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List of California hurricanes

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A California hurricane is a tropical cyclone originating in the eastern Pacific Ocean that affects the Continental United States, usually California or Arizona. While rare events, they do happen. Usually, only the remnants of tropical cyclones affect California. However, landfalls have occurred.

Since 1900, a grand total of four tropical cyclones have brought gale-force winds to the Southwestern United States. They are an unnamed tropical storm that made landfall near Long Beach in 1939, Hurricane Joanne in 1972, Hurricane Kathleen in 1976, and Hurricane Nora in 1997. In addition, a hurricane just missed making landfall in 1859.

In most cases, rainfall is the only effect that these cyclones have on California. Sometimes, this rainfall is severe enough to cause flooding and damage. For example, floods from Hurricane Kathleen destroyed Ocotillo, California.

A Rare Event

There are two primary reasons why hurricanes are so rare in California; ocean temperatures and the usual track of tropical cyclones in the eastern Pacific.

The waters off California are cold even in summer. They rarely rise above 24 C (75 F) 1, although El Nino events may warm the waters somewhat. The reason for the cold waters is the fact that the prevailing winds of the area blow out to sea. This carries warm surface water with it. The cold California Current flows south, and mixes with cold water upwelling from below. This keeps the ocean cool and unsuitable for tropical cyclones

The second reason is the general path of tropical cyclones in the northern hemisphere. They generally move north-westward or westward, which takes them far out to sea and away from land. This makes eastern Pacific landfalls rare.

List of Cyclones

Most of these cyclones are actually just the remnants of hurricanes or tropical storms. Since 1858, there have been one report of hurricane-strength winds and four reports of gale-force winds from tropical cyclones. Of these storms, there was one near-landfall and one landfall. The other three storms made landfall in Mexico and moved north.

Pre 1930

  • October 2, 1858: the 1858 San Diego Hurricane approached very close to southern California. It brought several hours of hurricane and gale-force winds 2 to an area stretching from San Diego to Los Angeles. This storm is reconstructed as just missing making landfall 3.
  • July 20-21, 1902: the remnants of a hurricane brought rain to southern California.
  • August 18-19, 1906: a cyclone moved north from the Gulf of California and brought rain to southern California.
  • August 26, 1915: the remnants of a tropical cyclone brought around an inch of rain to Riverside.
  • September 11-12, 1918: the remnants of a cyclone produced half a foot of rain to the mountains of southern California.
  • August 20-21, 1921: a cyclone moved north from Lower California and into Arizona, producing rain.
  • September 30, 1921: the remnants of a cyclone moved from Baja California and brought rain to Arizona and parts of California.
  • September 18, 1929: a cyclone in the Pacific Ocean generated rain in Southern California.

1930s

  • September 28-October 1, 1932: the remnants of a hurricane brought four days of rain. Flash floods killed 15 people 4.
  • August 25, 1935: a cyclone moved from the south and brought rain to southern California and parts of Arizona.
  • August 9, 1936: a hurricane's remnants moving north brought heavy rains to the Los Angeles area.
  • September 4-7, 1939: the remnants of a hurricane brought over a year's worth of rain to parts of southern California.
  • September 11-12, 1939: the remnants of a hurricane in the Gulf of California brought rain.
  • September 19-21, 1939: a dissipated cyclone brought rain.

1940s

  • September 1941: moisture from a hurricane caused rain.
  • September 9-10, 1945: a dissipated cyclone moved north and brought rain to southern California.
  • September 30-October 1, 1946: the remnants of a tropical storm brought several inches of rain.

1950s

  • August 27-29, 1951: the remnants of a tropical cyclone brought enough rain to wash out some roads in Southern California.
  • September 19-21, 1952: the remnants of a hurricane brought rain to mountains in Southern California.
  • July 17-19, 1954: the remnants of a hurricane moved into Arizona, bringing rain to the state and parts of California.
  • October 1-6, 1958: remnants of a hurricane moved into Arizona, causing heavy rain.
  • September 11, 1959: the remnants of a hurricane generated some rain.

1960s

  • September 9-10, 1960: the remnants of Hurricane Estelle generated rain.
  • September 17-19, 1963: Tropical Storm Katherine dissipated over northern Baja California and caused several inches of rain.
  • September 4-5, 1965: Hurricane Emily's remnants brought rainfall.

1970s

  • September 30-October 1, 1971: a dissipated Hurricane Olivia produced rain.
  • September 3, 1972: Tropical Depression Hyacinth produced rain around Los Angeles.
  • October 6, 1972: Hurricane Joanne made landfall in Mexico and managed to bring gale-force winds to Arizona and rain to that state and California.
  • September 10-11, 1976 : Hurricane Kathleen crossed the peninsula of Baja California moved into California as a tropical storm. Yuma, Arizona reported sustained winds of 57 mph 5. Rains from Kathleen caused catastrophic damage to Ocotillo, California and killed three people.
  • August 18-19, 1977: Hurricane Doreen dissipated off the coast of California. The remnants moved inland and caused flooding and crop damage
Hurricane Heather on October 5
  • October 6-7, 1977: Hurricane Heather's remnants moved into Arizona, bringing rain.
  • September 5-6, 1978: the remnants of Hurricane Norman produced several inches of rain.

1980s

  • June 29-30, 1980: Hurricane Celia's remnants produced a minor amount of rain.
  • September 17-18, 1982: remnants from Hurricane Norman generated rain in Arizona and Southern California.
  • September 24-26, 1982: the remnants of Hurricane Olivia produced inches of rain in California.
  • September 20-21, 1983: the remnants of Hurricane Manuel caused rain.
  • October 7, 1983: the very weak remnants of Hurricane Priscilla caused showers in Southern California.
  • September 10-11, 1984: Hurricane Marie's weak remnants generated showers.

1990s

  • August 19-20, 1997: Tropical Storm Ignacio's remnants produced gusty winds to waters off California.
File:Hurricane Linda 1997.jpg
Hurricane Linda
  • September 13-14, 1997: Hurricane Linda was at one point forecast to make landfall in California 6. Instead, it moved out to sea.
  • September 25-26, 1997: After making landfall in Baja California, Hurricane Nora maintained gale-force winds into Arizona. Rain was brought to that state. Damage totaled several hundred million, 7, including 40 million dollars to lemon trees. The remnants of the hurricane flattened trees in Utah.

2000s

  • September, 2001: The remnants of Hurricane Flossie dissipated over the deserts of the Southwest United States.
  • September 30, 2001: thunderstorms from the remnants of Hurricane Juliette caused minor damage to California and brought rain to the area.

Modern Repeats

Californians are rightfully more concerned about earthquakes than about tropical cyclones. However, tropical cyclones do affect California, occasionally very seriously, so it would be prudent to have some sort of plan to manage the aftermath should one happen. A recurrence is inevitable.

Damage

A modern repeat of the 1858 storm is estimated to cause damages of hundreds of millions of dollars 8. A repeat of the Long Beach tropical storm is would cause around 200 million dollars in damage 9.

Preparedness

When Linda was forecast to make landfall, statements about its possible impact were issued by the Oxnard, California office of the National Weather Service. They stressed the uncertainty of a forecast that far in the future.

When Nora was threatening, "unprecedented coordination" was required between the NHC and several other agencies. The coordination was "smooth and effective." 10

See also

Notes

  1. NOAA Tropical Cyclone FAQ
  2. The San Diego Hurricane
  3. The San Diego Hurricane
  4. California's Tropical Cyclones
  5. California's Tropical Cyclones
  6. NHC Linda Preliminary Report
  7. NHC Nora Preliminary Report
  8. The San Diego Hurricane
  9. The San Diego Hurricane
  10. NHC NORA Preliminary Report

References

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