California, 2000

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

August 29, 2000 · NWS SGX · 2 events in 1 county or zone

Thunderstorms formed over the Santa Rosa Mountains and moved slowly towards the northeast across the lower end of the Coachella Valley. Large boulders were washed down onto Highway 74, five miles south of Palm Desert.

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
$45,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

Thunderstorms formed over the Santa Rosa Mountains and moved slowly towards the northeast across the lower end of the Coachella Valley. Large boulders were washed down onto Highway 74, five miles south of Palm Desert. Flooding was reported in several locations along Whitewater Wash in Palm Desert, Indian Wells, and Indio. A downdraft toppled a large palm tree near the College of the Desert.

The radar

The San Diego radar (KNKX), 134 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:00 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Flash Flood, Riverside

When
August 29, 11:39 AM PST to 2:55 PM PST
Where
Riverside County, 5 mi S of Palm Desert
Property damage
$40,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Riverside

When
August 29, 12:00 PM PST
Where
Riverside County, Palm Desert
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.717, -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: 5155355, 5155356.