California, 2005Flash Flood in California, February 21, 2005
February 21, 2005 · NWS SGX · 1 event in 1 county or zone
1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.
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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $500,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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 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 Feb 21, 5:00 AM PST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 21, 5:00 AM PST, 2 hours 30 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
500 AM PST MON FEB 21 2005
.SYNOPSIS...UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING PERIODS
OF RAIN...WITH SNOW AT THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE
PRECIPITATION WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES AND SOME FLOODING IS EXPECTED.
THERE WILL ALSO BE OCCASIONAL THUNDERSTORMS AND STRONG AND GUSTY
WINDS. DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED LATER THIS WEEK UNDER WEAK HIGH
PRESSURE.
&&
.DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES.
STRONG COLD FRONT NOW COMING ASHORE. STRONG 15 MB SE TO NW PRES
GRAD TO THE 990 MB LOW WEST OF MONTEREY RESULTING IN GUSTY SE WINDS
AS THE FRONT COMES THROUGH. RAINFALL RATES WERE UNDER 1/4 INCH
PER HOUR...BUT NOW HAVE INCREASED TO 1/2 INCH PER HOUR...MAINLY
OVER THE SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS. EXPECT HEAVY RAIN TO SPREAD INLAND
AS THE MORNING PROGRESSES. SMALL JET MAX HELPING TO ENHANCE THE
RAIN RATES OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS...BUT THEN IT MOVES ON. MODELS
SHOW NEG LI FOR THIS PM...SO CHANCE OF TSTRMS LOOKS GOOD. 554
UPPER LOW OVER US THROUGH WED FOR PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND TSTRMS
EACH DAY. COOL 558 CYCLONIC FLOW THU-SAT FOR COOL PARTLY CLOUDY
WEATHER WITH A POSSIBLE DEEP EDDY.
&&
.SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLOOD ADVISORY FOR URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING REMAINS IN
EFFECT UNTIL NOON FOR MUCH OF THE AREA...
SEE LAXFLSSGX.
FLOOD WATCH FOR FLASH FLOODING FOR ALL OF SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA
FROM UNTIL TUESDAY EVENING...
SEE LAXFFASGX.
WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY FOR THE
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS FOR
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS...
WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TONIGHT TO WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR
SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
SEE LAXWSWSGX.
WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM FOR
ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS-
SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
SEE LAXNPWSGX.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY
HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK FOR
ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-
HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK FOR
SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-
SEE LAXSRFSGX.
POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS AND WATERSPOUTS IN THE COASTAL WATERS
THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...
SEE LAXMWSSGX.
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT TODAY FOR COASTAL WATERS.
SEE LAXCWFSGX.
&&
MACKECHNIE
Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 20, 6:48 PM PST, 12 hours 42 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
648 PM PST SUN FEB 20 2005
CAZ042-043-048-050-055-056-057-058-060-061-062-211400-
ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS-
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
APPLE AND LUCERNE VALLEYS-
COACHELLA VALLEY-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS-
648 PM PST SUN FEB 20 2005
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ALL OF EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN
CALIFORNIA.
.DAY ONE... TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT.
A STRONG STORM WILL ARRIVE LATE TONIGHT AND BRING HEAVY RAIN...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS. LOCAL PONDING OF
WATER AND ROCK AND MUD SLIDES ARE POSSIBLE IN STEEP TERRAIN.
WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY FOR THE SAN
BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS...AND A WINTER STORM WATCH
IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS MONDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING...SEE LAXWSWSGX.
A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM TUESDAY FOR THE ORANGE
COUNTY AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY COAST...SAN DIEGO VALLEYS...AND THE
INLAND EMPIRE. SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH AFTER
MIDNIGHT WITH GUSTS 40 TO 50 MPH...SEE LAXNPWSGX
FLOOD ADVISORY FOR URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING IN EFFECT UNTIL
600 AM FOR SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS... INCLUDING
THE INLAND EMPIRE...THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND THE SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY DESERTS...SEE LAXFLSSGX.
FLOOD WATCH FOR FLASH FLOODING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING...SEE
LAXFFASGX.
MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT FOR THE COASTAL WATERS...SEE LAXMWSSGX.
GALE WARNING FOR THE COASTAL WATERS LATE TONIGHT...SEE LAXCWFSGX.
LOCAL DENSE FOG IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH VISIBILITY BELOW ONE QUARTER
MILE AT TIMES.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED BY
10 PM.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
A STRONG STORM WILL ARRIVE EARLY MONDAY AND BRING HEAVY
RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS. THIS STORM
WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY AND MOVE OUT OF THE REGION WEDNESDAY.
LOCAL PONDING OF WATER AND ROCK AND MUD SLIDES ARE POSSIBLE IN STEEP
TERRAIN.
WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY FOR THE SAN
BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS...AND A WINTER STORM WATCH
IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS MONDAY THROUGH
TUESDAY...SEE LAXWSWSGX.
A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM TUESDAY FOR THE ORANGE
COUNTY AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY COAST...SAN DIEGO VALLEYS...AND THE
INLAND EMPIRE. ON MONDAY...SOUTH WINDS WILL BE 20 TO 30 MPH WITH
GUSTS 40 TO 50 MPH...DECREASING MONDAY AFTERNOON TO 15 TO 25
MPH...SEE LAXNPWSGX
FLOOD ADVISORY FOR URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING IN EFFECT UNTIL
600 AM FOR SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS... INCLUDING
THE INLAND EMPIRE...THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND THE SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY DESERTS...SEE LAXFLSSGX.
FLOOD WATCH FOR FLASH FLOODING UNTIL TUESDAY EVENING...SEE LAXFFASGX.
MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT FOR THE COASTAL WATERS...SEE LAXMWSSGX.
A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL WATERS MONDAY...SEE
LAXCWFSGX.
STRONG RIP CURRENTS MONDAY AND TUESDAY...SEE LAXSRFSGX.
LOCAL DENSE FOG IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH VISIBILITY BELOW ONE QUARTER
MILE AT TIMES THROUGH TUESDAY.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED
MONDAY.
MM/SV/JAD
Flash Flood, San Bernardino
- When
- February 21, 7:30 AM PST to 8:30 AM PST
- Where
- San Bernardino County, 3 mi NE of Wrightwood
- Property damage
- $500,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 34.383, -117.600
A 30 foot section of an earthen dam at an abandoned reservoir in Horse Canyon gave way and sent 1 million gallons of water rushing downstream. The wall of water destroyed bridges, washed out roads, and uprooted trees. The reservoir had been empty for several years and had only recently filled after weeks of heavy rains.
- 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.
- Flood and Hail in Georgia, February 21, 2005$29 million · 2.75 in hail · 95 events
- Flood in California, February 21, 20051 death · $75,000 · 1 event
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Alabama, February 21, 2005$285,000 · 2.75 in hail · 60 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Tennessee, February 21, 2005$1.0 million · 1.75 in hail · 19 events
- Tornado in California, February 21, 2005$650,000 · F0 · 1 event
- Debris Flows and Flooding in California, February 21 to 22, 2005$308,000 · 4 events
- Flash Flood in California, February 21, 2005$150,000 · 1 event
- Flash Flood in California, February 21, 2005$100,000 · 1 event
- Flash Flood in California, February 21, 2005$50,000 · 1 event
- Winter Weather in Vermont, February 21, 2005$35,000 · 7 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, February 21, 2005$28,000 · 2 in hail · 11 events
- Hail in Alabama, February 21, 2005$40,000 · 1.75 in hail · 1 event
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: 5441692.