Alert archive / California / Flash Flood Warnings in 2017

Flash Flood Warning 49, NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA

February 9, 2017Marin County, California

NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA issued this flash flood warning at Feb 9, 2017, 12:15 PM PST for Marin County, California. It was in force for 6 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Feb 9, 2017, 12:15 PM PST (20:15 UTC)
Expired
Feb 9, 2017, 6:15 PM PST
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Marin County, CA

The radar

The Sacramento radar (KDAX), 106 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:17 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Oakland, CA (KOAK), launched 12:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 71 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Oakland, CA at 12:00Z on 2017-02-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Oakland, CA at 12:00Z on 2017-02-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 182 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
2 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
838 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
66 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
182 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
353 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

725 
WGUS56 KMTR 092015
FFWMTR
CAC041-100215-
/O.NEW.KMTR.FF.W.0049.170209T2015Z-170210T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
1215 PM PST THU FEB 9 2017

The National Weather Service in The San Francisco Bay Area has issued
a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Marin County in northern California...

* Until 615 PM PST Thursday

* At 1210 PM PST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated
  heavy rain falling across much of Marin County. Rain gages in the
  Corte Madera Creek watershed (Ross Valley) show rain rates in
  excess of 0.5" per hour. 

* Stream gages in Ross Valley are rising rapidly and are approaching
  flood stages. Due to continuing heavy rain, flash flooding is
  expected to begin shortly. In some locations along the northern
  Marin/southern Sonoma County, flooding in lowland valleys is
  likely already occurring.  Flooding is also possible in Mill
  Valley and other low lying spots across Marin County in or near to
  the warning area.

* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
  San Rafael, Mill Valley, San Anselmo, Larkspur, Corte Madera,
  Fairfax, Lucas Valley-Marinwood, Tomales, San Geronimo, Kentfield,
  Strawberry, and Tamalpais-Homestead Valley.

Excessive rainfall over the warned area will cause mud slides near
steep terrain. The mud slide can consist of rock, mud, vegetation and
other loose materials.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are
potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded
roads. Find an alternate route.

A Flash Flood Warning means that flooding is imminent or occurring.
If you are in the warned area move to higher ground immediately.
Residents living along streams and creeks should take immediate
precautions to protect life and property.

&&

LAT...LON 3830 12300 3832 12297 3831 12292 3832 12292
      3832 12290 3828 12285 3818 12278 3812 12268
      3802 12245 3781 12245 3782 12254 3791 12269
      3809 12285 3809 12283 3814 12289 3830 12301

$$

MWS
1 follow-up statement
721 
WGUS76 KMTR 092242
FFSMTR

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
242 PM PST THU FEB 9 2017

CAC041-092251-
/O.CAN.KMTR.FF.W.0049.000000T0000Z-170210T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Marin CA-
242 PM PST THU FEB 9 2017

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR MARIN COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

Flood waters have receded in many of the creeks in Marin County.
Flooding is no longer expected to pose a threat from creeks,
although there may be ponding remaining in low lying areas. Please
continue to heed any remaining road closures.

LAT...LON 3830 12300 3832 12297 3831 12292 3832 12292
      3832 12290 3828 12285 3818 12278 3812 12268
      3802 12245 3781 12245 3782 12254 3791 12269
      3809 12285 3809 12283 3814 12289 3830 12301

$$

MWS

The office that day

Everything else NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 9, 2:20 AM PSTSmall Craft Advisory for Rough BarMTR19 hr
Feb 9, 4:10 AM PSTRiver Flood WarningMTRNapa24 hr
Feb 9, 11:41 AM PSTFlash Flood WarningMTRMarin, Sonoma7 hr
Feb 9, 12:27 PM PSTFlash Flood WarningMTRSonoma6 hr
Feb 9, 12:40 PM PSTFlash Flood WarningMTRSonoma5 hr
Feb 9, 1:21 PM PSTFlash Flood WarningMTRNapa5 hr
Feb 9, 3:04 PM PSTSmall Craft AdvisoryMTR71 hr
Feb 9, 3:36 PM PSTRiver Flood WarningMTRNapa23 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in California, 2017Every flash flood warning in 2017

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.