National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Fire Weather Conditions Persist in the Southern Plains; Heavy Rain and Mountain Snow in the Pacific Northwest

A Pacific system will continue to bring moderate to heavy low elevation rain from northern California to western Washington, and heavy snow to the Cascades and Intermountain West over the next several days. Elevated to critical fire weather conditions will persist across the southern Rockies and Southern Plains through Wednesday as gusty winds and dry conditions continue across the region. Read More >

January 23rd Storm in Contra Costa County



A very strong thunderstorm went through a portion of Contra Costa County near Brentwood and Discovery Bay on Saturday, January 23rd. The following pictures were taken by Diane Rybicki of the Contra Costa Water District and are used here with her permission and the permission of the Contra Costa Water District.

  • /images/mtr/Storm Summary/TornadoHail_1_23_2010/Hail Storm 009.jpg
  • /images/mtr/Storm Summary/TornadoHail_1_23_2010/Hail Storm 007.jpg
  • /images/mtr/Storm Summary/TornadoHail_1_23_2010/Hail Storm 006.jpg
  • /images/mtr/Storm Summary/TornadoHail_1_23_2010/Hail Storm 004.jpg

A low topped super cell produced an EF0 tornado near Brentwood. The tornado crossed power lines and destroyed a utility pole. An eyewitness described the tornado as high winds from swirling white cloud. The pole was twisted to the ground and the top one-third of the 40-foot pole was splintered. Fifty-five customers lost power at 12:54 p.m. PST.

  • /images/mtr/Storm Summary/TornadoHail_1_23_2010/brentwood.jpeg
  • /images/mtr/Storm Summary/TornadoHail_1_23_2010/brentwood2.jpeg
  • /images/mtr/Storm Summary/TornadoHail_1_23_2010/brentwood3.jpeg
  • /images/mtr/Storm Summary/TornadoHail_1_23_2010/brentwood4.jpeg
  • /images/mtr/Storm Summary/TornadoHail_1_23_2010/brentwood6.jpeg
  • /images/mtr/Storm Summary/TornadoHail_1_23_2010/brentwood9.jpeg

Radar Loop of the Low Topped Cell.  Tornado location noted on map