Special Weather Statement

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA
303 PM PST TUE DEC 13 2011

CAZ034>041-044>046-051>054-059-087-088-547-548-150000-
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY CENTRAL COAST-
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY CENTRAL COAST-SANTA YNEZ VALLEY-
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY INTERIOR VALLEYS-CUYAMA VALLEY-
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SOUTH COAST-VENTURA COUNTY COAST-
LOS ANGELES COUNTY COAST INCLUDING DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES-
VENTURA COUNTY INTERIOR VALLEYS-VENTURA COUNTY COASTAL VALLEYS-
SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS RECREATIONAL AREA-
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
VENTURA COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
LOS ANGELES COUNTY MOUNTAINS EXCLUDING THE SANTA MONICA RANGE-
ANTELOPE VALLEY-CATALINA ISLAND-SANTA CLARITA VALLEY-
LOS ANGELES COUNTY SAN FERNANDO VALLEY-
LOS ANGELES COUNTY SAN GABRIEL VALLEY-
303 PM PST TUE DEC 13 2011

...STRONG AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING OFFSHORE WINDS POSSIBLE THURSDAY
NIGHT INTO FRIDAY ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA...

A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE
SOUTHEAST AND QUICKLY THROUGH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA THURSDAY MORNING...
INTO SOUTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA BY THURSDAY EVENING...THEN TO THE LOWER
COLORADO RIVER VALLEY BY EARLY FRIDAY. THE LATEST COMPUTER MODEL
FORECASTS ARE NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE TRACK OF THIS UPPER LEVEL LOW
WHICH COULD HAVE IMPLICATIONS ON THE TIMING AND STRENGTH OF THE
OFFSHORE WINDS.

HOWEVER...AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS WILL
DEVELOP OVER PORTIONS OF VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES THURSDAY
NIGHT AND PERSIST THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY ON FRIDAY. THE MOST
SUSCEPTIBLE AREAS FOR THE STRONG WINDS WILL BE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS
AND VALLEYS...ESPECIALLY BELOW AND THROUGH THE PASSES AND CANYONS.
THIS AREA INCLUDES THE INTERSTATE 5 CORRIDOR IN NORTHWESTERN LOS
ANGELES COUNTY...THE SANTA CLARITA...SAN FERNANDO AND SAN GABRIEL
VALLEYS...AND THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS. STRONG WINDS WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY COAST ESPECIALLY FROM MALIBU TO
THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS...AND AREAS IN AND AROUND LAKE CASITAS IN
VENTURA COUNTY.

THE PEAK OF THIS OFFSHORE WIND EVENT WOULD LIKELY BE LATE THURSDAY
NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING. WHILE IT IS STILL A BIT EARLY TO PINPOINT
EXACT WIND SPEEDS WITH THIS EVENT DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE
TRACK OF THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM...THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OF 60 MPH OR GREATER THROUGH FAVORED MOUNTAIN
PASSES...AND STRONG WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH ACROSS WIND FAVORED COASTAL
AND VALLEY LOCATIONS. STRONG AND GUSTY OFFSHORE WINDS ARE EXPECTED
TO CONTINUE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AS WELL.

IF THIS STRONG OFFSHORE WIND EVENT DEVELOPS...THERE WOULD LIKELY BE
SUFFICIENTLY LOW HUMIDITIES TO CREATE HEIGHTENED FIRE WEATHER
CONCERNS. OTHER POTENTIAL IMPACTS WOULD INCLUDE DOWNED TREES AND
POWER LINES ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS...AND STRONG CROSS WINDS FOR
MOTORISTS WHICH WOULD AFFECT HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS
AND STATEMENTS ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

$$

SIRARD