<P> A California hurricane is a tropical cyclone that affects the state of California . Usually, only the remnants of tropical cyclones affect California . Since 1900, only two tropical storms have hit California, one by direct landfall from offshore, another after making landfall in Mexico . </P> <P> Since 1850, only seven tropical cyclones have brought gale - force winds to the Southwestern United States . They are: The 1858 San Diego hurricane that was reconstructed as just missing landfall in 1858, the 1939 Long Beach tropical storm that made landfall near San Pedro in 1939, the remnants of Tropical Storm Jennifer - Katherine in 1963, the remnants of Hurricane Emily in 1965, the remnants of Hurricane Joanne in 1972, the remnants of Hurricane Kathleen in 1976, and Hurricane Nora after being downgraded to a tropical storm in 1997 . </P> <P> In most cases, rainfall is the only effect that these cyclones have on California . Sometimes, the rainfall is severe enough to cause flooding and damage . For example, floods from Hurricane Kathleen devastated Ocotillo, California and killed several people . Precipitation other than rainfall is unusual in tropical cyclones, because of their weak updrafts and lack of supercooled water . </P>

Last time a hurricane hit the west coast