&&
.BEACHES...
A long period south swell from 180-190 degrees will continue to
bring elevated surf and a high rip current risk to Orange County
through this weekend. Surf of 4-6 feet is expected across most
beaches in Orange County, with some sets to 7 feet possible today at
south facing beaches. A Beach Hazards Statement remains in effect
through late Sunday night.
&&
.SKYWARN...
Skywarn activation is not requested. However weather spotters are
encouraged to report significant weather conditions.
&&
.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...Beach Hazards Statement through late Sunday night for Orange
County Coastal Areas.
PZ...NONE.
&&
PUBLIC...PG
AVIATION/MARINE/BEACHES...SchenkThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 wildfire, 1 dense fog. Local standard time, as filed.
San Diego County fire reports 7.5 acre fire that closed all four lanes along Interstate 15 South between Camino del Rey and Gopher Canyon Road. Traffic was diverted until the evening of the 23rd.
The Lake fire started along the Santa Ana River and prompted evacuation orders along Limonite Avenue and burned 150 acres. Nearby SCE weather station was mid 80s, humidity 15 percent and light winds at the start.
Dense fog reported at Mission Beach with 1/4 mile visibility.
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, May 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: 960752, 960753, 960755.