California, 1998

Flash Flood in California, February 3, 1998

February 3, 1998 · NWS HNX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

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

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
1

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 Edwards AFB radar (KEYX), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:06 UTC.

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Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Kern

When
February 3, 11:08 AM PST to 8:00 PM PST
Where
Kern County, 4 mi WSW of Lost Hills
Coordinates
35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy and steady rain on the Eastern Slopes of the Coast Range Mountains led to State Highway 33 being affected by numerous flows from State Highway 46 south to McKittrick in West Kern County. Some minor flow of water was observed over Highway 33 at 1046 PST but the main flow at 1108 PST trapped some cars. No injuries reported.

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

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: 5638687.