Deluge Drops Nearly An Inch Of Rain Per Hour For TWO Hours (On Top Of Previous Soakings), Leaving Multiple Long Beach Streets Flooded, Some Cars Stranded
By the numbers: 1.92" of rain at LGB between 1:53 p.m. and 3:53 p.m.; 2.47" between 12:53 p.m. and 3:53 p.m.; 3.01" between 9:53 a.m. and 3:53 p.m...and 3.71" between 9:53 a.m. and 6:53 p.m. on Sun. Jan. 22
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(Jan. 22, 2017, 5:10 p.m., updated 10:45 p.m.) -- Rain fell at a staggering rate of nearly 1" per hour for TWO hours on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 22) at Long Beach Airport, with the NOAA/NWS monitor recording 0.96" inches of rain between 1:53 p.m. and 2:53 p.m. AND another 0.96" between 2:53 p.m. and 3:53 p.m. That came on top of a hefty 0.55" in the hour between 12:53 p.m. and 1:53 p.m.
All told, that's 2.47" of rain in the three hours between 12:53 p.m. and 3:53 p.m...amounting to 3.01" in the six hours between 9:53 a.m. and 3:53 p.m...and 3.71" in the nine hours between 9:53 a.m. and 6:53 p.m. on Sun. Jan. 22.
The deluge left a number of streets flooded from ELB, through parts of southern LB and west Long Beach, among others. The 710 freeway was completely flooded and closed down in the areas of PCH and Willow. Water rose and cars stalled leaving motorists stranded along parts of Willow St. between Woodruff and Studebaker Rd., among multiple areas impacted by the torrential downpour.
In the 1 p.m. hour, we saw water rising in the Vuelta Grande area near Millikan High. We learned Knoxville/Monogram/Ladoga/Nipoma area near Spring St. had streets and some stalled vehicles. The Clark/Atherton/Los Coyotes Diagonal area also high water. We're told there was high water at PCH/Loynes. (We sure this isn't a complete list; if you're aware of other areas, let us know via Facebook or Twitter or mail@lbreport.com or text to 562-818-7651.)
LBREPORT.com reported the Flash Flood Warning issued by the National Weather Service and LBREPORT.com readers saw it all coming with in-motion NWS Doppler Radar on our front page (that no other LB outlet provides.)
LBREPORT.com readers and social network dispatches reported the flood control channels at higher than usual levels, seemingly approaching their tops but with feet to spare and to our knowledge none overtopped. The L.A. River churned, creating what resembled rapids at the Willow St. overcrossing.
A number of streets became inundated up to curb level. When the rain rate started to decline in the 4:00 p.m. hour, most water-filled areas that we saw began to clear (even in Willow St. area between Palo Verde and Studebaker Rd [UPDATE] However some residents in the El Dorado Park South area of De Leon Street (east of Studebaker Rd.) say the street flooding hadn't receded entering the 10 p.m. hour (and only slowly after that. [END UPDATE]
If you have photos or video of what you saw, feel free to share them with us via Facebook or mail@lbreport.com or text to 562 818-7651.
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All of this comes on top of 1.27" of rain on Friday Jan. 20 at LB Airport between 3:53 a.m. Friday (Jan. 20) and 3:53 a.m. Saturday (Jan. 21), which produced soggy ground and downed multiple trees/tree branches.
On Friday (Jan. 20), City of Long Beach Public Affairs Officer Kerry Gerot referred us to this safety advisory on the City's Facebook page.
[City of Long Beach text] Due to the inordinate amount of rain in a short period of time, over-saturated ground and high winds, throughout Southern California we are experiencing significant tree failures, including this one at El Dorado Park West. Please be cautious as you're recreating in and around our trees here in Long Beach.
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LBREPORT.com routinely provides in-motion National Weather Service Doppler Radar in the right column of on our front page .www.LBREPORT.com along with multiple local weather links.
For VIDEO report, click here.
