Alert archive / California / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 15, NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA

December 13, 2021San Mateo County, Santa Cruz County, California

NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA issued this flash flood warning at Dec 13, 2021, 10:45 AM PST for San Mateo County, Santa Cruz County, California. It was in force for 60 min. 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
Dec 13, 2021, 10:45 AM PST (18:45 UTC)
Expired
Dec 13, 2021, 11:45 AM PST
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Flood severity
None

Counties San Mateo County, CA, Santa Cruz County, CA

The radar

The San Francisco radar (KMUX), 29 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:48 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
Dec 13, 10:54 AM PSTFLOOD1 W Boulder Creek, CAMUD/DIRT/ROCKS FLOWING ONTO ROADWAY NEAR 295 RIDGE DRIVE.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Oakland, CA (KOAK), launched 12:00Z, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 66 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 2021-12-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 2021-12-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 87 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
449 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
87 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
299 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

185 
WGUS56 KMTR 131845
FFWMTR
CAC081-087-131945-
/O.NEW.KMTR.FF.W.0015.211213T1845Z-211213T1945Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
1045 AM PST Mon Dec 13 2021

The National Weather Service in San Francisco has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  The CZU Lightning Complex burn area in...
  Southeastern San Mateo County in northern California...
  Northwestern Santa Cruz County in northern California...

* Until 1145 AM PST.

* At 1045 AM PST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
  heavy rain falling over the CZU Lightning Complex Burn Area. The 
  expected rainfall rate is 0.5 to 1 inch in 1 hour. Flash flooding 
  is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

Excessive rainfall over the burn area will result in debris flow 
moving through the CZU Lightning Complex burn area. The debris flow 
can consist of rock, mud, vegetation and other loose materials.

  HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Heavy rain producing
           flash flooding in and around the CZU Lightning Complex
           Burn Area.

  SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.

  IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of areas in and around
           the CZU Lightning Complex Burn Area.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Boulder Creek.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

This is a life-threatening situation. If you observe movement of 
soils move to higher ground immediately.

Move away from recently burned areas. Life-threatening flooding of 
creeks, roads and normally dry arroyos is likely. The heavy rains 
will likely trigger rockslides, mudslides and debris flows in steep 
terrain, especially in and around these areas.

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

&&

LAT...LON 3714 12234 3717 12232 3720 12235 3725 12230
      3726 12232 3727 12227 3722 12218 3722 12224
      3720 12216 3704 12209 3703 12213 3706 12214
      3707 12212 3708 12214 3706 12217 3704 12215
      3704 12222 3709 12228 3711 12227 3710 12228

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
EXPECTED RAINFALL RATE...0.5-1 INCH IN 1 HOUR

$$

MM
2 follow-up statements
712 
WGUS76 KMTR 131921
FFSMTR

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
1121 AM PST Mon Dec 13 2021

CAC081-087-131945-
/O.CON.KMTR.FF.W.0015.000000T0000Z-211213T1945Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
San Mateo CA-Santa Cruz CA-
1121 AM PST Mon Dec 13 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THE CZU LIGHTNING COMPLEX BURN AREA 
REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1145 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN 
SAN MATEO AND NORTHWESTERN SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES...

At 1121 AM PST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
that heavy rain was falling over the CZU Lightning Complex Burn 
Area. The expected rainfall rate is 0.5 to 1 inch in 1 hour. Flash 
flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

Excessive rainfall over the burn area will result in debris flow 
moving through the CZU Lightning Complex burn area. The debris flow 
can consist of rock, mud, vegetation and other loose materials.

HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Heavy rain producing
         flash flooding in and around the CZU Lightning Complex
         Burn Area.

SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.

IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of areas in and around
         the CZU Lightning Complex Burn Area.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Boulder Creek.

Anyone living or traveling on roads in the CZU Lightning Complex 
burn area or along secondary roads like Swanton Road...Jamison Creek 
Road...and Hwy 9 from Boulder Creek to Brookdale...should be alert 
for possible road problems due to erosion...debris flows...rockfalls 
and debris. Roadways and bridges may be washed away in places.

Some drainage basins impacted include...Butano Creek...Gazos Creek...
Waddell Creek...Scott Creek....Big Creek and Boulder Creek

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

This is a life-threatening situation. If you observe movement of 
soils move to higher ground immediately.

Move away from recently burned areas. Life-threatening flooding of 
creeks, roads and normally dry arroyos is likely. The heavy rains 
will likely trigger rockslides, mudslides and debris flows in steep 
terrain, especially in and around these areas.

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

&&

LAT...LON 3714 12234 3717 12232 3720 12235 3725 12230
      3726 12232 3727 12227 3722 12218 3722 12224
      3720 12216 3704 12209 3703 12213 3706 12214
      3707 12212 3708 12214 3706 12217 3704 12215
      3704 12222 3709 12228 3711 12227 3710 12228

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
EXPECTED RAINFALL RATE...0.5-1 INCH IN 1 HOUR

$$

MM
681 
WGUS76 KMTR 131941
FFSMTR

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
1141 AM PST Mon Dec 13 2021

CAC081-087-131951-
/O.EXP.KMTR.FF.W.0015.000000T0000Z-211213T1945Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
San Mateo CA-Santa Cruz CA-
1141 AM PST Mon Dec 13 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THE CZU LIGHTNING COMPLEX BURN AREA WILL 
EXPIRE AT 1145 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN SAN MATEO AND 
NORTHWESTERN SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES...

The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a 
threat. Additional rain will continue to occur through this evening. 
Please continue to heed remaining road closures and standing water 
on roads.

LAT...LON 3714 12234 3717 12232 3720 12235 3725 12230
      3726 12232 3727 12227 3722 12218 3722 12224
      3720 12216 3704 12209 3703 12213 3706 12214
      3707 12212 3708 12214 3706 12217 3704 12215
      3704 12222 3709 12228 3711 12227 3710 12228

$$

MM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 13, 4:29 AM PSTAreal Flood AdvisoryMTRSan Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz18 hr
Dec 13, 5:31 AM PSTAreal Flood AdvisoryMTRAlameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara7 hr
Dec 13, 9:14 AM PSTAreal Flood AdvisoryMTRCity and County of San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz3 hr
Dec 13, 12:00 PM PSTFlood WatchMTRAlameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Benito and 5 more13 hr
Dec 13, 1:26 PM PSTAreal Flood AdvisoryMTRSan Mateo11 hr
Dec 13, 1:45 PM PSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatMTRMonterey6 hr
Dec 13, 2:42 PM PSTAreal Flood WarningMTRSanta Cruz4 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.