Debris Flow in Kern County, California

Debris Flow in Kern County, California: 51 recorded events between 2016 and 2024. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #2 nationally and #2 statewide for this hazard.

Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.

The busiest decade for debris flow in Kern County is the 2010s, when 35 of the county's 51 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.

Within the Kern County archive, debris flow makes up 6.1% of all recorded severe weather across 11 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #2 for this hazard and #2 within California, putting it in the 99.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.

Mar is the peak month for debris flow in Kern County with 15 recorded events, while Jun is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.

• Flood 325
• Flash Flood 134
• Heavy Rain 111
• Thunderstorm Wind 57
• Hail 41
• Lightning 41

How many debris flow events are on record in Kern County, California?

51 debris flow events are recorded in Kern County between 2016 and 2024, causing 0 direct deaths.

What is the strongest debris flow recorded in Kern County?

The strongest debris flow on record in Kern County measured 0.

Where does the debris flow data for Kern County come from?

All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.