1939 — Sep 25, Tropical Storm, esp. boating off Long Beach/San Pedro areas, CA –50-54

–50-54 Blanchard tally.

–93 NOAA. A History of Significant Weather Events in Southern California…, Jan 2007, p. 10.
–45 Flooding in Southern California.
–48 Maritime.
–65 (flooding 45) Dunn and Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes. 1964, 34.
–48 Grobaty. “The Last of St. Francis whipped…Long Beach…” Long Beach Post News, 9-25-2019.
–45 Hebert/Jarrell/Mayfield. The Deadliest, Costliest…[US] Hurricanes… Feb 1993, p. 8.
–45 Ludlum. The American Weather Book, 1982, p. 191.

Beach Drownings ( 6)
–6 UP. “100 Feared Lost At Sea.” Santa Ana Register, CA. 9-25-1939, p. 1.
–Long Beach riptide; Edward Galvin, 22 of Corpus Christi, TX.
–Long Beach riptide. Gregory Rodriguez, 18, of Los Angeles.

Maritime (44-48)
–48 NOAA. A History of Significant Weather Events in Southern California…, Jan 2007, 10.
–44 Blanchard tally from breakouts below.
— 1 Cabin cruiser Jolly Tom capsizes, Newport Harbor, Newport; Mrs. Dorothy Sterling, 35.
— 2 Cabin cruiser, Los Angeles breakwater.
–Raymond Bernhart of Los Angeles.
–Donald Rupert of Los Angeles.
–15 Fishing boat Lur, out of Ventura, sank near Oxnard.
–24 Fishing boat Spray capsized by large wave near Point Mugu wharf.
–1 Mrs. Charlotte King. AP. “Storm Casualty List.” San Bernardino Sun, 9-26-1939.
— 2 Yacht Success, Catalina Channel.
–John Hamilton washed overboard.
–Darro McGowam.

Narrative Information

Ludlum: “El Cordonazo tropical storm lashed Southern California; Los Angeles had 5.42 in…in 24 hours; great floods; 45 lives lost; $2 million damage.” (Ludlum. The American Weather Book, 1982, p. 191.)

NOAA: “El Cordonazo” or “The Lash of St. Francis” a tropical storm hits Southern California and causes the greatest September rainfall ever. The storm lost hurricane status shortly before moving onshore at San Pedro at tropical storm strength. Torrential rains: LA 5.42 [inches] in 24 hours, Mt. Wilson 11.60” (also records for the month of September). Nearly 7” in three hours at Indio from one thunderstorm. 9.65” at Raywood Flat, 1.51” Palm Springs. A thunderstorm preceding the tropical storm dropped 6.45” in 6 hours at Indio on 9.24.

“45 killed in floods all over Southern California, and 48 more at sea. $2 million damage to structures along the coast and to crops. Eastern Coachella Valley under 2’ of water. Californians were generally unprepared and were alerted to their vulnerability to tropical storms. In response, the weather bureau established a forecast office for southern California, which began operations in February of 1940.” (NOAA, A History of Significant Weather Events in Southern California …, Jan 2007, p. 10.)

Newspapers

Sep 25: “Los Angeles, Sept. 25. –(UP)—Fears that at least 48 persons lost their lives in storm disasters on the Pacific ocean were expressed today as U.S. nave and Coast Guard vessels sought to rescue some of the 100 or more persons aboard boats at sea.

“The loss of life came swiftly during last night and today as thousands of persons sought ocean pleasures after nine days of 100-plus temperatures in Southern California. The weekend vacationers, who were aboard fishing and pleasure craft, were caught totally unprepared for 60-mile-pr-hour gales which swept the Pacific coast off Mexico.

Los Angeles Flooded

“The storm, which followed the heat wave which took from 60 to 80 lives, sent 5.35 inches of rain crashing down on Los Angeles in less than 24 hours. This was the greatest precipitation for September in the weather bureau’s history.

“Lowlands were flooded. Telephone and electric lines were down in many areas and schools were closed because of flooded streets.

Boat Destroyed

“Twenty-four persons were believed to have drowned when the fishing boat Spray was ripped to pieces and capsized off Point Mugu in Ventura county. A man and a woman, who were on the deck, were swept clear and swam to shore. They walked five miles to Oxnard to report the disaster. The area between Oxnard and the waterfront was a morass of mud and flood waters and deputy sheriffs had to wear hip boots to enter the area in search for bodies of the Spray’s victims. The body of a woman, about 35, and identified only as ‘Johnnie,’ was found near the scene of the disaster.
Fishing Boat Missing

“Fifteen residents of Ventura were feared to have perished aboard the fishing boat Lur, unreported for two days.

“Six persons were known to have drowned at the beaches during the storm.

“All the lowland areas from the mountains to the sea were under from two to four feet of water. Thousands of persons were marooned in their homes.

“Three persons were believed to have drowned when the yacht Nina O, owned by Abraham Taylor of Pomona, crashed into the breakwater at Cabrillo Beach.

Sources

Associated Press. “Storm Casualty List.” San Bernardino Sun, CA. 9-26-1939, p.1. Accessed 4-21-2020 at: https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SBS19390926.1.1&e=——-en–20–1–txt-txIN——–1

Dunn, Gordon E. and Banner I. Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised Edition). Baton Rouge LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1964, 377 pages.

Grobaty, Tim. “The Last of St. Francis whipped the shores of Long Beach 80 years ago.” Long Beach Post News, 9-25-2019. Accessed 4-21-2020 at: https://lbpost.com/news/local-history/the-lash-of-st-francis-whipped-the-shores-of-long-beach-80-years-ago

Hart, George. “Heroism of Life Guards Prevents Higher Toll of Death Along Coast. Santa Ana Register, 9-25, 1939, p. 1. Accessed 4-21-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/santa-ana-register-sep-25-1939-p-1/

Hebert, Paul J., J.D. Jarrell, Max Mayfield. The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Hurricanes of This Century (NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS-NHC-31). Miami, FL: National Hurricane Center, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Feb 1993, 41 pages. Accessed 4-21-2020 at: https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Landsea/deadly/Table2.htm

Ludlum, David M. The American Weather Book. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1982.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A History of Significant Weather Events in Southern California Organized by Weather Type. NOAA, January 2007, 91 pages. Accessed at: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/research/Guide/weatherhistory.pdf

United Press. “100 Feared Lost At Sea.” Santa Ana Register, CA. 9-25-1939, p. 1. Accessed 4-21-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/santa-ana-register-sep-25-1939-p-1/