On this day in…
1991: A series of storms that started on this day and ended on 3.1 produced three to six inches of rainfall at lower elevations and 11 to 14 inches of precipitation in the mountains. Two died and six were injured. Hazards included urban flooding, mudslides, and road washouts. Flood waters were five feet deep at Desert Hot Springs. Two to three feet of snow were dumped on the Big Bear area and up to two feet fell elsewhere in the mountains. Highways were closed.
1989: It was 95° in Borrego Springs, the highest temperature on record for February.
1986: It was 99° in Palm Springs, the highest temperature on record for February. This also occurred on 2.26.1986.
1938: Storms of tropical origin that started on this day ended on 3.4. One was killed by lightning in Corona. 11.06 inches of rain fell at LA. More than 30 inches fell at several mountain stations of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains (32.2 inches at 8,300 feet elev.). More than 22 inches fell in the Santa Ana River headwaters. Considerable snow was melted, adding to the runoff. This led to unprecedented flood control efforts, including a network of dams and canals and concrete channels. For the storm 210 were reported dead or missing in flooding across Southern California, 45 in Orange County, of which 43 perished in Mexican-American Atwood from an eight-foot wall of water. Hundreds were injured. The Santa Ana River flooded, inundating nearly all of northern Orange County. Catastrophic damage hit more than 1,500 residences. 400 cabins and buildings were washed away in and around San Antonio Canyon. The Whitewater River flooded, isolating Palm Springs.
1891: Heavy rains over two weeks caused immense damage in San Diego and catastrophic damage in Tijuana. The worst was flooding along the Tijuana River where all structures were swept away and a man was killed. Three prospectors died at Table Mountain in Baja California.