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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

San Diego, CA · Sep 7, 2017

The month picked up where August left off, with an active monsoon pattern bringing periods of showers and thunderstorms to the mountains and deserts.

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Flood$500K damage

Merced, CA · Mar 27, 2011

The last major storm of the month arrived on March 24th. This storm brought gusts to 45 mph to the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, and gusts to 65 mph in the Kern County mountains and deserts.

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Flood$50K damage

Shasta, CA · Dec 11, 2014

An atmospheric river event beginning early December 11th brought periods of heavy rainfall, flooding from overly saturated grounds and high river/stream water levels, and heavy snow above 7000 ft.

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Flood$50K damage

Imperial, CA · Aug 21, 2014

A line of thunderstorms developed across south central Imperial county during the early afternoon hours on August 21st and they affected communities such as Imperial and El Centro. The stronger storms produced damaging microburst winds estimated to be in excess of 60 mph.

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Flood

Merced, CA · Feb 10, 2017

A low pressure system spread moisture into Merced County and into Yosemite Park on on the evening of February 9. This system moved southward on the morning of the 10th spreading heavy precipitation across the Yosemite Park area, the Mariposa County foothills and the rural areas…

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Flood

San Diego, CA · Feb 27, 2017

An east west oriented atmospheric river impacted San Diego County and northern Baja on the 27th and 28th of February, resulting in a prolonged period of moderate to heavy rain.

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Flash Flood$1.0M damage

Monterey, CA · Feb 13, 2000

Widespread rain with twenty four hour accumulations of more than 5 inches occured over the area on Feb 13 into February 14th. Urban and small stream flooding occured in nost counties of the area. Many roads including Hwy 1 and Hwy 116 were closed.

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Flash Flood$1.0M damage

San Diego, CA · Aug 29, 2000

Slow moving thunderstorms over east central and northeast San Diego County dropped over 1.6 inches of rain in less than 45 minutes. Flash flooding was observed in Hellhole and Palm Canyons in the San Ysidro Mountains just west of Borrego Springs and in most of the washes located…

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Flash Flood$1.0M damage

Orange, CA · Jan 11, 2001

This was a two day storm event that began late in the day on January 10 with strong winds and contained several moderate to heavy rain bands. Wind blew two trees onto vehicles and ripped off a roof in the Apple Valley.

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Flash Flood$1.0M damage

San Bernardino, CA · Oct 20, 2004

The second in a series of October storms brought with it heavy rain, thunderstorms, flash flooding, and funnel clouds. Very heavy rain upwards of 9 inches in the mountains caused serious flash flooding and debris flows in parts of the San Bernardino Mountains.

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Flash Flood$1.0M damage

Los Angeles, CA · Feb 20, 2005

A powerful Pacific storm tapped into a subtropical moisture source to produce heavy rain and flash flooding across Southwestern California. Overall, rainfall totals ranged from 4 to 8 inches over coastal areas to between 10 and 20 inches in the mountains.

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Flash Flood$100K damage

Kern, CA · Aug 19, 2013

High pressure had strengthened by the third week of August and lasted for the remainder of the month over much of the western states and even into the Midwest.

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Flash Flood$100K damage

Kern, CA · Aug 19, 2013

High pressure had strengthened by the third week of August and lasted for the remainder of the month over much of the western states and even into the Midwest.

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Flash Flood$100K damage

San Diego, CA · Aug 25, 2013

Monsoon moisture from the southeast, as well as the remnants of Tropical Storm Ivo, set off thunderstorms along and east of a line from Big Bear, south to Tecate, Mexico each afternoon/evening.

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Flash Flood$100K damage

Riverside, CA · Sep 3, 2013

Isolated to scattered thunderstorms continued over the mountains, deserts, and portions of the Inland Empire, producing flash flooding each afternoon and evening through the 7th, with a brief lull in activity on the 1st.

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Flash Flood$100K damage

Imperial, CA · Aug 24, 2013

Copious amounts of tropical moisture streamed northward into far southeastern California on August 24th, ahead of dissipating former tropical storm Ivo.

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Flood$1.0M damage

Kern, CA · Dec 29, 2010

There was a break in the weather on December 23rd and 24th, as a weak upper-level ridge moved into California. Light winds and a stable airmass aloft allowed areas of dense fog to develop over parts of the central and southern San Joaquin Valley.

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Flood$1.0M damage

Tulare, CA · Dec 19, 2010

The first in a series of low pressure systems, rotating around an upper level low pressure system centered off the coast of the Pacific Northwest, moved through the central California interior, during the night of the 16th into the 17th, bringing copious amounts of moisture to…

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Flood$20.5M damage

San Diego County Coasts, CA · Jan 9, 2005

Flooding from heavy rains resulted in an estimated $300,000 in damage to 9 San Diego County parks. Sewage spills in San Marcos, Camp Pendleton, and Escondido cost millions to clean up and repair.

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Flood$45K damage

Alameda, CA · Dec 11, 2014

An Atmospheric River event brought heavy rain and gusty winds with a strong winter storm that impacted the Bay Area for several days in mid-December. Cyclogenesis occurred with a 979 mb low forming off the Northern California coast.

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Flash Flood$5.0M damage

El Dorado, CA · Jan 24, 1997

The return of rain to the Sierra Nevada caused another, larger, mudslide on US highway 50 at 2330 PST on the 24th near the town of White Hall. The slide was 800 feet wide and reached heights of 70 feet and contained a total of 500,000 cubic yards of earth.

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Flash Flood

Riverside, 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

Riverside, CA · Oct 13, 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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Flood$900K damage

Sutter, CA · Jan 1, 2006

A series of warm winter storms brought heavy rain, mudslides, flooding, and high winds to Northern California. - Levee overtopping, breaching, and river flooding occurred along the Feather and Sacramento mainstem rivers as well as along numerous smaller rivers, creeks, and…

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