1939 California tropical storm
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Storm path
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| Formed | September 15, 1939 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | September 25, 1939 |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 75 mph (120 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 971 mbar (hPa); 28.67 inHg |
| Fatalities | 45–93 direct |
| Damage | $2 million (1939 USD) |
| Areas affected | Southern California |
| Part of the 1939 Pacific hurricane season | |
The 1939 California tropical storm, also called the 1939 Long Beach tropical storm, El Cordonazo, The Lash of St. Francis was a tropical cyclone that hit Southern California in September, 1939. Formerly a hurricane, it was the only tropical storm to make landfall in California in the twentieth century. The only other known tropical cyclone to directly affect California is the 1858 San Diego Hurricane, and only three other eastern Pacific tropical cyclones have caused gale-force winds in the continental United States. The tropical storm caused heavy flooding, leaving many dead, mostly at sea.
On September 15, a tropical depression formed off the coast of Central America. It moved west-northwest, passing southwest of the Revillagigedo Islands. It then turned north and then north-eastward. For some time, it was a hurricane, and it lost that intensity on or just before September 25. The tropical storm made landfall near San Pedro, California early on September 25 with winds of severe gale strength. It dissipated later that day. The strongest reported wind was of Force 11, reported by a ship, making this system a minimal hurricane. The lowest pressure was reported by the same ship and was 28.67 inHg (971 mb).
Due to the rotation of the Earth, tropical cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere tend to move from east to west. This causes tropical cyclones to approach the West Coast of the United States infrequently. Another inhibiting factor for a California landfall is the water temperatures. Because of the water currents, the waters off California are rarely above 70 °F (21 °C), which is too cold for hurricanes to sustain themselves. This tropical cyclone was rare enough that only three other eastern Pacific tropical cyclones brought tropical storm-force winds to the Continental United States during the twentieth century. The Long Beach Tropical Storm was the only one to make landfall; the other three hit Mexico before moving north.
The storm dropped heavy rain on California, with 5.66 inches (144 mm) falling in Los Angeles (5.24 inches in 24 hours) and 11.60 inches (295 mm) recorded at Mount Wilson, both September records. Over three hours, one thunderstorm dropped nearly 7 inches (180 mm) of rain on Indio. 9.65 inches fell on Raywood Flat, and 1.51 inches (38 mm) on Palm Springs. 4.83 inches fell on Pasadena, a September record at the time. At the Citrus Belt near Anaheim, at least 4.63 inches of rain fell. The 11.60 inches (295 mm) at Mount Wilson is one of California's highest rainfall amounts from a tropical cyclone, although at least one system has a higher point maximum. The rains caused a flood 2 to 4 feet (1.2 m) deep in the Coachella Valley, although some of this may be attributable to a rainstorm dropping 6.45 inches (164 mm) the day before the storm hit. The Los Angeles River, which was usually low during September, became a raging torrent.
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