Record-breaking rain in Needles, San Bernardino County
Tuesday, June 3, will go down in the history books for Needles, a desert city in San Bernardino County, which saw 1.2 inches (30.5 mm) of rain in just one day. This shattered the city’s previous June rainfall record of 0.88 inches (22.4 mm) set back in 1918, and it happened in under an hour. That much rain in such a short time led the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, rainfall of this intensity in Needles is a once-in-25-years event. Nearly an inch of rain (25.4 mm) fell within 30 minutes, overwhelming the region’s drainage and marking a historic moment for a place that typically sees almost no rainfall in June.
Southern California and the Southwest rocked by thunderstorms
This exceptional weather event wasn’t limited to Needles. Thunderstorms extended from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, triggering nearly 10,000 lightning strikes across Southern California. The storm brought with it flooding rains, stretching well into Nevada and Arizona, catching many residents off-guard.
In Los Angeles County, pedestrians in downtown LA were seen navigating through heavy rain during the afternoon. Meanwhile, hail the size of quarters fell near Lake Mead, and nearby stations recorded wind gusts up to 67 mph. Roadways in Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms, also in San Bernardino County, were reported flooded due to sudden downpours.
Storm origins and meteorological context
The June soaking was tied to remnants of Tropical Storm Alvin, which had moved through the region over the weekend. These remnants were ingested by a cut-off low-pressure system drifting through Southern California. These systems are rare in June, when cold fronts become infrequent and monsoonal moisture typically hasn’t yet taken hold.
This atmospheric setup allowed subtropical moisture to surge into the region, which explains why cities like Phoenix recorded 0.24 inches (6.1 mm) of rain on Sunday, making it the wettest June day there in more than 50 years.
Flash flooding risk continues into Wednesday
As of Wednesday morning, the Weather Prediction Center warned of a slight risk for excessive rainfall and flash flooding across southeastern California, southern Nevada, northern Arizona, and the Four Corners region. Flash flood warnings were also in effect in Grand Canyon National Park, where 2 to 4 inches (51 to 102 mm) of rainfall had stranded hikers on Tuesday.
While Los Angeles and San Diego were expected to remain dry on Wednesday afternoon, another round of storms and downpours was forecast for northern Arizona, southern Nevada, and southeastern California.
This rare early-summer weather pattern has upended expectations across the Southwest, a region where June is usually bone-dry.
