Ryan, Gary

Warming, downslope winds from the Santa Ynez Mountains in Southern California can translate to gusty surface winds in the vicinity of Santa Barbara. These winds, called "sundowners," have many of the same characteristics common to downslope winds found elsewhere in the world. Sundowners can be strong enough to cause considerable damage and are sometimes accompanied by very high temperatures. This study provides historical information from several severe sundowner events which affected the Santa Barbara area-including accounts of the incidents of 1859, 1917, and 1990--and addresses public safety concerns relative to these episodes. The paper also discusses the dynamics of downslope winds, establishes a categorical rating for sundowner episodes, and offers empirical rules for identifying and forecasting the sundowner regime.

National Weather Service (NWS)