Flood in Santa Clara County, California

Flood December 23, 2012 · Santa Clara County, California

$2.7M

Damage as recorded

Where the report was made, with tornadoes recorded within 15 miles over the years.

What the National Weather Service wrote

Heavy rain caused San Francisquito Creek to flood and briefly overtop a levee in East Palo Alto. Numerous other seeps and areas where water bubbled through the levee were also noted in the area. Homes on Verbena Drive nearest the levee were evacuated. Officials placed sandbags on top of the levees to temporarily strengthen the flood defenses.

The wider storm

A series of storm systems, part of a large Atmospheric River type of pattern, impacted the area during late December 2012. From the 21st through 26th of December, heavy rain, gusty winds, flooding, and mudslides occurred across the Bay Area in these consecutive events. Downed trees, powerlines, and flooded roadways impacted residents over the Christmas holiday season. The event included a tornado touchdown on the coast of Santa Cruz County which brought extensive damage to portions of a greenhouse and flower growing operations. These storms followed a series of significant storms in late November and early December.

Began near Palo Alto Arpt (37.4537, -122.1265).

Other tornadoes from the same storm system

1 more tornado the National Weather Service filed under this storm episode.

EF0 Santa Cruz County

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 426213. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

Tornadoes near your address

See every tornado that passed near a place you know, measured to its path.