California, 2025

Flash Flooding and Winter Storm in California, November 15 to 17, 2025

November 15 to 17, 2025 · NWS HNX · 12 events in 3 counties and zones

A prolonged period with significant precipitation occurred on the 13th until the 17th due to a series of systems that brought abundant moisture. Many San Joaquin Valley locations received around 1-3 inches of rain for that period, and the Sierra Nevada foothills, as well as the Sierra Nevada below the snow line, received around 3-6 inches.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
12

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 prolonged period with significant precipitation occurred on the 13th until the 17th due to a series of systems that brought abundant moisture. Many San Joaquin Valley locations received around 1-3 inches of rain for that period, and the Sierra Nevada foothills, as well as the Sierra Nevada below the snow line, received around 3-6 inches. Snow levels varied from around 8,000 to 9,500 feet from the 13th until the 16th, then lowered to around 5,000 feet by the 17th. The Kern County mountains received a few inches of snow towards Frazier Park on the 17th and 18th, mainly at elevations above 5,000 feet. However, rain fell at the lower elevations, as well as along Tejon Pass towards Lebec. Many Kern County locations received 1 to 2 inches of rain in the San Joaquin Valley and the Kern County desert, while about 2-4 inches of rain fell in the mountain areas.

The radar

The Edwards AFB radar (KEYX), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:38 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 flood, 3 flash flood, 1 heavy rain, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Kern

When
November 15, 11:40 AM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where
Kern County, 2.83 mi S of Cable to 2.94 mi S of Cable
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
35.109, -118.495

California Highway Patrol reports mud on roadway with vehicles getting stuck at the |intersection of Adalante Ct and Highline Rd.

Flood, Kern

When
November 15, 11:51 AM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where
Kern County, 5.3 mi WSW of Lakeview to 1.41 mi SW of Lakeview
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.060, -119.200

California Highway Patrol reports severe flooding on State Route 166.

Flood, Kern

When
November 15, 12:05 PM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where
Kern County, 1.79 mi ENE of Bakersfield East to 1.86 mi ENE of Bakersfield East
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.383, -118.953

California Highway Patrol reports roadway flooding at intersection of Oswell St and |College Ave.

Flood, Kern

When
November 15, 12:06 PM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where
Kern County, 0.7 mi E of Bakersfield East to 0.69 mi E of Bakersfield East
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.370, -118.968

California Highway Patrol reports flooding under bridge of Mount Vernon Overpass at |Mount Vernon Ave and Kentucky St.

Flood, Kern

When
November 15, 12:13 PM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where
Kern County, 4.47 mi WNW of Mettler to 4.27 mi WNW of Mettler
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.100, -119.040

California Highway Patrol reports roadway flooding along Copus Rd.

Flood, Kern

When
November 15, 12:41 PM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where
Kern County, 1.13 mi E of Jastro to 0.89 mi E of Jastro
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.380, -119.050

California Highway Patrol reports roadway flooding at intersection of Fairhaven Dr and |Rosedale Hwy.

Flood, Fresno

When
November 15, 2:38 PM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where
Fresno County, 8.37 mi S of Turk to 7.89 mi S of Turk
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
36.050, -120.200

California Highway Patrol reports lanes flooded on SB State Route 33 at S Sutter |Ave.

Flash Flood, Kern

When
November 15, 2:38 PM PST to 3:45 PM PST
Where
Kern County, 1.13 mi W of Keene to 0.79 mi NW of Keene
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.220, -118.570

CHP reporting Woodford Tehachapi Rd / Woodford Ofr to be closed due to flooding.

Flash Flood, Kern

When
November 15, 3:13 PM PST to 3:45 PM PST
Where
Kern County, 1.38 mi S of Ceneda to 1.43 mi ENE of Cantil
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.350, -117.920

CHP reports Redrock-Randsburg Road closed between US 395 and SR 14.

Flash Flood, Kern

When
November 15, 3:38 PM PST to 4:30 PM PST
Where
Kern County, 4.84 mi SE of Tehachapi Mtn Vly Ap to 4.96 mi SSE of Monolith
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.050, -118.360

CHP reports closure on Oak Creek Rd from Tehachapi Willow Spring to Cement plant.

Heavy Rain, Fresno

When
November 15, 5:08 PM PST
Where
Fresno County, 1.3 mi ESE of Melvin
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
36.810, -119.650

Spotter reported storm total of 1.54 inches.

Winter Storm, South End of the Upper Sierra

When
November 17, 4:30 PM PST
Where
South End of the Upper Sierra forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.782, -118.765 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Public reported snow totals of 3.3 inches at Pine Mountain At 6000 feet.

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.
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.
Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in California, November 2025

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1302082, 1302084, 1302087, 1302093, 1302097, 1302099, 1302100, 1302102, 1302103, 1302105, 1302106, 1302109.