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F0 tornado in Los Angeles County, California

Tornado December 29, 2004 · Los Angeles County, California

F0
Rating
0.5 mi
Path length
5 yd
Path width
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

NOAA recorded where this tornado touched down but not where it lifted, so it appears as a point. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F0 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F0 meant light damage: shingles and siding peeled, gutters torn, branches broken; the scale paired it with winds of 40–72 mph, figures later judged too high, especially toward the top of the scale, and revised downward in the Enhanced Fujita scale. Ratings then, as now, came from the damage.

The wider storm

A powerful Pacific storm brought heavy rain, snow and tornados to Central and Southern California. Total rainfall amounts ranged from 2 to 8 inches on the coastal plain to between 6 and 13 inches in the mountains. With such heavy rain, there were many hydrologic problems. Urban flooding was widespread across all of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Flash flooding was reported in Santa Barbara county along Highway 101 at the Gaviota and Winchester exits. In Los Angeles county, flash flooding and debris flows in the mountains and Santa Clarita valley closed down Interstate 5 and Hasley Canyon Road. In Rancho Palos Verdes, a mudslide on 25th Street trapped two vehicles. In the mountains of Ventura and Los Angeles counties, winter storm conditions prevailed. Between 12 and 36 inches of snow fell above the 5000 foot elevation while southeast winds between 30 and 50 mph with gusts to 75 mph resulted in near zero visibilities in blowing snow. On the coastal plain of Los Angeles county, weak tornados were reported in Long Beach, Inglewood and Whittier. The tornados only produced minor damage including downed trees and damaged roofs.

Began near Inglewood (33.9667, -118.3000).

Other tornadoes from the same storm system

2 more tornadoes the National Weather Service filed under this storm episode.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5430714. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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