California, 2000

Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in California, August 29, 2000

August 29, 2000 · NWS SGX · 3 events in 1 county or zone

6 inches of rain in less than 45 minutes. Flash flooding was observed in Hellhole and Palm Canyons in the San Ysidro Mountains just west of Borrego Springs and in most of the washes located in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
$1.0 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 SGX wrote it up.

Slow moving thunderstorms over east central and northeast San Diego County dropped over 1.6 inches of rain in less than 45 minutes. Flash flooding was observed in Hellhole and Palm Canyons in the San Ysidro Mountains just west of Borrego Springs and in most of the washes located in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Much of the town of Borrego Springs was inundated with six to 12 inches of water, mud, and rocks. As the thunderstorm ended there, a downdraft knocked down 13 power poles near the electrical substation. Along County Road S-22 leading from Borrego Springs down to the Salton Sea, flood waters carried five foot boulders onto the road surface and washed out several sections, trapping motorists on the higher sections of the roadway.

The radar

The San Diego radar (KNKX), 28 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:50 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, San Diego

When
August 29, 12:55 PM PST to 2:10 PM PST
Where
San Diego County, 6 mi SW of Agua Caliente Spgs
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, San Diego

When
August 29, 1:05 PM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where
San Diego County, 2 mi NW of Borrego Spgs
Property damage
$1.0 million
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, San Diego

When
August 29, 1:50 PM PST
Where
San Diego County, Borrego Spgs
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage
$26,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
33.250, -116.383

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.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in California, August 2000

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: 5155354, 5155352, 5155353.