Alert archive / California / Flash Flood Warnings in 1998

Flash Flood Warning 2, NWS Hanford, CA

February 2, 1998Kern County, California

NWS Hanford, CA issued this flash flood warning at Feb 2, 1998, 7:45 AM PST for Kern County, California. It was in force for 4 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 2, 1998, 7:45 AM PST (15:45 UTC)
Expired
Feb 2, 1998, 12:00 PM PST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Hanford, CA
Area
Whole counties

County Kern County, CA

The nearest sounding before it

Lompoc (Awos), CA (KLPC), launched 12:00Z, 3.8 hours before the alert went out and 170 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Lompoc (Awos), CA at 12:00Z on 1998-02-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 6 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Lompoc (Awos), CA at 12:00Z on 1998-02-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -15 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156175Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
6 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
614 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-15 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
425 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KFAT 021544
FFWFAT
CAC029-022000-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
745 AM PST MON FEB 2 1998
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1200 PM PST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTH CALIFORNIA
 
   ...WESTERN KERN COUNTY
 
AT 7:35 AM DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED HEAVY RAIN IN THE VICINITY OF TAFT
AND MARICOPA IN WESTERN KERN COUNTY...ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
BAKERSFIELD. DOPPLER RADAR PRECIPITATION ESTIMATES HAVE INCREASED TO
1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS IN THIS AREA.
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL INDICATED THAT HIGHWAY 166 IS CLOSED 
BETWEEN OLD RIVER ROAD TO THE TOWN OF MARICOPA. COPUS ROAD IS ALSO
CLOSED BETWEEN OLD RIVER ROAD AND INTERSTATE FIVE. THE REMAINDER OF
HIGHWAY 166 IS ALSO THREATENED AND COULD CLOSE. FLASH FLOODING IS
POSSIBLE IN THIS REGION OF KERN COUNTY.
 
IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS WHILE CROSSING WATER...ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY.
RAPIDLY RISING WATER MAY ENGULF YOUR VEHICLE AND ITS OCCUPANTS AND
SWEEP YOU AWAY. MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.
 
KRUZDLO

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Hanford, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Feb 2, 3:15 AM PST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 2, 3:15 AM PST, 4 hours 30 minutes before
INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
315 AM PST MON FEB 02 1998

WELL...LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE...FOG WILL NOT BE A PROB DURING THE
NEXT TWO DAYS. HWVR...JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER KIND OF WX WILL BE A PROB
THOUGH. DVLPG SYS...NR 140W...ALREADY SPREDG RAIN IN KERN CNTY. PCPN
ALNG FRMG WRM FNT WHICH WL PUSH N THROUGH FA TDA. RAIN TO INCR OVR
ENTIRE RGN DURG DAY WITH ALL MDLS INDICATING TREMENDOUS RAIN POTENTIAL
OVR FA DURG NXT 36 HRS.

IN SJV...AS WRM FNT CONTS TO DEVELP AND MOV N...IT WL MOV PCPN N WITH
IT. SO XPCT PCPN IN KERN CNTY TO MOV N WITH WRM FNT SO SRN SECTIONS TO
SEE A DECR IN PCPN THIS AFTN. CNTRL SECTIONS OF SJV TO SEE PCPN INCR
DURG DAY AS WRM FNT APPROACHES AND PASSES TO THE N. THEN OVRNIGHT
TONIGHT...PCPN MOVS SE DN THE VLY AGN AS COLD FNT MOV IN FM THE WEST.
BTWN THE PASSING OF THE WRM FNT TO THE N TDA AND THE COLD FNT MOVG IN
FM THE WEST TONIGHT WILL BE WINDY. WND ADV IN EFFECT FOR SJV FOR THIS
AFTN AND TONIGHT WITH FAR S END MOST LIKELY TO HV HIGHEST GUSTS.
RAMSDIS INDICATED PW/S IN EXCESS OF 1 INCH WHICH WL LEAD TO FLOODING
PROB WHEN UPCOMING HVY RAIN WL BE COMBINED WITH PREV RAIN DURG PAST
THREE DAYS.

IN MTNS...FLO ALF WL RMN FM SW FOR NXT 24-36 HRS. THAT WL BE BIGGER
FACTOR IN PRODUCING A STEADY SUPPLY OF RAIN AND NOT INFLUENCED AS MUCH
BY THE DEVLOPG SURFACE WRM FNT/COLD FNT. SNOW LEVEL TO RISE TO 7K OR
ABV AND RMN THERE TIL AFT FN PASSES TUE. FLOODING PROBS TO BE HAD IN
MTNS AS WELL WITH 5+ INCHES OF RAIN POSS THRU TUE. AS STG SFC LOW MOVS
TOWRD CA CST...XPT SE WND TO DEVLP IN TSP MTNS...ESP ALONG HIGHWAY 58
IN TEHACHAPI PASS. CLOUD SEE HIGH WINDS THERE SO HV ISSUED HW WATCH FOR
THIS AFTN AND TONIGHT. SEE ALL WATCH/WRN/ADV/S BLO.

KERN DESERTS COULD SEE BRIEF HVY RAIN THIS AM AND AGN TONIGHT BUT AT
PRESENT AM NOT XPCTG AND WND OR FLOOD PROB WITH CURRNT WX PTRN...YET.
DC

FAT RR 063/052 060/044 057 98+++
BFL RR 068/054 062/045 058 98+++
YNP RR 047/038 045/035 040 98+++

.HNX...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA ABOVE 7000
       FEET NORTH OF KERN COUNTY THROUGH TUESDAY...ZONES 22/23
       FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND TEHACHAPI
       MOUNTAINS BELOW 7000 FEET AND THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN
       JOAQUIN VALLEY THROUGH TUESDAY...ZONES 20/21/22/23/24
       WIND ADVISORY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE CENTRAL AND
       SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...ZONES 20/21
       HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON
       THROUGH TONIGHT...ZONE 24.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 2, 5:35 AM PST, 2 hours 10 minutes before
CAZ024-021400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
535 AM PST MON FEB 02 1998

...HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND
   TONIGHT...
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS CANCELLED...

A STRONG PACIFIC STORM IS BRINGING RAIN AND HIGH WINDS TO THE KERN
COUNTY MOUNTAINS TODAY. THE SNOW LEVEL WILL BE HIGH...ABOVE 7000 FEET
TODAY BEFORE LOWERING TO 6000 FEET TUESDAY. AS ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS
WILL BE CONFINED TO THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS OF THE KERN COUNTY
MOUNTAINS...THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

THE STORM WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS 20 TO
40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THE KERN
COUNTY MOUNTAINS FOR THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS SOURCE FOR
THE LATEST INFORMATION.

SANGER
Special weather statement, Feb 2, 5:35 AM PST, 2 hours 10 minutes before
CAZ024-021400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
535 AM PST MON FEB 02 1998

...HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND
   TONIGHT...
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS CANCELLED...

A STRONG PACIFIC STORM IS BRINGING RAIN AND HIGH WINDS TO THE KERN
COUNTY MOUNTAINS TODAY. THE SNOW LEVEL WILL BE HIGH...ABOVE 7000 FEET
TODAY BEFORE LOWERING TO 6000 FEET TUESDAY. AS ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS
WILL BE CONFINED TO THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS OF THE KERN COUNTY
MOUNTAINS...THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

THE STORM WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS 20 TO
40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THE KERN
COUNTY MOUNTAINS FOR THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS SOURCE FOR
THE LATEST INFORMATION.

SANGER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Hanford, CA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 2, 5:35 AM PSTFlash Flood WarningHNXKern115 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in California, 1998Every flash flood warning in 1998

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.