HEAVY RAINS POUND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA –
IS EL NINO RESPONSIBLE??

A strong coastal storm, fed by the moisture-rich waters of the Pacific Tropics, slammed into Southern California on Friday, December 5, 1997. By the time the storm moved East (and continued to be a major weather disturbance in the form of wet, slushy snow and freezing rain), extremely heavy rainfall totals were reported by the AWS/KNBC SchoolNet Weather Stations.

In fact, most stations recorded rainfall totals that are more than THREE times the amount of rain that occurred in the previous 11 months combined! Of special interest is Medea Creek Middle School in Oak Park who received a whopping 7.25 inches of rain in that 36 hour period, and Daisy Gibson Elementary School in the near desert region of Palmdale who received 1.91 inches of the wet stuff.

Check-out the data and images captured by AWS's AirWatch Software:

AWS/KNBC AirWatch School Weather Network Regional Map

Pressure vs. Time
Emilie Ritchen Elementary School
Pressure Graph

Monthly Rain vs. Time
Medea Creek Middle School
Monthly Rain Graph

Network Summary

December 5-6, 1997 Location High Low Storm Yearly Wind Lowest

School Name (California) Temp Temp Total Rain Gust Pressure

Big Bear HS Big Bear Lake 44.5 27.0 1.21 6.76 21.9 29.68

Stephen White MS Carson 64.7 53.5 2.66 11.43 23.7 29.55

Chino HS Chino 64.9 48.2 2.50 4.48 23.0 29.67

Lake Gregory ES Crestline 50.1 34.1 2.60 7.26 27.4 30.04

Irvine Intermediate Garden Grove 68.4 52.9 3.45 6.25 16.4 29.53

Eucalyptus ES Hesperia 57.3 35.8 2.34 4.49 23.5 30.04

KNBC-TV Burbank 63.4 50.7 2.16 3.40 29.8 29.59

Beethoven Street School Los Angeles 65.0 52.3 3.46 6.79 19.9 29.62

John Malcom ES Laguna Niguel 67.1 55.3 2.34 4.96 40.1 29.61

Mariners ES Newport Beach 66.1 52.4 5.39 9.33 20.2 29.69

Medea Creek MS Oak Park 58.8 47.5 7.25 10.56 30.9 29.63

Emilie Ritchen ES Oxnard 60.5 50.3 4.57 7.62 32.0 29.51

A Street ES Perris 64.6 43.4 2.20 4.05 24.6 29.83

Daisy Gibson ES Palmdale 43.8 38.6 1.91 2.51 21.8 29.69

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Riverside 66.3 40.3 1.13 1.95 20.6 29.81

Hollister ES Santa Barbara 65.3 50.3 4.27 7.99 32.0 29.63

Curtis MS San Bernardino 67.3 40.7 2.19 3.80 18.9 29.89

San Gabriel HS San Gabriel 64.0 51.4 2.26 5.76 27.4 29.68

De Anza MS Ventura 62.4 52.3 5.76 8.70 43.6 29.67

December 5-6, 1997	Location	High	Low	Storm	Yearly	Wind	Lowest
School Name	(California)	Temp	Temp	Total	Rain	Gust	Pressure
Big Bear HS	Big Bear Lake	44.5	27.0	1.21	6.76	21.9	29.68
Stephen White MS	Carson	64.7	53.5	2.66	11.43	23.7	29.55
Chino HS	Chino	64.9	48.2	2.50	4.48	23.0	29.67
Lake Gregory ES	Crestline	50.1	34.1	2.60	7.26	27.4	30.04
Irvine Intermediate	Garden Grove	68.4	52.9	3.45	6.25	16.4	29.53
Eucalyptus ES	Hesperia	57.3	35.8	2.34	4.49	23.5	30.04
KNBC-TV	Burbank	63.4	50.7	2.16	3.40	29.8	29.59
Beethoven Street School	Los Angeles	65.0	52.3	3.46	6.79	19.9	29.62
John Malcom ES	Laguna Niguel	67.1	55.3	2.34	4.96	40.1	29.61
Mariners ES	Newport Beach	66.1	52.4	5.39	9.33	20.2	29.69
Medea Creek MS	Oak Park	58.8	47.5	7.25	10.56	30.9	29.63
Emilie Ritchen ES	Oxnard	60.5	50.3	4.57	7.62	32.0	29.51
A Street ES	Perris	64.6	43.4	2.20	4.05	24.6	29.83
Daisy Gibson ES	Palmdale	43.8	38.6	1.91	2.51	21.8	29.69
Our Lady of Perpetual Help	Riverside	66.3	40.3	1.13	1.95	20.6	29.81
Hollister ES	Santa Barbara	65.3	50.3	4.27	7.99	32.0	29.63
Curtis MS	San Bernardino	67.3	40.7	2.19	3.80	18.9	29.89
San Gabriel HS	San Gabriel	64.0	51.4	2.26	5.76	27.4	29.68
De Anza MS	Ventura	62.4	52.3	5.76	8.70	43.6	29.67