Flash Flood — Kern, California

2008-07-12 · near Calif City Civic Ctr, Kern, California

Event narrative

NWS Incident Meteorologists reported heavy rain that hit the Piute wildfire area caused flash flooding into the Lake Isabella area. Mud and debris flow swept into the town of Lake Isabella causing evacuations and helicopter rescues in and around the town.

Wider weather episode

The upper-level high pressure ridge moved inland on July 11th, with a low pressure area moving to along the coast. This pattern set up a southerly wind pattern over California, drawing up monsoonal moisture from the southeast on the 12th. Thunderstorms formed over the Tulare County Mountains by the early afternoon of the 12th. The storms become stronger as they spread south into Kern County.

Several bouts of flash flooding impacted portions of the Southern Sierra Nevada, Kern County mountains and deserts. Heavy rain hit the Piute wildfire area 4 days in a row causing flash flooding into the Lake Isabella area. Mud and debris flow swept into the town of Lake Isabella causing evacuations and helicopter rescues in the town. The muddy waters shut down roads and businesses in Lake Isabella. Some flooding also occurred on the 14th in the town of Tehachapi, where an apartment complex sustained significant damage. Thompson Creek Road was washed out Tuesday afternoon stranding 40 homes, about 10 miles south of Lake Isabella. On July 15, it was reported in the newspaper the Bakersfield water supply was being threatened by dirt and silt washing down the Kern River. The California Water Service shut down a portion of their water treatment facility as of July 15. The city has only a 3 day supply of clean emergency water and that is beginning to run out at one of the treatment plants.

Strong thunderstorms over the El Paso Mountains during the afternoon of July 13th caused flash flooding on the Randsburg Road, with erosion of the road. Later storms over the Piute Mountains caused flooding of Erskine Creek with mud and debris flows again moving into the town of Lake Isabella.

Afternoon and evening thunderstorms continued through the 15th, with activity diminishing on the 16th. Flooding was observed in the Thompson Canyon, Erskine Creek, and Kelso Canyon areas.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.1300, -117.9700)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 129871. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.