768
FXUS66 KLOX 180120
AFDLOX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
520 PM PST Wed Dec 17 2025

.SYNOPSIS...17/201 PM.

Well above normal temperatures will continue away from the coast
through Friday. Unsettled weather is possible this weekend along
the Central Coast, spreading to all areas with a potentially
significant storm near the middle part of next week.

&&

.SHORT TERM (WED-SAT)...17/159 PM.

Temperatures are tracking well with fairly widespread 70s to low
80s in downsloping areas including coastal valleys and 60s so far
today most other places.

Moderate offshore flow from the north and a little upper level
support from the upper high will likely bring advisory level winds
to most of the mtns and vlys of LA/VTA county as well as the
Santa Ynez range, the Antelope Vly and the Malibu coast. The peak
of the winds should come late this afternoon and evening,
especially coastal valleys to Santa Monicas where winds have
struggled to to penetrate the stubborn marine layer.

The E/W gradient becomes more offshore on Thursday and this will
tilt the winds to the NE and set up a weak Santa Ana event. It
does not look like it will produce advisory level wind gusts. It
will limit the low clouds and fog to the Long Beach area. The
offshore flow and lack of marine layer will allow max temps across
the csts to soar 8 to 12 degree. Weaker cool air advection will
bring some warming to the interior as well. The Central Coast will
be the only cooler spot as the offshore push there will be weaker
and will allow for an earlier sea breeze. Most max temps will end
up 10 to 15 degrees above normal.

On Friday the ridge will be pushed to the south and flat westerly
flow sets up over the area. Hgts will fall to about 585 dam (still
well above normal). Low clouds will be similar to Wednesday and
pretty much confined to the Long Beach area. Much weaker offshore
flow at the sfc will lead to 3 to 6 degrees of cooling across the
csts/vlys.

Flat westerly flow will continue over the area on Saturday. Hgts
will dip to 582 dam. Onshore flow to the east and weaker offshore
flow from the north will allow for decent amount of coastal low
clouds. The southern edge of an atmospheric river (AR) affecting
the northern portion of the state may (20 percent chc) dip just
far enough to south to bring some light rain to SLO county. The
cooling trend will continue as falling hgts and better onshore
flow combine to lower most temps 3 to 6 degrees. The Central Coast
will be the exception with little change in temps. Max temps,
however, will remain above normal (well above normal across the
mtn and far interior).

.LONG TERM (SUN-WED)...17/159 PM.

The upper flow pattern changes to a more SW to NE direction on
Sunday as the AR system sags a little more to the south. A slight
chc or chc (20 to 30 percent) of rain will develop over SLO and
Western SBA counties. Other areas will just see increasing clouds.
Max temps will fall 2 to 3 degrees across almost all of the area.

The system is forecast to stall out on Monday. The 20-30 percent
chc of rain will remain over SLO and Western SBA counties.
Rainfall totals during this time will most likely be under a tenth
of an inch with perhaps the exception of the far NW tip of SLO
county which could see more. Max temps will change little from
Sunday`s values.

Things become a little more interesting on Tuesday as the AR sags
south and the flow becomes even more SW to NE. Rain chances will
overspread the entire area and now sit around 20 percent for LA
county, 30 percent for VTA county, 40 to 50 percent for SBA
county and 50 to 60 percent for SLO county. SLO county may see a
quarter inch of rain (three quarters of an inch over the extreme
NW tip) with a tenth of an inch elsewhere.

Deterministic, ensemble and AI mdls all are converging on the idea
of a large atmospheric river storm affecting the entire area
on the 24th and Christmas. There is the potential for this system
to be a big rain maker with all the attendant problems of such an
event. Early estimates place rainfall totals in the 2-4 inch range
with 4-8 inches for foothills and mountains. SoCal residents are
urged to stay as informed as possible about this developing
situation especially as it may impact holiday travel plans.

This will not be much of a snowmaker through at least early on the
25th with snow levels well above even resort levels.

Active weather with another storm or two is possible beyond our
holiday storm.

&&

.AVIATION...18/0119Z.

At 2300Z, the marine layer was 900 ft deep. The top of the
inversion was at 3000 ft with a temperature of 20 C.

Low to moderate confidence in 00Z TAF Package due to coastal cigs
and gusty offshore winds. Timing of CIG/VSBY restrictions may be
off by +/- 2 hours and flight minimums by one. Wind speeds may be
off by 5-10 knots and directions by 30 degrees.

LLWS and turbulence possible through entire forecast period, strongest
through 09Z Thu over LA and Ventura counties. Moderate wind shear
and turbulence is likely, with a moderate chance of strong
through the aforementioned period.

KLAX...Moderate to low confidence in TAF. Best chance for gusty
northerly winds is from 03Z to 08Z, and there is a 30-40% chance
gusty north winds will fail to surface. There 25% chance winds
gusts over 25 kt between 01Z and 05Z Thu. Moderate, even strong
turbulence is possible between 01Z and 08Z Thursday. Easterly
winds are possible from of 4 to 8 kt are possible from 09Z to 14Z,
with an east wind component generally from 4 to 8 kt.

KBUR... Moderate confidence in TAF. There is a 20% chance of
gusts as high as 30kt between 23Z and 05Z Thursday. There is a 60%
chance of moderate to strong turbulence between 22Z and 08Z
Thursday.

&&

.MARINE...17/321 PM.

Updated to reflect adding a Small Craft Advisory (SCA) to the
Santa Barbara Channel through Thursday morning.

Small Craft Advisory (SCA) level winds expected across the outer
waters through Friday. The strongest winds are expected across an
area from near Pt Conception down to San Nicolas and westward by
about 40 NM. This area could see localized Gale Force wind gusts
through Thursday evening - SCA level winds could linger into Sat
morning. SCA level winds possible to likely across the nearshore
waters along the Central Coast through Friday afternoon.

Inside the southern California bight, Winds will increase this
afternoon and evening with a likely chance of SCA level N winds
impacting the waters from near Malibu to Palos Verdes. May extend
into San Pedro Channel this evening. SCA level W-NW wind gusts
likely across the western portion of Santa Barbara Channel each
afternoon and evening through Friday. A Small Craft Advisory was
added to the Santa Barbara Channel through Thursday morning.
Otherwise and elsewhere, Winds and seas should drop below SCA
levels Thursday through Sunday.

&&

.LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...Wind Advisory remains in effect until 10 PM PST this evening
      for zones 88-356-362-369>375-383. (See LAXNPWLOX).
     Wind Advisory remains in effect until 4 AM PST Thursday for
      zones 349-351>353-376>381. (See LAXNPWLOX).
PZ...Small Craft Advisory in effect until 9 PM PST this evening
      for zone 645. (See LAXMWWLOX).
     Small Craft Advisory in effect until 2 AM PST Thursday for
      zone 655. (See LAXMWWLOX).
     Small Craft Advisory in effect until 3 AM PST Friday for
      zones 670-673-676. (See LAXMWWLOX).

&&

$$

PUBLIC...RM/Rorke
AVIATION...Phillips/Black
MARINE...Black/Lewis
SYNOPSIS...RM/jld

weather.gov/losangeles

Experimental Graphical Hazardous Weather Outlook at:
https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=lox