Alert archive / California / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 1, NWS Los Angeles, CA

January 28, 2021San Luis Obispo County, California

NWS Los Angeles, CA issued this flash flood warning at Jan 28, 2021, 12:02 AM PST for San Luis Obispo County, California. It was in force for 4 hr. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jan 28, 2021, 12:02 AM PST (08:02 UTC)
Expired
Jan 28, 2021, 4:00 AM PST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Los Angeles, CA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County San Luis Obispo County, CA

The radar

The Vandenberg AFB radar (KVBX), 113 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:04 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jan 28, 1:00 AM PSTFLOODCambria, CAFLOODING OF WATER AND MUD INTO MULTIPLE HOMES ON SHERWOOD DRIVE.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Vandenberg AFB, CA (KVBG), launched 00:00Z, 8.0 hours before the alert went out and 118 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, Vandenberg AFB, CA at 00:00Z on 2021-01-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 8 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, Vandenberg AFB, CA at 00:00Z on 2021-01-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 628 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
8 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-67 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
489 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
77 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
628 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
730 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

364 
WGUS56 KLOX 280802
FFWLOX
CAC079-281200-
/O.NEW.KLOX.FF.W.0001.210128T0802Z-210128T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
1202 AM PST Thu Jan 28 2021

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles/Oxnard has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Northwestern San Luis Obispo County in southwestern California...

* Until 400 AM PST.

* At 1202 AM PST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
  very heavy rain falling in Cambria and Cayucos. Between 4 and 8 
  inches of rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 0.75 to 
  1 inch in 1 hour. Additional rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches are 
  possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected 
  to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by heavy rain.

  SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
           areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
           other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
   Cambria, San Simeon, Hearst Castle and Cayucos.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3576 12133 3578 12133 3579 12135 3579 12103
      3539 12069 3536 12096 3538 12096 3539 12103
      3540 12106 3557 12122 3558 12124 3565 12131
      3567 12129 3569 12129 3571 12132 3572 12131
      3572 12132 3575 12132

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED
EXPECTED RAINFALL...0.75-1 INCH IN 1 HOUR

$$

Kaplan/Bruno
2 follow-up statements
914 
WGUS76 KLOX 281026
FFSLOX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
226 AM PST Thu Jan 28 2021

CAC079-281200-
/O.CON.KLOX.FF.W.0001.000000T0000Z-210128T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
San Luis Obispo CA-
226 AM PST Thu Jan 28 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM PST EARLY THIS 
MORNING FOR NORTHWESTERN SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY...

At 226 AM PST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
that moderate to heavy rain was falling from Cambria to Cayucos 
including Harmony, San Simeon and surrounding areas. Between 5 and 
10 inches of rain have fallen. Rainfall rates of one half to three 
quarters of inch per hour are expected to continue. Additional 
rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are possible in the warned area. 
Hourly rainfall rates this high will continue to bring Flash 
flooding across the warned area.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by heavy rain.

SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.

IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
         highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
         drainage and low-lying areas.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Cambria, San Simeon, Harmony, Hearst Castle and Cayucos.

California Highway Patrol reported multiple mud and debris flows 
around Highway 46 near Highway 1. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3576 12133 3578 12133 3579 12135 3579 12103
      3539 12069 3536 12096 3538 12096 3539 12103
      3540 12106 3557 12122 3558 12124 3565 12131
      3567 12129 3569 12129 3571 12132 3572 12131
      3572 12132 3575 12132

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED
EXPECTED RAINFALL...0.5-0.75 INCHES IN 1 HOUR

$$

Kaplan/Bruno
621 
WGUS76 KLOX 281159
FFSLOX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
359 AM PST Thu Jan 28 2021

CAC079-281209-
/O.EXP.KLOX.FF.W.0001.000000T0000Z-210128T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
San Luis Obispo CA-
359 AM PST Thu Jan 28 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 4 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING 
FOR NORTHWESTERN SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY...

The heavy rain has decreased in intensity. Flooding is no longer 
expected to pose an immediate threat. However, please continue to 
heed remaining road closures.

A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM PST Thursday for 
the San Luis Obispo County Central Coast and adjacent foothills.

LAT...LON 3576 12133 3578 12133 3579 12135 3579 12103
      3539 12069 3536 12096 3538 12096 3539 12103
      3540 12106 3557 12122 3558 12124 3565 12131
      3567 12129 3569 12129 3571 12132 3572 12131
      3572 12132 3575 12132

$$

DB

The office that day

Everything else NWS Los Angeles, CA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 27, 11:48 PM PSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLOXSan Luis Obispo10 hr
Jan 28, 1:34 AM PSTFlash Flood WarningLOXSan Luis Obispo56 min
Jan 28, 3:01 AM PSTFlash Flood WarningLOXSan Luis Obispo104 min
Jan 28, 5:49 AM PSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLOXSanta Barbara8 hr
Jan 28, 1:03 PM PSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLOXSanta Barbara6 hr
Jan 28, 2:16 PM PSTSmall Craft AdvisoryLOX7 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in California, 2021Every flash flood warning in 2021

Sources

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