California, 2000

Flash Flooding and Heavy Snow in California, February 22 to 23, 2000

February 22 to 23, 2000 · NWS LOX · 6 events in 4 counties and zones

A powerful Pacific storm brought heavy rain, thunderstorms and snow to Southern California. Heavy showers produced flash flooding in the hills north of Arcadia, where Santa Anita Canyon Road was washed out and mud flows occurred in Arcadia.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
1
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.

What happened

The episode as NWS LOX wrote it up.

A powerful Pacific storm brought heavy rain, thunderstorms and snow to Southern California. Heavy showers produced flash flooding in the hills north of Arcadia, where Santa Anita Canyon Road was washed out and mud flows occurred in Arcadia. In Central Los Angeles, gusty thunderstorm winds damaged roofs and blew down power lines. In fact, one power line, when blown down, electrified a metal fence which electrocuted a woman. Fortunately, the woman only suffered minor injuries. In the mountains, 10 to 18 inches of snow was reported.

The radar

The Santa Ana Mts radar (KSOX), 71 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:30 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Heavy Snow, N Ventura

When
February 22, 8:00 PM PST to February 23, 4:00 PM PST
Where
N Ventura forecast zone
Reported by
PARK/FOREST SERVICE

Heavy Snow, N Los Angeles T X N

When
February 22, 8:00 PM PST to February 23, 4:00 PM PST
Where
N Los Angeles T X N forecast zone
Reported by
PARK/FOREST SERVICE

Heavy Snow, P C Santa Barbara

When
February 22, 8:00 PM PST to February 23, 4:00 PM PST
Where
P C Santa Barbara forecast zone
Reported by
PARK/FOREST SERVICE

Flash Flood, Los Angeles

When
February 23, 12:30 PM PST
Where
Los Angeles County, 1 mi N of Arcadia
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
34.198, -118.261 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Los Angeles

When
February 23, 2:30 PM PST
Where
Los Angeles County, Los Angeles
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
34.033, -118.300

Flash Flood, Los Angeles

When
February 23, 2:45 PM PST
Where
Los Angeles County, 6 mi N of Arcadia
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
34.198, -118.261 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
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, February 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: 5131774, 5131775, 5131776, 5131777, 5131847, 5131778.