Debris Flows and Flooding in California, February 21 to 22, 2005

Name: Debris Flows and Flooding in California, February 21 to 22, 2005
Start: 2005-02-21T01:13
End: 2005-02-22T10:00
Location: California

February 21 to 22, 2005 · NWS HNX · 4 events in 2 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: 0
Property damage: $8,000
Crop damage: $300,000
Events: 4

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 HNX wrote it up.

A small landslide (mudslide) occurred in the Kern County Mountains early in the morning of the 21st. Continued rain, locally heavy, brought high amounts of water runoff through portions of El Tejon School early in the morning of the 22nd. A small mudslide and rockfall also occurred along Interstate Highway 5 immediately next to the school near the same time period. As a result of continuous rain, excessive water moved onto and ponded in numerous low-lying areas of the Southeast San Joaquin Valley. The specific crop loss figures reflect just 2 growers with combined acreage of 400 acres southwest of Arvin although it is likely more acreage was affected.

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 Hanford, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 20, 9:08 PM PST, 4 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 20, 9:08 PM PST, 4 hours 5 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
908 PM PST SUN FEB 20 2005

.SHORT TERM...FOR THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR...LIGHT SHOWERS
HAVE SPREAD ACROSS THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...KERN MOUNTAINS...AND
KERN DESERT AREAS THIS EVENING AND ARE BEGINNING TO PUSH UP INTO THE
SIERRA NEVADA. MUCH HEAVIER PRECIP STILL CONFINED TO THE COASTAL
AREAS FROM SAN LUIS OBISPO TO LOS ANGELES. WITH UPPER LOW OFF THE
COAST...EXPECT PRECIP TO CONTINUE TO SPREAD INTO THE CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA INTERIOR. HEAVY SNOW/WINTER STORM WARNINGS LOOK GOOD WITH
1-2 INCHES QPF IN THE SIERRA AND 2-3 INCHES NEAR FRAZIER PARK OVER
THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND SNOW LEVEL LOWERING TO 5000-5500 FEET. MODELS
INDICATING SOUTH WINDS 40-50 KTS 700 MB SO EXPECT STRONG AND GUSTY
WINDS IN THE KERN MOUNTAINS...THIS COMBINED WITH THE SNOW WILL MAKE
TRAVEL CONDITIONS DIFFICULT.

WITH SOILS IN THE KERN MOUNTAINS AND DESERT ALREADY SATURATED FROM
PREVIOUS RAINS...ANY MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN WILL LIKELY CAUSE SOME
FLOODING PROBLEMS. WILL KEEP THE FLOOD WATCH GOING FOR THOSE AREAS
THROUGH 08Z TUESDAY.

THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL BE SLOW TO MOVE...REMAINING CENTERED NEAR
THE LOS ANGELES AREA TUESDAY BEFORE WEAKENING WEDNESDAY AND MOVING
INTO ARIZONA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL CONTINUE THE PRECIP MAINLY
IN THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERT TUESDAY...BECOMING MORE LIMITED
WEDNESDAY.

.LONG TERM...FROM PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
SUNDAY...MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT
IN EDGING A REX BLOCKING PATTERN OVER THE GREAT BASIN A LITTLE
FARTHER EAST OVER THE INTER-MOUNTAIN WEST. WEAK RIDGING ALOFT NEAR
THE WEST COAST WILL END THE LINGERING THREAT OF PRECIPITATION OVER
THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND DOMINATE THE WEATHER
PATTERN THROUGH THE WEEKEND. ALTHOUGH MODELS HAVE DIVERGING
SOLUTIONS IN PLACING AN EASTERN PACIFIC TROUGH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
AS IT APPROACHES THE WEST COAST...BOTH SHOW A SPLIT FLOW PATTERN
REMAINING OFFSHORE NEAR 130W. ONLY SOME MID AND HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE
FROM THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ONSHORE AT THIS TIME. WITH
DRIER AIR ALOFT...EXPECT AN INCREASE IN LOW CLOUDS AND EARLY MORNING
FOG OVER THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AS PARTLY CLOUDY RESULTS IN BETTER
RADIATIONAL COOLING AT NIGHT DURING THE PERIOD. OTHERWISE MILD
TEMPERATURES PERSISTING AND REMAINING NEAR NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD.

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM
     MIDNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH 10 PM MONDAY NIGHT FOR THE KERN
     COUNTY MOUNTAINS ABOVE 5000 FEET.
     ...HEAVY SNOW WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH
     10 PM MONDAY NIGHT FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA...NORTH
     OF KERN COUNTY.
     ...FLOOD WATCH FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS BELOW 5000 FEET
     AND THE KERN COUNTY DESERTS FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH
     MIDNIGHT MONDAY NIGHT.

&&

BEAN/GREISS

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD /ALL LOWER CASE/

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 20, 5:00 AM PST, 20 hours 13 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
500 AM PST SUN FEB 20 2005

CAZ098-099-211300-
INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT-
500 AM PST SUN FEB 20 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE INDIAN WELLS VALLEY...AND
THE SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

A FLOOD WATCH FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT UNTIL MIDNIGHT MONDAY
NIGHT.PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD WATCH MESSAGE /WGUS66 KHNX/
FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THE FLOOD WATCH WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT MONDAY NIGHT.
OTHERWISE NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS TO THEIR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

CAZ089>094-211300-
WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
500 AM PST SUN FEB 20 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY...AND THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FOOTHILLS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS TO THEIR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

CAZ095-211300-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
500 AM PST SUN FEB 20 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

THE WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
MONDAY NIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
/WWUS46 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THE WINTER STORM WATCH WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT.
OTHERWISE NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECT THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF
THE PERIOD.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS TO THEIR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

CAZ096-097-211300-

SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
500 AM PST SUN FEB 20 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA
FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON AND THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

THE WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
MONDAY NIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
/WWUS46 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THE WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT.
OTHERWISE NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS TO THEIR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

TLM

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 debris flow, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Debris Flow, Kern Cty Mtns

When: February 21, 1:13 AM PST to 5:33 AM PST
Where: Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Flood, Se S.J. Valley

When: February 21, 6:00 PM PST to February 22, 6:00 AM PST
Where: Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
Crop damage: $300,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Flood, Kern Cty Mtns

When: February 22, 4:00 AM PST to 10:00 AM PST
Where: Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 38.350, -121.950

Debris Flow, Kern Cty Mtns

When: February 22, 10:00 AM PST
Where: Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

What these are

Debris Flow: A fast-moving slurry of mud, rock and debris, usually on a slope soaked by heavy rain or stripped by a fire.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in California, February 2005

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: 5442296, 5442294, 5442293, 5442295.