Flash Flood and Flooding in California, January 10 to 11, 2001

Name: Flash Flood and Flooding in California, January 10 to 11, 2001
Start: 2001-01-10T17:12
End: 2001-01-11T12:00
Location: California

January 10 to 11, 2001 · NWS SGX · 10 events in 6 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 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: 3
Property damage: $1.6 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 10

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.

This was a two day storm event that began late in the day on January 10 with strong winds and contained several moderate to heavy rain bands. Wind blew two trees onto vehicles and ripped off a roof in the Apple Valley. Along the Orange County Coast mooring lines in Newport Harbor were snapped and a 60 foot boat was blown into a 34 foot sailboat, causing significant damage to both vessels. In Costa Mesa, two large pine trees were snapped in half. In San Diego County, tree limbs were broken in the Ramona area. The first rain band dropped a half to one inch of rain on Orange County during the late afternoon and evening of January 10, resulting in street flooding in several locations. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain fell during the early morning hours of January 11 as a much stronger rain band moved slowly east across the area. In Garden Grove, the roof of one building collapsed under the weight of the pooled rainwater and another business was flooded with 15 inches of runoff. In San Juan Capistrano, runoff from a hillside flooded an underground parking garage to a depth of 5 feet, destroying 15 cars. Pacific Coast Highway was flooded between Sunset Beach and Seal Beach and also in Costa Mesa. Elsewhere in Orange County, mudslides closed Interstate 5, and Highways 74 and 91 for most of the morning hours. Several injuries occurred when motor vehicles flipped after hitting standing water. Standing water was also reported in San Diego County along Interstates 5, 8, and 15 and Highways 67 and 76 during the morning commute hours. Mudslides two feet deep covered Highway 76 in several locations between Rincon and Lake Henshaw. In Sorrento Valley, a mudslide trapped several vehicles. Mudslides also occurred in Alpine, below recently burned hillslides. A 21 foot sailboat moored in Mission Bay, and a 27 foot yacht moored in San Diego Bay were filled by heavy rain and sank. In San Bernardino County, Cajon Creek flooded and trapped the occupant of a pickup truck who tried to cross it. In Apple Valley, six roads in Hesperia and two roads in Victorville were closed due to flooding. In the Inland Empire region of Riverside County, the dry antecedent conditions prevented flooding from occurring.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS San Diego, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 10, 2:30 PM PST, 2 hours 42 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 10, 2:30 PM PST, 2 hours 42 minutes before

EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
230 PM PST WED JAN 10 2001

                             ...SYNOPSIS...
A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS AFTERNOON
AND CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY. THIS STORM WILL BRING PERIODS OF HEAVY
RAIN...WITH SNOW AND STRONG WINDS AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS. FLOODING IS
POSSIBLE TONIGHT AND THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY NEAR AREAS THAT HAVE HAD
RECENT FIRES. IN ADDITION...COASTAL FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM DUE TO A COMBINATION OF ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES AND HEAVY SURF.
LOW PRESSURE ALOFT WILL CONTINUE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AT TIMES INTO
EARLY NEXT WEEK.

                            ...DISCUSSION...
LEADING EDGE OF RAIN TOUCHING WESTERN LA COUNTY AND MOVING EASTWARD
NEAR CATALINA. KEEPING WSW THROUGH THU FOR MTNS ABOVE 5K FT. HEAVY SURF
ADVISORY ISSUED THIS AFTERNOON. ALSO COASTAL FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR
BEACH AREAS FOR VERY HIGH TIDE COMBINED WITH SURF THU AM. WILL LIKELY
BECOME A WARNING BEFORE THAT TIME.

NEW MODELS DEPICT SEVERAL WAVES OF PRECIP. A LEADING BAND WILL BE THE
FIRST TO MOVE THROUGH OUR CWA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVE. AREAS PRONE
TO OROGRAPHIC ENHANCEMENT FROM SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL GET SIG PRECIP THIS
EVE...IE SBD MTNS...AND MOST PRECIP BEFORE DECREASING THU PM. SAN CO
WILL WAIT TO GET MOST PRECIP THU AM AND BE SLOWER TO DECREASE BY LATE
THU PM. THE MAIN BAND WILL PUSH THROUGH THU AM...DECREASING BY SUNDOWN.
ANOTHER IMPULSE ROTATES THROUGH FRI AM FOR ANOTHER SHOT...BUT WEAKER.
-24 DEGREES C COLD AIR AT 500 MB TO MOVE ACROSS REGION THU. RESULTANT
INSTABILITY WILL BRING A GOOD CHANCE OF TSTORMS THU PM. THIS MAY
CONTINUE THROUGH FRI AM AS -26 DEGREE AIR MOVES THROUGH. SHOULD SEE
SOME HAIL AND OTHER WEIRD THINGS LIKE WATERSPOUTS OR FUNNEL CLOUDS WITH
THESE TSTORMS. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH FRI WILL GET UP TO 20+
ESPECIALLY IN SBD MTNS...MORE LIKE 12-16 IN RIV MTNS...UP TO A FOOT IN
SAN MTNS AND 8 IN SNA MTNS. SNOW LEVELS START AT AROUND 6K FT LATE
TONIGHT...THEN GRADUALLY DROP TO 4.5K FT BY 00Z FRI. EVEN LOWER SNOW
LEVELS FRI AM...POSSIBLY BELOW 4K FT BUT BY THEN AMOUNTS WILL BE SMALL.
THIS WILL MEAN DESERTS NEAR FOOTHILLS ON NORTHERN SLOPES COULD GET A
LITTLE. WINDS WILL BE STRONGEST LATE TONIGHT AND THU AM. NOT OVERLY
STRONG.  TEMPS TOUGH TO REACH 60 DEGREES BEFORE SAT. THE POWERFUL
SYSTEM FINALLY EXITS LATE FRI AND SHOWERS DIMINISH LATE. DRIER NW
FLOW SETS UP SAT...BUT ENOUGH RESIDUAL MOISTURE TO KEEP SOME LOW CU
CLOUDS IN FCST...IF NOT LINGERING SHOWERS. LATER ON...A COLD FRONT WITH
LIGHT RAIN AND MTN SNOW POSSIBLE SUN PM INTO MON...WITH UPPER LOW OVER
US WED FOR MORE SCATTERED SHOWERS.

SAN ++88

.SAN...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR MOUNTAINS...SEE LAXWSWSAN.
       SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...SEE LAXSPSSAN.
       HEAVY SURF ADVISORY...SEE LAXMWSSAN.
       COASTAL FLOOD WATCH...SEE LAXCFWSAN.
MM

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jan 10, 2:00 PM PST, 3 hours 12 minutes before

CAZ042-043-048-050-055>058-060>062-110600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
200 PM PST WED JAN 10 2001

...A MAJOR STORM WILL IMPACT EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY...

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE STATEMENTS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT...

     WINTER STORM WARNING FOR TONIGHT AND THURSDAY.
     COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FOR THURSDAY MORNING.

A STRONG...COLD PACIFIC STORM IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN
CALIFORNIA THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY. THIS STORM HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO BRING HEAVY RAIN. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL
RANGE FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES ALONG THE COAST AND COASTAL VALLEYS AND 2
TO 4 INCHES ALONG THE COASTAL MOUNTAIN SLOPES. THE RAIN COULD BE
HEAVY ENOUGH TO CAUSE SOME FLOODING OF POORLY DRAINED STREETS AND
INTERSECTIONS.

THE SNOW LEVEL WILL INITIALLY BE AROUND 6000 FEET AND WILL LOWER
THURSDAY TO AROUND 4500 FT. SNOW WILL START TONIGHT AND CONTINUE
INTO FRIDAY WITH EXPECTED TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 10 TO 20 INCHES.
GUSTY WINDS..BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITY ARE LIKELY.

THE COLDEST AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE OVER THE AREA ON
THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. THIS WILL BRING A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS
WITH SMALL HAIL.

IN ADDITION...HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES AND INCREASING SURF WILL BRING
A THREAT OF COASTAL FLOODING MAINLY THURSDAY MORNING.

THE RAIN COULD CAUSE EROSION PROBLEMS IN AREAS RECENTLY BURNED BY
WILDFIRES...SUCH AS THE VIEJAS BURN AREA IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR RUNOFF AND DEBRIS FLOWS ACROSS ROADWAYS.
THE RAIN WILL ALSO MAKE ROADS SLICK.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO OUR WEB SITE AT
WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/SANDIEGO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THIS
DEVELOPING WEATHER.

MM

Special weather statement, Jan 10, 2:00 PM PST, 3 hours 12 minutes before

CAZ042-043-048-050-055>058-060>062-110600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
200 PM PST WED JAN 10 2001

...A MAJOR STORM WILL IMPACT EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY...

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE STATEMENTS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT...

     WINTER STORM WARNING FOR TONIGHT AND THURSDAY.
     COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
     HEAVY SURF ADVISORY TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY.

A STRONG...COLD PACIFIC STORM IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN
CALIFORNIA THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY. THIS STORM HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO BRING HEAVY RAIN. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL
RANGE FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES ALONG THE COAST AND COASTAL VALLEYS AND 2
TO 4 INCHES ALONG THE COASTAL MOUNTAIN SLOPES. THE RAIN COULD BE
HEAVY ENOUGH TO CAUSE SOME FLOODING OF POORLY DRAINED STREETS AND
INTERSECTIONS.

THE SNOW LEVEL WILL INITIALLY BE AROUND 6000 FEET AND WILL LOWER
THURSDAY TO AROUND 4500 FT. SNOW WILL START TONIGHT AND CONTINUE
INTO FRIDAY WITH EXPECTED TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 10 TO 20 INCHES.
GUSTY WINDS..BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITY ARE LIKELY.

THE COLDEST AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE OVER THE AREA ON
THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. THIS WILL BRING A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS
WITH SMALL HAIL.

IN ADDITION...HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES AND INCREASING SURF WILL BRING
A THREAT OF COASTAL FLOODING MAINLY THURSDAY MORNING.

THE RAIN COULD CAUSE EROSION PROBLEMS IN AREAS RECENTLY BURNED BY
WILDFIRES...SUCH AS THE VIEJAS BURN AREA IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR RUNOFF AND DEBRIS FLOWS ACROSS ROADWAYS.
THE RAIN WILL ALSO MAKE ROADS SLICK.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO OUR WEB SITE AT
WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/SANDIEGO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THIS
DEVELOPING WEATHER.

MM

Special weather statement, Jan 10, 2:54 PM PST, 2 hours 18 minutes before

CAZ042-043-048-050-055>058-060>062-110600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
200 PM PST WED JAN 10 2001

...A MAJOR STORM WILL IMPACT EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY...

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE STATEMENTS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT...

     WINTER STORM WARNING FOR TONIGHT AND THURSDAY.
     COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FOR THURSDAY MORNING.

A STRONG...COLD PACIFIC STORM IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN
CALIFORNIA THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY. THIS STORM HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO BRING HEAVY RAIN. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL
RANGE FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES ALONG THE COAST AND COASTAL VALLEYS AND 2
TO 4 INCHES ALONG THE COASTAL MOUNTAIN SLOPES. THE RAIN COULD BE
HEAVY ENOUGH TO CAUSE SOME FLOODING OF POORLY DRAINED STREETS AND
INTERSECTIONS.

THE SNOW LEVEL WILL INITIALLY BE AROUND 6000 FEET AND WILL LOWER
THURSDAY TO AROUND 4500 FT. SNOW WILL START TONIGHT AND CONTINUE
INTO FRIDAY WITH EXPECTED TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 10 TO 20 INCHES.
GUSTY WINDS..BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITY ARE LIKELY.

THE COLDEST AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE OVER THE AREA ON
THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. THIS WILL BRING A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS
WITH SMALL HAIL.

IN ADDITION...HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES AND INCREASING SURF WILL BRING
A THREAT OF COASTAL FLOODING MAINLY THURSDAY MORNING.

THE RAIN COULD CAUSE EROSION PROBLEMS IN AREAS RECENTLY BURNED BY
WILDFIRES...SUCH AS THE VIEJAS BURN AREA IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR RUNOFF AND DEBRIS FLOWS ACROSS ROADWAYS.
THE RAIN WILL ALSO MAKE ROADS SLICK.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO OUR WEB SITE AT
WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/SANDIEGO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THIS
DEVELOPING WEATHER.

MM

Special weather statement, Jan 10, 2:59 PM PST, 2 hours 13 minutes before

CAZ042-043-048-050-055>058-060>062-110600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
200 PM PST WED JAN 10 2001

...A MAJOR STORM WILL IMPACT EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY...

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE STATEMENTS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT...

     WINTER STORM WARNING FOR TONIGHT AND THURSDAY.
     COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
     HEAVY SURF ADVISORY TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY.

A STRONG...COLD PACIFIC STORM IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN
CALIFORNIA THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY. THIS STORM HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO BRING HEAVY RAIN. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL
RANGE FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES ALONG THE COAST AND COASTAL VALLEYS AND 2
TO 4 INCHES ALONG THE COASTAL MOUNTAIN SLOPES. THE RAIN COULD BE
HEAVY ENOUGH TO CAUSE SOME FLOODING OF POORLY DRAINED STREETS AND
INTERSECTIONS.

THE SNOW LEVEL WILL INITIALLY BE AROUND 6000 FEET AND WILL LOWER
THURSDAY TO AROUND 4500 FT. SNOW WILL START TONIGHT AND CONTINUE
INTO FRIDAY WITH EXPECTED TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 10 TO 20 INCHES.
GUSTY WINDS..BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITY ARE LIKELY.

THE COLDEST AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE OVER THE AREA ON
THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. THIS WILL BRING A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS
WITH SMALL HAIL.

IN ADDITION...HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES AND INCREASING SURF WILL BRING
A THREAT OF COASTAL FLOODING MAINLY THURSDAY MORNING.

THE RAIN COULD CAUSE EROSION PROBLEMS IN AREAS RECENTLY BURNED BY
WILDFIRES...SUCH AS THE VIEJAS BURN AREA IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR RUNOFF AND DEBRIS FLOWS ACROSS ROADWAYS.
THE RAIN NWILL ALSO MAKE ROADS SLICK.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO OUR WEB SITE AT
WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/SANDIEGO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THIS
DEVELOPING WEATHER.

MM

The radar

The Santa Ana Mts radar (KSOX), 20 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:10 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flood, 3 heavy rain, 2 high wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Orange

When: January 10, 5:12 PM PST to January 11, 12:00 PM PST
Where: Orange County, Garden Grove
Injuries: 3 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 33.677, -117.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Apple and Yucca Valleys

When: January 10, 6:40 PM PST to January 11, 3:00 AM PST
Where: Apple and Yucca Valleys forecast zone
Measured: 62 kt (71 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Orange County Coastal Plain

When: January 10, 10:00 PM PST to 11:59 PM PST
Where: Orange County Coastal Plain forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $300,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Rain, Orange

When: January 11, 12:30 AM PST to 9:41 AM PST
Where: Orange County, Seal Beach
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 33.677, -117.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Orange

When: January 11, 1:30 AM PST to 4:30 AM PST
Where: Orange County, Garden Grove
Property damage: $1.0 million
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 33.677, -117.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, San Bernardino

When: January 11, 2:00 AM PST to 12:00 PM PST
Where: San Bernardino County, Hesperia
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, San Bernardino

When: January 11, 2:20 AM PST to 3:20 AM PST
Where: San Bernardino County, Devore
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 34.841, -116.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, San Diego

When: January 11, 3:00 AM PST to 11:00 AM PST
Where: San Diego County, Oceanside
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, San Diego

When: January 11, 5:05 AM PST to 10:08 AM PST
Where: San Diego County, Escondido
Property damage: $350,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 33.028, -116.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Riverside

When: January 11, 7:46 AM PST to 10:20 AM PST
Where: Riverside County, Riverside
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
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

Every storm in California in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings in California, January 2001

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: 5229058, 5229063, 5229060, 5229054, 5229057, 5229062, 5229061, 5229055, 5229059, 5229056.