Interesting. IIRC, not to deny climate change, but for context: there was a storm c. 1990 with sustained winds over 70 mph in Blossom Valley which nearly blew in windows through their frames and knocked over many fences.
3 inches of rain in an hour isn't all the unprecedented, which is what makes me wonder about the veracity of the sources. In the 80's it would rain so hard (and so much) at times that it would knock people down and break windows and flood streets...mudslide warning still exist along roads in orange county, CA from that time.