California, 1998

Flash Flood and Flooding in California, February 3 to 4, 1998

February 3 to 4, 1998 · NWS HNX · 6 events in 4 counties and zones

5 flood, 1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

5 flood, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Fresno

When
February 3, 4:17 AM PST
Where
Fresno County, 3 mi W of Coalinga
Coordinates
36.758, -119.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Water and rocks over the roadway from heavy rain in higher terrain above the road.

Flood, Fresno

When
February 3, 4:35 AM PST to 7:00 AM PST
Where
Fresno County, Coalinga
Coordinates
36.758, -119.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Local city streets with standing water due to heavy rain overwhelming the city drainage system. Local creeks handled the runoff well from the mountains.

Flood, Tulare

When
February 3, 8:00 AM PST to 10:00 AM PST
Where
Tulare County, Dinuba
Coordinates
36.220, -118.800 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

About 6 commercial buildings were threatened by high water due to locally heavy rains in downtown Dinuba.

Flood, Central San Joaquin Valley

When
February 3, 11:59 AM PST to 8:00 PM PST
Where
Central San Joaquin Valley forecast zone

Heavy rain in the Coast Range Mountains west of the San Joaquin Valley brought runoff into west valley areas...including flooding across crop land in West Fresno County about 15 miles SW of Mendota. The estimated flow at Interstate-5 and Panoche Creek was estimated at 17,000 CFS at 0930 PST at a USGS gauge height of 13.6 feet. The flooding occurred on the west side between Belmont and Nees...NW of Mendota. In the Cantua Creek area 240 acres of farmland was flooded by contributions from Arroyo Hondo and Cantua Creek.

Flood, Madera

When
February 3, 12:40 PM PST to February 4, 6:00 AM PST
Where
Madera County, Madera
Coordinates
37.218, -119.763 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flooded intersections due to locally heavy rain overwhelming drainage systems. Subsequent runoff through small streams led to levees breaking on Cottonwood creek in the LaVina area south of Madera.

Flood, Fresno

When
February 3, 1:00 PM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
Fresno County, Mendota
Coordinates
36.758, -119.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Runoff from Panoche/Silver Creek began to arrive at Mendota but damage was minimized by use of ditches and channelling through town.

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.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in California, February 1998

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: 5638962, 5638963, 5638966, 5638964, 5638967, 5638965.