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California Flood Stories

3,441 first-hand accounts of flood events in California, ranked by impact. Each is a NOAA-written narrative of the moment.

Flash Flood$10K damage

Riverside, CA · Aug 30, 2008

An easterly wave passing through Southern California generated widespread showers and thunderstorms over the mountains and deserts. Instability was limited in San Diego County due to cloud cover, but mostly clear skies to the north allowed for strong thunderstorms to develop…

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Flood

Alameda, CA · Apr 5, 2020

A low pressure system off the coast of northern California brought a cold front through the Bay Area in early April. This system produced heavy rainfall creating minor roadway flooding as well as gusty winds and scattered thunderstorms with small hail.

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Flood

Santa Cruz, CA · Apr 5, 2020

A low pressure system off the coast of northern California brought a cold front through the Bay Area in early April. This system produced heavy rainfall creating minor roadway flooding as well as gusty winds and scattered thunderstorms with small hail.

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Flash Flood

San Diego, CA · Sep 24, 2021

Scattered showers and thunderstorms impacted the desert to the coast on September 24. Locally heavy rainfall occurred across San Diego County with rainfall of 0.5 to 1 inch occurring, locally higher 1 to 2 inches near Palomar Mountain.

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Flood

San Diego, CA · Sep 24, 2021

Scattered showers and thunderstorms impacted the desert to the coast on September 24. Locally heavy rainfall occurred across San Diego County with rainfall of 0.5 to 1 inch occurring, locally higher 1 to 2 inches near Palomar Mountain.

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Flood

San Diego, CA · Sep 24, 2021

Scattered showers and thunderstorms impacted the desert to the coast on September 24. Locally heavy rainfall occurred across San Diego County with rainfall of 0.5 to 1 inch occurring, locally higher 1 to 2 inches near Palomar Mountain.

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Flood

San Diego, CA · Sep 24, 2021

Scattered showers and thunderstorms impacted the desert to the coast on September 24. Locally heavy rainfall occurred across San Diego County with rainfall of 0.5 to 1 inch occurring, locally higher 1 to 2 inches near Palomar Mountain.

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Flood

San Diego, CA · Sep 24, 2021

Scattered showers and thunderstorms impacted the desert to the coast on September 24. Locally heavy rainfall occurred across San Diego County with rainfall of 0.5 to 1 inch occurring, locally higher 1 to 2 inches near Palomar Mountain.

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Flash Flood

Tuolumne, CA · Aug 17, 2020

Tropical moisture streamed northward into central California around a strong area of upper high pressure which brought record heat to much of the area.

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Flash Flood

Riverside, CA · Aug 16, 2018

Monsoonal moisture moved into Southern California on August 15th and resulted in numerous showers and thunderstorms across the region. Heavy rain fell in the San Diego County Mountains on August 15th, and became more widespread on August 16th and 17th.

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Flash Flood

San Bernardino, CA · Aug 16, 2018

Monsoonal moisture moved into Southern California on August 15th and resulted in numerous showers and thunderstorms across the region. Heavy rain fell in the San Diego County Mountains on August 15th, and became more widespread on August 16th and 17th.

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Flash Flood

Merced, CA · Mar 22, 2018

A warm plume of moist tropical air brought a very active period of weather to the area between the evening of March 20 and the evening of March 22.

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Flash Flood

Fresno, CA · Mar 23, 2018

A warm plume of moist tropical air brought a very active period of weather to the area between the evening of March 20 and the evening of March 22.

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Flash Flood

Orange, CA · Dec 6, 2018

A moisture plume with a weak atmospheric river arrived on December 5th and brought rain to the region. On December 6th, a strong closed upper level low pressure brought an unstable air mass into Southern California with showers and thunderstorms, especially Orange and San Diego…

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Flash Flood

Orange, CA · Dec 6, 2018

A moisture plume with a weak atmospheric river arrived on December 5th and brought rain to the region. On December 6th, a strong closed upper level low pressure brought an unstable air mass into Southern California with showers and thunderstorms, especially Orange and San Diego…

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Flash Flood

Riverside, CA · Dec 6, 2018

A moisture plume with a weak atmospheric river arrived on December 5th and brought rain to the region. On December 6th, a strong closed upper level low pressure brought an unstable air mass into Southern California with showers and thunderstorms, especially Orange and San Diego…

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Flash Flood

San Diego, CA · Dec 6, 2018

A moisture plume with a weak atmospheric river arrived on December 5th and brought rain to the region. On December 6th, a strong closed upper level low pressure brought an unstable air mass into Southern California with showers and thunderstorms, especially Orange and San Diego…

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Flash Flood

Orange, CA · Dec 6, 2018

A moisture plume with a weak atmospheric river arrived on December 5th and brought rain to the region. On December 6th, a strong closed upper level low pressure brought an unstable air mass into Southern California with showers and thunderstorms, especially Orange and San Diego…

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Flash Flood

Fresno, CA · Oct 3, 2018

An upper level low pressure system dropped southward along the California coast on October 2 spreading precipitation across the Central California Interior.

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Flash Flood

Fresno, CA · Oct 3, 2018

An upper level low pressure system dropped southward along the California coast on October 2 spreading precipitation across the Central California Interior.

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Flash Flood

Kings, CA · Oct 3, 2018

An upper level low pressure system dropped southward along the California coast on October 2 spreading precipitation across the Central California Interior.

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Flash Flood

San Bernardino, CA · Nov 29, 2018

A low pressure system brought wind, snow, heavy rain, and some debris flows to Southern California from November 29th through 30th. Strong wind associated with the frontal boundary made its way through Southern California on the 29th, with heavy rain behind it.

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Flash Flood

Imperial, CA · Aug 9, 2018

Thunderstorms with locally heavy rain developed over the far eastern portions of Imperial County during the late evening hours on August 9th. Some of the storms generated rainfall rates in excess of one inch per hour which led to some flash flooding near the lower Colorado River…

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Flash Flood

Riverside, CA · Oct 12, 2018

A strong upper level low pressure system moved into far southeast California during the early morning hours on October 13th and triggered the development of widespread showers and thunderstorms.

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