Lightning in California

Events

355

Deaths

16

Injuries

83

Damage

$8.9 million

• Excessive Heat and Wildfire in California, August 14 to 31, 20204 deaths · 18 injured · 61 kt wind · 29 eventsA prolonged and oppressive heat wave swept the Central Coast and Bay Area for almost a week from August 14th to August 19th with widespread record breaking temperatures observed across the region.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in California, January 22, 20242 deaths · $31 million · 31 eventsHistoric flooding occurred on January 22nd. Heavy rainfall occurred between 8 am and noon across western San Diego county. The heaviest rainfall occurred between 9 am and 11 am in the east side of the city of San Diego in Encanto and Lemon Grove to Spring Valley.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in California, June 3, 20092 deaths · 8 injured · $126,000 · 1 in hail · 5 eventsUnstable air ahead of an upper-level low centered just off the coast of Northern California triggered bands of elevated convection which stretched from San Diego to the San Bernardino County deserts.
• Lightning Strike in California, July 28, 20052 deaths · 7 injured · 1 eventLightning struck a group of camping Boy Scouts at the 10,700 foot elevation of Sandy Meadow 4 miles west of Mt. Whitney on the John Muir Trail on the 28th.
• Flash Flooding and Flood in California, September 1 to 3, 20012 deaths · 2 injured · $35,000 · 8 eventsPart of the remnants of Hurricane Flossie, moved across Southwest California over a three day period.On 09/01/01, thunderstorms formed over the mountains and deserts of San Diego and Riverside Counties.
• Heavy Snow and High Wind in California, March 17 to 18, 200232 injured · 56 kt wind · 6 eventsBorder Patrol agents rescued five separate groups of people who were lightly clad and suffering from hypothermia in the San Diego Mountains near Pine Valley. Whiteout conditions were reported over the High Desert areas. The snow level was near 2500 feet.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in California, August 19 to 21, 2023$512 million · 72 kt wind · 29 eventsEastern Pacific Hurricane Hilary made landfall on the Baja Peninsula early on the morning of the 20th and reached Southern California as a tropical storm that afternoon. The cyclone brought widespread flash flooding to southeast California, along with isolated high winds.
• Lightning Strikes in California, July 27, 20141 death · 9 injured · 2 eventsA surge of monsoonal moisture from northern Mexico generated scattered thunderstorms across Southern California. From these storms, two significant lightning strikes occurred. In Venice Beach, one man was killed and 13 people were injured when lightning struck the water.
• Flash Flooding and Flood in California, September 7 to 9, 20151 death · $33,000 · 1 in hail · 12 eventsSubtropical moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Linda brought widespread showers to most of the area, deserts included. The first isolated thunderstorm developed on the 6th in San Diego County as a moisture surge in monsoon warm upper level flow arrived.
• Flash Flooding and Lightning Strikes in California, October 15 to 19, 2015$25 million · 19 eventsAn upper level low pressure system brought a round of thunderstorms to the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin. Significant flash flooding occurred, along with isolated severe weather.
• Flooding and Hail in California, January 19 to 20, 2017$20 million · 50 kt wind · 15 eventsThe second in a series of three storms between January 18-23. Storm two occurred January 19-20. Heavy rain, strong winds, and small hail were observed with this frontal system as well as lightning strikes in San Francisco.
• Flooding and Hail in California, June 6 to 7, 1998$28 million · 1 in hail · 8 eventsFresno and neighboring counties of Kings and Tulare received widespread convective activity during the late afternoon and early evening of Saturday, June 6th. Unofficial reports of golfball sized hail occurred in the Tulare County town of Dinuba.
• Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in California, March 10 to 13, 20201 death · $5,000 · 13 eventsAn atmospheric river moved into the California bight on March 10th, bringing heavy rainfall and mountain snow to Southern California.
• Flash Flooding and Lightning Strike in California, July 18 to 20, 20151 death · 10 eventsTropical moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Dolores and a monsoonal fetch of moisture streamed into southern and central California during the time period.
• Lightning Strike in California, September 10, 20041 death · 1 injured · 1 eventA tow truck driver was in the process of hooking up a winch to a stalled vehicle when lightning struck. The driver of the stalled car was killed and the tow truck driver was taken to the hospital.
• Lightning Strike in California, July 25, 20201 death · 1 injured · 1 eventWeak mid-level shortwave troughing and increased moisture allowed for thunderstorms to develop the 15th through the 27th.
• Flooding and Damaging Winds in California, January 8 to 10, 20231 death · $1,000 · 61 kt wind · 6 eventsFrom January 8th to January 9th, a strong atmospheric river led to widespread flooding across the San Francisco Bay Area and Central Coast. This was followed by convection on the 10th that resulted in flash flooding.
• Debris Flow and Hail in California, July 1 to 3, 20131 death · 1.75 in hail · 3 eventsMoisture from the south and instability from the heatwave brought thunderstorms up along the Sierra Nevada slopes and northern mountains, Monday through Thursday afternoons. Some lower elevations saw showers on Wednesday as well.
• Lightning Strike in California, May 23, 19991 death · 1 eventLightning struck and killed a man in Palmdale.
• Lightning Strike in California, July 30, 20031 death · 1 eventA construction worker standing on a catwalk and washing down fiberglass water tanks, was struck by lightning and fell 30 feet to the ground. He was in cardiac arrest when Paramedics arrived, transported to the hospital, and pronounced dead at 0758 PST.
• Lightning Strike in California, June 3, 20091 death · 1 eventThunderstorms and heavy rainfall affected northeastern California.
• Lightning Strike in California, July 23, 20121 death · 1 eventAn upper low brought thunderstorms to eastern California for much of the 23rd.
• Lightning Strike in California, July 30, 20211 death · 1 eventSubtropical moisture continued to stream into central California on July 30. Once again, afternoon thunderstorms developed over the Sierra Nevada. One thunderstorm produced a fatal lightning strike over the Sierra Nevada during the early afternoon.
• Lightning Strike in California, June 22, 20221 death · 1 eventIn the community of Pico Rivera, a lightning strike killed a woman who was walking her dogs.
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in California, July 10 to 13, 20081 injured · $10 million · 54 kt wind · 7 eventsA push of monsoon moisture from the southeast brought severe storms and flash flooding to portions of the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin.

Lightning everywhereEvery kind of event in California

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.