Flooding and High Wind in California, November 29 to 30, 2019

Name: Flooding and High Wind in California, November 29 to 30, 2019
Start: 2019-11-29T15:55
End: 2019-11-30T23:59
Location: California

November 29 to 30, 2019 · NWS MTR · 23 events in 16 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 23

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 MTR wrote it up.

A low pressure system moving in from the Gulf of Alaska and drawing in moisture from the tropics combined to bring the first atmospheric river event of the winter season to the Greater Bay Area. This system brought widespread heavy rainfall, roadway flooding, and strong winds to the region. Rare Storm Warnings were issued over the coastal waters where buoys reported wind gusts in excess of 50 mph. Bay Area peaks recorded wind gusts between 60 to 70 mph with gusts along the Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur Coast at 50 to 60 mph. These winds caused downed trees and power outages across the area.

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 Francisco Bay Area, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 29, 3:31 PM PST, 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 29, 3:31 PM PST, 24 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 strong wind, 8 flood, 3 heavy rain, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Monterey

When: November 29, 3:55 PM PST to 4:25 PM PST
Where: Monterey County, Parkfield
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 35.900, -120.430

Mesonet station in Parkfield recorded heavy rainfall, 0.98 inches. Timing estimated.

Heavy Rain, San Benito

When: November 29, 3:57 PM PST to 4:27 PM PST
Where: San Benito County, 6.21 mi SE of Idria
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 36.350, -120.600

Mesonet station in Santa Rita recorded 0.41 inches of rain. Timing is estimated.

Heavy Rain, Monterey

When: November 30, 10:20 AM PST to 5:00 PM PST
Where: Monterey County, 10.82 mi S of Lucia
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.014, -121.528

Temporary closure of Hwy 1 at Paul's Slide (mm 21.6) today at 5 pm until further notice, rainfall unknown.

Flood, Alameda

When: November 30, 12:02 PM PST to 12:32 PM PST
Where: Alameda County, 1.83 mi N of Alameda
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.797, -122.269

Roadway flooding on WB Hwy 980 on Jackson St off ramp.

Flood, San Francisco

When: November 30, 12:18 PM PST to 12:48 PM PST
Where: San Francisco County, 2.81 mi NE of San Francisco to 2.8 mi NE of San Francisco
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 37.773, -122.408

Roadway flooding at 455 8th St in San Francisco.

Flood, Monterey

When: November 30, 1:00 PM PST to 1:30 PM PST
Where: Monterey County, 0.45 mi ESE of Carmel
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.547, -121.913

Street at 3438 Martin Rd in Carmel, CA is flooding along with potential flooding at residence as water is being diverted down reporting party's driveway.

Flood, Monterey

When: November 30, 1:15 PM PST to 1:45 PM PST
Where: Monterey County, 1.34 mi W of Salinas to 1.39 mi W of Salinas
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.678, -121.654

Standing water in number 2 lane at SR-183 and E Market St.

Flood, Marin

When: November 30, 1:19 PM PST to 1:49 PM PST
Where: Marin County, 0.5 mi E of Santa Venetia to 0.49 mi E of Santa Venetia
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 37.980, -122.521

Vehicles hydroplaning in number 3 and 4 lines on Hwy 101.

Flood, Sonoma

When: November 30, 2:01 PM PST to 2:31 PM PST
Where: Sonoma County, 1.38 mi SSW of Sebastopol
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 38.383, -122.844

Flooding in SB lanes of Watertrough Rd and Blackney, vehicles are hydroplaning due to large amount of water in the roadway.

Flood, Marin

When: November 30, 2:06 PM PST to 2:36 PM PST
Where: Marin County, 0.82 mi WNW of Carte Madera to 0.79 mi WNW of Carte Madera
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 37.925, -122.514

NB 101 on off ramp near San Clemente Dr flooding with 3 feet of water at the bottom of the off ramp.

Strong Wind, Santa Cruz Mountains

When: November 30, 2:14 PM PST to 2:19 PM PST
Where: Santa Cruz Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 37.230, -122.021 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tree down blocking both lanes of SR-9 at 4770 in Felton.

Strong Wind, Northern Salinas Valley / Hollister Valley / Carmel Valley

When: November 30, 2:19 PM PST to 2:24 PM PST
Where: Northern Salinas Valley / Hollister Valley / Carmel Valley forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.423, -121.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Power pole leaning into street on Potter Road and swinging in the wind.

Flood, San Mateo

When: November 30, 2:55 PM PST to 3:25 PM PST
Where: San Mateo County, 1.15 mi WNW of (Sql)san Carlos Arpt to 1.16 mi WNW of (Sql)san Carlos Arpt
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 37.527, -122.269

US 101-N and Ralston Ave on ramp sink hole in slow lane.

Strong Wind, Northern Salinas Valley / Hollister Valley / Carmel Valley

When: November 30, 3:00 PM PST to 3:05 PM PST
Where: Northern Salinas Valley / Hollister Valley / Carmel Valley forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 36.423, -121.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station (PGE) 0.7 miles NE of Carmel Valley Village.

High Wind, Santa Lucia Mountains and Los Padres National Forest

When: November 30, 4:00 PM PST to 4:05 PM PST
Where: Santa Lucia Mountains and Los Padres National Forest forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 36.240, -121.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station (PGE) 16.9 miles NW of Lake Nacimiento.

Strong Wind, North Bay Mountains

When: November 30, 4:29 PM PST to 6:29 PM PST
Where: North Bay Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 44 kt (51 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS

Atlas Peak RAWS station recorded wind gusts between 46 and 51 mph.

Strong Wind, Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast

When: November 30, 6:17 PM PST to 6:22 PM PST
Where: Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.240, -121.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tree in northbound lane of HWY 1 6 miles south of Del Monte Forest.

Strong Wind, East Bay Hills and the Diablo Range

When: November 30, 9:18 PM PST to 11:18 PM PST
Where: East Bay Hills and the Diablo Range forecast zone
Measured: 49 kt (56 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS

Calaveras Road RAWS station recorded gusts between 46 and 56 mph.

Strong Wind, Santa Cruz Mountains

When: November 30, 10:30 PM PST to 10:35 PM PST
Where: Santa Cruz Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 47 kt (54 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 37.230, -122.021 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station (PGE) 3.1 miles S of Highlands.

Strong Wind, Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore

When: November 30, 10:40 PM PST to 10:45 PM PST
Where: Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore forecast zone
Measured: 41 kt (47 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 38.290, -122.835 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station (PGE) on Point Reyes.

Strong Wind, San Francisco Peninsula Coast

When: November 30, 10:57 PM PST to 11:03 PM PST
Where: San Francisco Peninsula Coast forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 37.229, -122.183 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station in Las Trancas.

Strong Wind, Santa Clara Valley Including San Jose

When: November 30, 11:22 PM PST to 11:27 PM PST
Where: Santa Clara Valley Including San Jose forecast zone
Measured: 41 kt (47 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 37.233, -121.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

San Jose Airport ASOS recorded gusts.

Strong Wind, San Francisco Peninsula Coast

When: November 30, 11:55 PM PST to 11:59 PM PST
Where: San Francisco Peninsula Coast forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 37.229, -122.183 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Half Moon Bay Airport ASOS recorded wind gust of 46 mph.

What these are

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

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in California, November 2019

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: 860342, 860343, 860344, 860334, 860335, 860336, 860337, 860338, 860339, 860340, 860345, 860346, 860341, 860349, 860348, 860352, 860347, 860356, 860353, 860351, 860355, 860354, 860350.