At the end of February and into early March, a strong winter storm moved across Southern California. This storm generated heavy showers and thunderstorms which produced flash flooding and debris flows across Los Angeles county on the last day of February.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS LOX wrote it up.
At the end of February and into early March, a strong winter storm moved across Southern California. This storm generated heavy showers and thunderstorms which produced flash flooding and debris flows across Los Angeles county on the last day of February.
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 Los Angeles, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 28, 9:30 AM PST, 27 minutes earlier.
SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 930 AM PST FRI FEB 28 2014 .SYNOPSIS... A VIGOROUS WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT THE ARE THROUGH SATURDAY. EXPECT RAIN...MOUNTAIN SNOW...GUSTY WINDS...POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS... WATERSPOUTS...URBAN FLOODING...AND MUD AND DEBRIS FLOWS NEAR RESENT BURN AREAS. RAINFALL WILL BE INTENSE AT TIMES. A CLEARING AND DRYING TREND WILL START SUNDAY AFTERNOON. CLEAR WITH A WARMING TREND FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .SHORT TERM (TODAY-SUN)...OUR LONG AWAITED STORM HAS ARRIVED AND SO FAR HAS PRETTY MUCH HELD UP TO EXPECTATIONS. THE FIRST WAVE OF PRECIP MOVED THROUGH OVERNIGHT (AND CURRENTLY OVER EASTERN LA COUNTY) A LITTLE FASTER THAN EXPECTED BUT AMOUNTS WERE ON TARGET. SNOW LEVELS ABOVE 9000 SO CURRENTLY NOT AN ISSUE. A JET STREAK COMING IN LATER THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON WILL HELP ENCOURAGE CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY OVER THE COASTAL WATERS SOUTH OF PT CONCEPTION AND ADJACENT COASTAL ZONES SO WILL BE MONITORING THAT CLOSELY. MODELS INDICATE LI'S AROUND -4 IN THE SANTA MONICA BAY AROUND 21Z AND CAPE AROUND 900 J/KG SO THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR AN ACTIVE CONVECTIVE PATTERN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THAT FIRST WAVE GENERATED MINIMAL IMPACTS SO FAR BUT CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON WOULD POSE A THREAT FOR WATERSPOUTS, SMALL TORNADOS, AND DEBRIS FLOWS FOR THE BURN AREAS. AS THE UPPER LOW MOVES TOWARDS PT CONCEPTION LATER TODAY SNOW LEVELS WILL SLOWLY FALL, POSSIBLY DROPPING TO AROUND 7000 FT. ***FROM PREVIOUS DISCUSSION*** FROM TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY EVENING THE UPPER LOW WILL MOVE TO POINT CONCEPTION. IT WILL KEEP MOIST FLOW WITH MANY EMBEDDED VORT LOBES MOVING OVER THE AREA AND THERE WILL BE SHOWERS WITH A CHANCE OF TSTMS OVER THE ENTIRE FCST AREA THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING. THERE WILL LIKELY BE A FEW BREAKS IN THE ACTION STARTING TONIGHT AS SOME NVA MOVES IN BEHIND THE PVA. STORM TOTAL RAIN AMOUNTS OF 2-4 INCHES AT LOWER ELEVATIONS...4-7 INCHES IN THE FOOTHILLS...AND 8-10 INCHES IN THE MOUNTAINS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. AS THE JET MOVES OVERHEAD WINDS WILL INCREASE OVER THE MTN AREAS AND MANY OF THE HIGHER PEAKS WILL SEE WIND GUSTS BETWEEN 60 AND 70 MPH. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE MTNS OF SLO AND SBA COUNTY...BUT THE WINDS HAVE BEEN COMBINED INTO THE WINTER STORM WARNING THAT IS IN EFFECT FOR THE MTNS OF LA AND VTA COUNTIES. A TIGHT SFC PRESSURE GRADIENT AROUND THE SFC LOW WILL BRING ADVISORY LEVEL GUSTS TO THE NON MOUNTAINOUS PORTIONS OF SLO AND SBA COUNTIES. THE SANTA CLARITA VLY AND THE ANTELOPE VLY WILL ALSO SEE ADVISORY LEVEL WIND GUSTS BETWEEN 45 AND 55 MPH. HEAVIER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING RAINFALL RATE BETWEEN 1 AN 2 INCHES PER HOUR. RAINFALL RATE THIS INTENSE OVER A RECENT BURN AREA WILL PRODUCE A MUD AND DEBRIS FLOW AND A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREA. IN FACT RAINFALL RATES THAT HIGH MAY WELL CREATE FLASH FLOODS IN ANY AREA WITH CANYONS...SUCH AS THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAIN AREA. BECAUSE OF THE SOUTHERLY FLOW SNOW LEVELS WILL START OUT ABOVE 8000 FT THIS MORNING...BUT LOWER TO AROUND 5500 FT THIS AFTERNOON IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT AND REMAIN NEAR THAT LEVEL THROUGH SATURDAY. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS BETWEEN 5500 AND 7000 FEET WILL RANGE FROM 6 TO 12 INCHES WITH LOCAL AMOUNTS UP TO 18 INCHES. ABOVE 7000 FEET...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 1 TO 3 FEET. ISOLATED TOTALS UP TO 4 FEET ON THE HIGHER PEAKS. THE LOW WILL OPEN UP AND MOVE OUT SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. THE SHOWERS WILL DECREASE AND SKIES WILL SLOWLY CLEAR. .LONG TERM (MON-THU)... RIDGING WILL BUILD IN MONDAY AND PERSIST INTO WEDNESDAY. SKIES WILL BE MOSTLY CLEAR AND MAX TEMPS WILL RISE SOME EACH DAY. BY TUESDAY THE TEMPS WILL BE ABOVE NORMAL. COOLER AND CLOUDIER WEATHER ALONG WITH A SLIGHT CHC OF SHOWERS OVER SLO COUNTY IS ON TAP FOR THURSDAY AS THE TAIL END OF A COLD FRONT MOVES OVER THE CENTRAL COAST. && .AVIATION... 28/1200Z LOW CONFIDENCE IN ALL TAFS AS MAJOR STORM MOVES OVER AREA. EXPECT FREQUENT CHANGES IN CIG HGT..VIS...WX CONDITIONS...AND WINDS. THERE IS A CHANCE OF TSTMS AT ALL LOCATIONS THROUGH 00Z. 60 KT WINDS ARE POSSIBLE AS LOW AS FL030. CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN TO IMPROVE AFTER 04Z. KLAX AND KBUR...LOW CONFIDENCE IN TAF. EXPECT FREQUENT CHANGES IN ALL FCST PARAMETERS THROUGH AT LEAST 00Z. A CHANCE OF A TSTM THRU 00Z. VERY STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS FL030 AND ABOVE. && .LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING (SEE LAXWSWLOX). HIGH WIND WARNING (SEE LAXNPWLOX). FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN BURN AREAS (SEE LAXFFALOX). FLOOD ADVISORY (SEE LAXFLSLOX). WIND ADVISORY (SEE LAXNPWLOX). GALE WARNING (SEE LAXMWWLOX). SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY (SEE LAXMWWLOX). HIGH SURF ADVISORY (SEE LAXCFWLOX). HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK (SEE LAXSRFLOX). MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT (SEE LAXMWSLOX). && PUBLIC...MW/RORKE AVIATION...RORKE SYNOPSIS...BARTLING WWW.WEATHER.GOV/LOSANGELES
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 840 AM PST FRI FEB 28 2014 CAZ034>041-044>046-051>054-059-087-088-547-548-011400- SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY CENTRAL COAST- SANTA BARBARA COUNTY CENTRAL COAST-SANTA YNEZ VALLEY- SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY INTERIOR VALLEYS-CUYAMA VALLEY- SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SOUTH COAST-VENTURA COUNTY COAST- LOS ANGELES COUNTY COAST INCLUDING DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES- VENTURA COUNTY INTERIOR VALLEYS-VENTURA COUNTY COASTAL VALLEYS- SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS RECREATIONAL AREA- SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY MOUNTAINS- SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MOUNTAINS-VENTURA COUNTY MOUNTAINS- LOS ANGELES COUNTY MOUNTAINS EXCLUDING THE SANTA MONICA RANGE- ANTELOPE VALLEY-CATALINA ISLAND-SANTA CLARITA VALLEY- LOS ANGELES COUNTY SAN FERNANDO VALLEY- LOS ANGELES COUNTY SAN GABRIEL VALLEY- 840 AM PST FRI FEB 28 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA. WFO LOX PLANS TO DISCONTINUE THIS PRODUCT IN 2014. PLEASE DIRECT ANY COMMENTS TO ERIC BOLDT AT 805-988-6623. .DAY ONE... TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING HEAVY RAIN...HIGH ELEVATION SNOW...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...AND GUSTY WINDS TO THE AREA THROUGH SATURDAY. HIGH SURF WILL DEVELOP TODAY ACROSS WEST FACING BEACHES. HIGHEST SURF WILL BE ACROSS THE CENTRAL COAST WITH HIGHEST SETS TO 13 FT...WHILE LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTY BEACHES EXPERIENCE SETS TO 8 FEET. EXPECT A HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK TO ACCOMPANY THE HIGH SURF. * WINTER STORM WARNING.......SEE WWUS46 KLOX - WSWLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH WIND WARNING..........SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * FLOOD WATCH................SEE WGUS66 KLOX - FFALOX FOR DETAILS * * FLOOD ADVISORY.............SEE WGUS86 KLOX - FLSLOX FOR DETAILS * * WIND ADVISORY..............SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH SURF ADVISORY.........SEE WHUS46 KLOX - CFWLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK......SEE FZUS56 KLOX - SRFLOX FOR DETAILS * * MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT...SEE FZUS76 KLOX - MWSLOX FOR DETAILS * .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING HEAVY RAIN...HIGH ELEVATION SNOW...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...AND GUSTY WINDS TO THE AREA THROUGH SATURDAY. HIGH SURF WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD AND PEAK ON SATURDAY WITH THE CENTRAL COAST EXPECTED TO SEE 10 TO 15 FT SURF WITH LOCAL SETS TO 18 FT. HIGH SURF WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. EXPECT SURF 6 TO 10 FEET WITH LOCAL SETS TO 12 FEET FOR VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES COUNTY WEST FACING BEACHES. A HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK WILL CONTINUE WITH THE HIGH SURF. THE THREAT OF WATERSPOUTS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING. * WINTER STORM WARNING.......SEE WWUS46 KLOX - WSWLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH WIND WARNING..........SEE WWUS76 KLOX - NPWLOX FOR DETAILS * * FLOOD WATCH................SEE WGUS66 KLOX - FFALOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH SURF ADVISORY.........SEE WHUS46 KLOX - CFWLOX FOR DETAILS * * HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK......SEE FZUS56 KLOX - SRFLOX FOR DETAILS * * MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT...SEE FZUS76 KLOX - MWSLOX FOR DETAILS * .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MW
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OXNARD CA
359 AM PST FRI FEB 28 2014
CAZ034>039-051-052-281300-
CUYAMA VALLEY CA-SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY CENTRAL COAST CA-SAN LUIS
OBISPO COUNTY INTERIOR VALLEYS CA-SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY MOUNTAINS
CA-SANTA BARBARA COUNTY CENTRAL COAST CA-SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
MOUNTAINS CA-SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SOUTH COAST CA-SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
CA-
359 AM PST FRI FEB 28 2014
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN SAN LUIS OBISPO AND
SANTA BARBARA COUNTIES UNTIL 500 AM PST...
AT 350 AM PST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF VERY HEAVY
SHOWERS APPROACHING WESTERN SANTA BARBARA AND SAN LUIS OBISPO
COUNTIES. RADAR INDICATED STRONG WINDS IN THE VICINITY OF THIS
LINE OF HEAVY SHOWERS.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS LINE OF SHOWERS AS IT
MOVES INTO THE COAST BETWEEN 4 AM AND 5 AM PST. LOCATIONS THAT WILL
BE AFFECTED BY THIS LINE OF SHOWERS INCLUDE VANDENBERG
AFB...LOMPOC...SANTA MARIA AND SAN LUIS OBISPO.
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING.
IN ADDITION...THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR
LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 3537 12086 3535 12011 3446 12005 3446 12031
3444 12046 3453 12053 3454 12063 3457 12066
3469 12061 3475 12065 3486 12062 3490 12068
3500 12064 3512 12064 3517 12071 3515 12077
3522 12088 3526 12091
TIME...MOT...LOC 1155Z 194DEG 96KT 3520 12047
DB/CAKThe Santa Ana Mts radar (KSOX), 44 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:51 UTC.
3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash flooding and debris flows were reported near the Colby burn scar in the San Gabriel Valley near Glendora.
Flash flooding and debris flows were reported in Easley Canyon, near the Colby burn scar. Media reports indicated two garages were damaged by mud and debris flows induced by heavy showers.
Heavy showers and thunderstorms produced flash flooding in the community of Lakeview Terrace. Two women were trapped when a wall of water swept across their driveway into the street.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in California, February 2014
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: 504153, 504154, 504155.