High Surf — Orange County Coastal Areas, California

2014-12-12 · Orange County Coastal Areas, California

Event narrative

Surfline reports surf of 5 to 8 feet at Huntington Beach.

Wider weather episode

A strong Pacific low pressure system brought increasing wind and precipitation with a period of heavy rain the morning of the 12th and showers continued into the following morning. Significant post-frontal showers occurred in San Diego County, as well as local convergence of air around coastal islands, producing a narrow band of showers. Widespread rainfall amounts of 1 to 1.5 inches were recorded in the coast and valley areas. The snow level dropped to around 6000 feet, with 2 to 5 inches of snow above 6000 feet and 6 to 8 inches above 7000 feet. Mountain locations below 6000 feet saw up to around 4 inches of rain. River rises in the San Diego River at Fashion Valley resulted in a levee breach which flooded the parking lot of Qualcomm Stadium. Several other roadways in San Diego County were closed due to flooding with mud and debris in the road, especially near the Tijuana River Valley. Most wind gusts were below 58 mph, with the exception of Burns Canyon in the upper desert. High Surf was also generated along west facing Orange and San Diego County beaches by the storm that moved through.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 552599. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.