California, 1997Flash Flooding in California, January 1 to 2, 1997
January 1 to 2, 1997 · NWS MTR · 21 events in 9 counties and zones
Moderate to heavy rain continues over most of the San Francisco Bay region. 88D radar showing the heaviest rain over San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Alameda counties with more rain coming over the next several hours.
Every event with a place to put it; 21 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 21
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
Moderate to heavy rain continues over most of the San Francisco Bay region. 88D radar showing the heaviest rain over San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Alameda counties with more rain coming over the next several hours.
Flash Flood, Alameda
- When
- January 1, 10:40 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
- Where
- Alameda County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.651, -121.918 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Spotter reported a mudslide in Oakland and Berkeley 1330 PST. Lakeshore/Grand Avenue flooded 1130 PST.
Flash Flood, Contra Costa
- When
- January 1, 10:40 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
- Where
- Contra Costa County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.923, -121.951 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Spotter reported flooding in the city of Walnut Creek 1130 PST.
Flash Flood, Marin
- When
- January 1, 10:40 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
- Where
- Marin County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 38.055, -122.749 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Spotter reported flooding in the city of San Anselmo 1130 PST.
Flash Flood, San Mateo
- When
- January 1, 10:40 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Mateo County, Southwest Portion
- Coordinates
- 37.436, -122.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Santa Cruz
- When
- January 1, 10:40 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Cruz County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.022, -122.010 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Santa Clara
- When
- January 1, 10:40 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Clara County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.233, -121.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Spotter report of flooding in Morgan Hill.
Flash Flood, Napa
- When
- January 1, 10:40 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
- Where
- Napa County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 38.507, -122.330 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Napa River near Napa above flood stage and continues to rise.
Flash Flood, Sonoma
- When
- January 1, 10:40 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
- Where
- Sonoma County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 38.525, -122.922 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Monterey
- When
- January 1, 11:30 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- Monterey County, West Portion
- Coordinates
- 36.240, -121.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Big Sur River at Big Sur rises above flood stage at 1430 PST.
Flash Flood, San Mateo
- When
- January 1, 2:15 PM PST to 4:15 PM PST
- Where
- San Mateo County, Southwest Portion
- Coordinates
- 37.436, -122.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
88D radar showing rainfall continuing to be heavy across Santa Cruz and southwestern San Mateo counties.
Flash Flood, Santa Cruz
- When
- January 1, 2:15 PM PST to 4:15 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Cruz County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.022, -122.010 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The San Lorenzo River at Felton reaches flood stage at around noon and continues to rise two feet in the next three hours.
Flash Flood, Monterey
- When
- January 1, 3:55 PM PST to 7:00 PM PST
- Where
- Monterey County, West Portion
- Coordinates
- 36.240, -121.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Big Sur River is above flood stage and then decreases and rises again as heavy rain bands move through the area.
Flash Flood, San Mateo
- When
- January 1, 3:55 PM PST to 7:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Mateo County, Southwest Portion
- Coordinates
- 37.436, -122.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Santa Cruz
- When
- January 1, 3:55 PM PST to 7:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Cruz County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.022, -122.010 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Corralitos Creek at Freedom rises above flood stage at about 1830 PST. The San Lorenzo River at Felton is already above flood stage but lowers and rises again with heavy shower bands moving through the area. The Pajaro River at Chittenden continues to rise sharply and nears warning stage by 1900 PST.
Flash Flood, Santa Clara
- When
- January 1, 5:03 PM PST to 7:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Clara County, West Portion
- Coordinates
- 37.233, -121.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
88D radar continue to show heavy rain moving over western Santa Clara County and will continue the next few hours.
Flash Flood, San Mateo
- When
- January 1, 7:00 PM PST to 11:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Mateo County, Southwest Portion
- Coordinates
- 37.436, -122.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
88D radar showing continued heavy rain across the warned areas with creeks and rivers bankfull or flooded. Pescadero Creek continues to rise.
Flash Flood, Santa Cruz
- When
- January 1, 7:00 PM PST to 11:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Cruz County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.022, -122.010 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The San Lorenzo River at Felton gage show the river still rising. The Soquel Creek gage also shows the creek still rising. The Corralitos Creek at Freedom is rising sharply.
Flash Flood, Santa Clara
- When
- January 1, 7:00 PM PST to 11:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Clara County, West Portion
- Coordinates
- 37.233, -121.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The LLagas Creek is rising sharply and urban flooding is reported in the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill.
Flash Flood, San Mateo
- When
- January 1, 10:59 PM PST to January 2, 1:30 AM PST
- Where
- San Mateo County, Southwest Portion
- Coordinates
- 37.436, -122.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
All small rivers, creeks, and streams are starting to recede. 88D radar showing scattered showers moving through the warning area the next few hours and could have heavy downpours.
Flash Flood, Santa Clara
- When
- January 1, 10:59 PM PST to January 2, 1:30 AM PST
- Where
- Santa Clara County, West Portion
- Coordinates
- 37.233, -121.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Spotter report that Highway 101 at Gilroy is closed due to flooding 1105 PST.
Flash Flood, Santa Cruz
- When
- January 1, 10:59 PM PST to January 2, 1:30 AM PST
- Where
- Santa Cruz County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.022, -122.010 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
All small rivers, streams, and creeks are starting to recede but scattered showers are still moving through the warning area the next few hours and some could be heavy.
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Flooding in Nevada, January 1 to 17, 19972 deaths · 50 injured · $640 million · 5 events
- Flooding in Washington, January 1 to 3, 19971 death · $20 million · 3 events
- Flooding in California, January 1 to 17, 19972 injured · $330 million · 4 events
- Storm Surge in California, January 1, 199727 injured · 1 event
- Flooding and High Wind in Oregon, January 1 to 5, 1997$90 million · 86 kt wind · 8 events
- Drought in Texas, January 1 to 31, 1997$23 million · 14 events
- Flood in California, January 1 to 3, 1997$30 million · 1 event
- Flash Flood in California, January 1, 19971 death · 1 event
- Flooding and High Wind in California, January 1 to 3, 1997$11 million · 61 kt wind · 3 events
- Flash Flood in California, January 1, 1997$10 million · 1 event
- Flood in Oregon, January 1 to 5, 1997$9.9 million · 1 event
- Flood in California, January 1 to 2, 1997$5.0 million · 1 event
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5624216, 5624217, 5624218, 5624219, 5624220, 5624221, 5624222, 5624223, 5624224, 5624225, 5624321, 5624322, 5624323, 5624324, 5624325, 5624326, 5624327, 5624328, 5624329, 5624330, 5624331.