Flash Flood, Contra Costa
- When
- January 2, 11:45 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- Contra Costa County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.923, -121.951 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flooding in California, January 2, 1997
88D showing moderate to heavy rain moving over the warning areas with the heaviest rates of 1/2 to 11/2 inches per hour for the last three hours over Monterey County. The ground continues saturated.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 12 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 12
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.
What happened
The episode as NWS MTR wrote it up.
88D showing moderate to heavy rain moving over the warning areas with the heaviest rates of 1/2 to 11/2 inches per hour for the last three hours over Monterey County. The ground continues saturated.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
12 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash Flood, San Mateo
- When
- January 2, 11:45 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Mateo County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.436, -122.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Santa Clara
- When
- January 2, 11:45 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Clara County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.233, -121.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Spotter report of .30 inches of rain in 15 minutes 1600 PST.
Flash Flood, Santa Cruz
- When
- January 2, 11:45 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Cruz County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.022, -122.010 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Spotter report of 1.91 inches of rain the last six hours 1210 PST.
Flash Flood, Monterey
- When
- January 2, 11:45 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)
Flash Flood, Alameda
- When
- January 2, 11:45 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- Alameda County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.651, -121.918 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Alameda
- When
- January 2, 4:00 PM PST to 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- Alameda County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.651, -121.918 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Contra Costa
- When
- January 2, 4:00 PM PST to 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- Contra Costa County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.923, -121.951 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, San Mateo
- When
- January 2, 4:00 PM PST to 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- San Mateo County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.436, -122.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
88D radar showing a line of very heavy precipitation moving through the warning area.
Flash Flood, Santa Clara
- When
- January 2, 4:00 PM PST to 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Clara County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.233, -121.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Santa Cruz
- When
- January 2, 4:00 PM PST to 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- Santa Cruz County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 37.022, -122.010 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Monterey
- When
- January 2, 4:00 PM PST to 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- Monterey County, West Portion
- Coordinates
- 36.240, -121.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Spotter report of .33 inches of rain in 30 minutes in Pebble Beach 1630 PST. Spotter report of 1-2 inches per hour rain rate for a few minutes in Monterey 1700 PST.
What these are
- 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.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flood in California, January 2 to 3, 1997
- Flash Flood in California, January 2, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Utah, January 2 to 3, 1997
- Dense Fog in Wisconsin, January 2, 1997
- Flash Flooding in California, January 2, 1997
- Flood and Heavy Rain in Puerto Rico, January 2 to 3, 1997
- Flooding in Washington, January 2, 1997
- Flood in Hawaii, January 2, 1997
- Flood in Montana, January 2, 1997
- Heat in Alabama, January 2, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Washington, January 2, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Arizona, January 2 to 3, 1997
More
Every storm in California in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 1997
Sources
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: 5623250, 5623251, 5623252, 5623253, 5623254, 5624337, 5623255, 5623256, 5623257, 5623258, 5623259, 5623260.