2,045
Recorded events
58
Counties affected
22
Direct deaths
$391.9M
Property damage
California heavy rain history: 2,045 recorded events across 58 counties between 1996 and 2026.
Decade by decade
California heavy rain history by decade
The 2010s are the busiest decade on record with 854 reported heavy rain events across California. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most heavy rain events in California
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | San Diego County | 140 | 3 | $46.5M | 1997–2026 |
| #2 | El Dorado County | 139 | 0 | $100K | 1996–2025 |
| #3 | San Bernardino County | 124 | 2 | $111.0M | 1998–2026 |
| #4 | Kern County | 111 | 1 | $14.9M | 1997–2024 |
| #5 | Fresno County | 107 | 0 | $2.1M | 1996–2025 |
| #6 | Riverside County | 92 | 0 | $40.4M | 2000–2025 |
| #7 | Placer County | 74 | 3 | $10K | 1998–2026 |
| #8 | Mono County | 69 | 0 | $0 | 1997–2025 |
| #9 | Humboldt County | 69 | 0 | $40.8M | 2002–2025 |
| #10 | Shasta County | 65 | 3 | $35K | 1996–2023 |
| #11 | Nevada County | 63 | 0 | $0 | 1998–2025 |
| #12 | Plumas County | 62 | 0 | $1K | 2000–2025 |
| #13 | Lassen County | 61 | 0 | $0 | 2002–2025 |
| #14 | Orange County | 58 | 1 | $36.3M | 1998–2025 |
| #15 | Mariposa County | 56 | 1 | $4K | 1996–2023 |
| #16 | Mendocino County | 56 | 0 | $33.4M | 2005–2025 |
| #17 | Tulare County | 47 | 0 | $14.0M | 1998–2023 |
| #18 | Sierra County | 46 | 0 | $0 | 1999–2025 |
| #19 | Madera County | 37 | 0 | $201K | 1996–2025 |
| #20 | Trinity County | 36 | 0 | $4.8M | 2017–2025 |
| #21 | Kings County | 31 | 0 | $131K | 1998–2017 |
| #22 | Merced County | 29 | 0 | $2.0M | 1998–2023 |
| #23 | Sacramento County | 29 | 0 | $365K | 1998–2021 |
| #24 | Butte County | 26 | 0 | $6K | 1998–2023 |
| #25 | Alpine County | 26 | 0 | $791K | 2003–2024 |
Significant events
Deadliest heavy rain events in California
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 18, 1998 | Placer County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Feb 10, 2000 | San Bernardino County | — | 2 | 3 |
| Nov 19, 1996 | Shasta County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Feb 10, 2000 | Orange County | — | 1 | 4 |
| Jan 11, 1998 | San Mateo County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Mar 13, 2012 | Santa Cruz County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Mar 16, 2012 | Santa Cruz County | — | 1 | 3 |
| Jan 2, 2026 | Placer County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Mar 18, 2012 | Santa Cruz County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jan 11, 1998 | Alameda County | — | 1 | 0 |