slick roads, Southern CA– 26

lornajarrettblanchard February 7, 1962

— 26 Blanchard tally from locality and/or cause of death breakouts below.
— 26 Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “26 Dead in California Mud, Floods.” 2-13-1962, p. 3.
–>20 Associated Press, by Feb 11.
— 20 Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 4, No. 2, February 1962, p. 128.

Breakout of California weather-related deaths by locality where noted:
— 1 Brentwood, Feb 9. Tree “uprooted by the wind” fell across car, crushing Mrs. Natalie Sobol Spritzer, 41.
— 1 Los Angeles, Feb 8. Charles Hibbs, 7, fell into “rain-swollen Los Angeles River channel…”
— 1 Los Angeles, Sherman Oaks. Feb 11. Mudslide hits home; Larry Freed, 2½, smothered in crib.
— 1 Los Angeles River. Youth, 20, “feared drowned in swirling…River….raft…overturned.
— 1 Monterey Park, LA County. Feb 11. Mudslide caves in part of home; Dennis Milne, 9.
— 1 Modesto. Car “hit a flooded and silt covered portion of the roadway…” went out of control.
— 1 Palmdale area. Sides of well crumbled plunging ranch caretaker Oscar Howell, 79, to his death.
— 3 San Diego area. Teenagers “digging in a 60-foot rain-soaked seaside cliff” which collapsed.
— 1 Santa Clara River rapids. Boat founders; Jon Reed disappears, presumed drowned.
— 1 Ventura area, Santa Clara River. Inner tube flips; John Clements “presumed dead.”
–14 Traffic deaths attributed by police “to the storm.” (Reported 15; we note Modesto death.)

Narrative Information

Feb 9, Press-Telegram: “A sodden Southland today looked forward dismally to another two to four inches of rain expected to pelt the area tonight and early Saturday. The early part of the day offered only a short respite from the wettest storm here in six years, a storm which already has caused two deaths, widespread flooding and destruction. During the morning, the rains lightened to sprinkles but the Weather Bureau forecast a resumption of the driving downpour tonight and Saturday morning.

“The rain poured onto a land already well past its saturation point and weather observers were unable to guarantee the end was yet in sight….The leaden skies had brought 3.60 inches of rain to Long Beach by mid-morning today and meteorologist said much more might fall by Saturday night. It was the heaviest precipitation here since late January 1956, when 7.23 inches fell during a three-day period….” (Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA. “Southland Girds For New Deluge.” 2-9-1962, p. 1.)

Feb 9, UPI: “San Francisco (UPI) – A massive storm front hurled gale force winds and heavy rain into Northern California today, causing widespread damage and confusion. The storm beached boats, sprayed sea water on coastal areas, and closed highways with rock and snow slides and flooding. There were widespread reports of power blackouts and damage from the high winds. Heavy snowfall was reported in the Sierra. The storm, which followed three days of rain, drenched the San Francisco Bay Area with more than an inch and one-half more rain.

“Winds of 30 to 55 m.p.h., with gusts up to 65 m.p.h., raked coastal areas. Atop Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County there were gusts up to 85 miles per hour, well beyond hurricane force.

“At Sausalito, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, crashing breakers threw water 15 to 20 feet above the city’s sea wall, hurling thousands of tiny herring onto streets and sidewalks. The Coast Guard reported at least five boats were beached by waves at the Sausalito Yacht Harbor.” (UPI. “Fierce Gales Hit North California.” Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA. 2-9-1962, p. 1.)

Feb 12, Long Beach Independent: “A torrential five-day rainstorm that brought Long Beach its wettest February in 10 years appeared to have abated early today and the weatherman offered a hopeful prediction of clear skies by Tuesday. The storm that began last Wednesday [Feb 7] dumped 5.77 inches of rain on Long Beach to bring the season’s total to 11.49 inches Sunday night.

“The storm had accounted for 20 deaths in the Los Angeles Basin by Sunday night as flooding, mudslides and rain-slicked streets dealt lethal blows.

“The storm was moving eastward Sunday night and would pass out of Southern California sometime this morning, the U.S. Weather Bureau said….

“Hundreds of residents were forced to leave their homes in five flood-stricken areas of Southern California Sunday. Most of the evacuations were in Ventura County where more than 12 inches of rain has fallen since Wednesday….

Sources

Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. “26 Dead in California Mud, Floods.” 2-13-1962, p. 3. Accessed 10-15-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/eureka-humboldt-times-feb-13-1962-p-9/

Independent, Long Beach, XA. “Letup in Rain Due Today; Toll Now 20.” 2-12-1962, p. 1. Accessed 10-15-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/independent-feb-12-1962-p-1/

Modesto Bee and News Herald, CA. “Oakland Man Dies When Auto Hits Rail Signal.” 2-11-1962, p. 6. Accessed 10-15-2022: https://newspaperarchive.com/modesto-bee-and-news-herald-feb-11-1962-p-6/

Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA. “Southland Girds For New Deluge.” 2-9-1962, p. 1. Accessed 10-15-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/press-telegram-feb-09-1962-p-1/

Star-News, Pasadena, CA. “Heavy Rain Hits Southland; Boy Swept to Death.” 2-8-1962, p. 1. Accessed 10-15-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/star-news-feb-08-1962-p-1/

United Press International. “Fierce Gales Hit North California.” Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA. 2-9-1962, p. 1. Accessed 10-15-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/press-telegram-feb-09-1962-p-1/

United Press International. “Frazier Park Flooded; LA Fights Mud, Water. Southland Belted for Sixth Day.” Bakersfield Californian, 1-12-1962, pp. 1 and 2. Accessed 10-15-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/bakersfield-californian-feb-12-1962-p-1/

Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 4, No. 2, February 1962. Accessed 10-15-2022 at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-35F979DB-AD68-4740-881E-5FAB9F29B08F.pdf