Alert archive / California / River Flood Warnings in 2012

River Flood Warning 1, NWS Hanford, CA

December 2, 2012Mariposa County, California

NWS Hanford, CA issued this river flood warning at Dec 2, 2012, 8:52 AM PST for Mariposa County, California. It took effect at Dec 2, 2012, 4:00 PM PST. It was in force for .

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Dec 2, 2012, 8:52 AM PST (16:52 UTC)
In effect from
Dec 2, 2012, 4:00 PM PST
Expired
Dec 2, 2012, 2:26 PM PST
In force
Issued by
NWS Hanford, CA
Flood severity
Minor

County Mariposa County, CA

The radar

The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 143 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:55 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The river

Written for the forecast point Merced River at Pohono Bridge (POHC1). The gauge peaked at 5.85 ft at Dec 2, 2012, 6:00 PM PST.

minormoderate51012/0212/03
Minor stage
10 ft
Moderate stage
12.5 ft
Major stage
20 ft

This gauge today: stage, forecast and historic crests

Stage from the USGS instantaneous record for site 11266500, one reading an hour, from a day before the product to a day after it ended. Flood stages are today's.

The text

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

766 
WGUS46 KHNX 021652
FLWUSJ
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
852 AM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD HAS ISSUED A FLOOD WARNING
FOR THE FOLLOWING RIVERS IN CALIFORNIA... 

  MERCED RIVER AT POHONO BRIDGE

.HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TODAY WHICH WILL RESULT IN RAPID RISES ON THE 
MERCED RIVER IN YOSEMITE VALLEY. 

FORECASTS ARE BASED ON PRESENT AND FORECASTED METEOROLOGICAL AND 
HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS AT TIME OF ISSUANCE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

UNLISTED FORECAST POINTS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW MONITOR STAGE. 
ALL THOSE AFFECTED BY RIVER CONDITIONS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPID 
CHANGES AND FOR POSSIBLE FORECAST REVISIONS.

FOR MORE HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION AND STAGE DEFINITIONS REFER TO THE 
FOLLOWING WEB SITE (ALL LOWER CASE):
HTTP://WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/HNX/HYDRO.PHP


&&

CAC043-031852-
/O.NEW.KHNX.FL.W.0001.121203T0000Z-121203T2012Z/
/POHC1.1.ER.121203T0000Z.121203T0100Z.121203T0212Z.NO/
852 AM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD HAS ISSUED A 

* FLOOD WARNING FOR 
  THE MERCED RIVER AT POHONO BRIDGE.
* FROM THIS AFTERNOON TO MONDAY AFTERNOON...OR UNTIL THE WARNING IS 
  CANCELLED.
* AT  8:00 AM SUNDAY THE STAGE WAS 3.3 FEET. 
* MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST. 
* EXPECTED TO RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE OF  10.0 FT LATE THIS AFTERNOON 
  THEN FORECAST TO CREST NEAR 10.5 FT LATE THIS AFTERNOON THEN 
  FORECAST TO FALL BELOW FLOOD STAGE OF 10.0 FT THIS EVENING THEN 
  FORECAST TO RECEDE TO NEAR 5.5 FT TOMORROW MORNING.
* FLOOD STAGE 10.0 FT
* IMPACT...NEAR 10.5 FEET, WATER TOPS THE SWINGING BRIDGE DOWNSTREAM 
  FROM CHAPEL MEADOW. OVERFLOW FROM WOSKI POND FLOODS ACCESS 
  ROAD(NORTHSIDE DRIVE) LEADING OUT OF THE WEST ENTRANCE OF THE PARK.
* IMPACT...NEAR 10.0 FEET, WESTERN PORTION OF NORTH PINES 
  CAMPGROUND...LOCATED AT THE EAST END OF YOSEMITE VALLEY BETWEEN THE
  CONFLUENCE OF THE MERCED RIVER AND TENAYA CREEK...BEGINS TO FLOOD. 
  WATER RISES TO THE BASE OF THE SWINGING BRIDGE DOWNSTREAM FROM 
  CHAPEL MEADOW.
* IMPACT...NEAR 9.5 FEET, PORTION OF LOWER PINES CAMPGROUND BECOMES 
  FLOODED. LIMITED SITE-SPECIFIC EVACUATIONS BEGIN AT HOUSEKEEPING 
  CAMP LOCATED ALONG THE SOUTH-FACING BANK OF THE MERCED RIVER. 
  (UPSTREAM FROM SENTINEL BRIDGE AND DOWNSTREAM FROM STONEMAN BRIDGE)
* IMPACT...NEAR 9.0 FEET, CHAPEL MEADOW (SOUTH SIDE OF RIVER) AND 
  COOKS MEADOW (NORTH SIDE OF RIVER) BEGINS TO EXPERIENCE OVERFLOW.
* IMPACT...NEAR 6.5 FEET, RIVER IS CLOSED TO RAFTERS AND FLOTATION.


$$

CB
1 follow-up statement
595 
WGUS86 KHNX 022226
FLSUSJ
FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
226 PM PST SUN DEC 2 2012


...FLOOD WARNING FOR THE MERCED RIVER AT POHONO BRIDGE HAS BEEN
CANCELLED...

.RAIN HAS BEGUN TO TAPER OFF AND FLOODING IS NO LONGER EXPECTED.
THUS...THE FLOOD WARNING IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

FORECASTS ARE BASED ON PRESENT AND FORECASTED METEOROLOGICAL AND 
HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS AT TIME OF ISSUANCE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

UNLISTED FORECAST POINTS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW MONITOR STAGE. 
ALL THOSE AFFECTED BY RIVER CONDITIONS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPID 
CHANGES AND FOR POSSIBLE FORECAST REVISIONS.

FOR MORE HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION AND STAGE DEFINITIONS REFER TO THE 
FOLLOWING WEB SITE (ALL LOWER CASE):
HTTP://WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/HNX/HYDRO.PHP


&&

CAC043-022256-
/O.CAN.KHNX.FL.W.0001.000000T0000Z-121203T2012Z/
/POHC1.N.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.NO/
226 PM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

THE FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR
  THE MERCED RIVER AT POHONO BRIDGE.
* AT  2:00 PM SUNDAY THE STAGE WAS 4.9 FEET. 
* FORECAST TO RECEDE TO NEAR 4.0 FT TOMORROW EARLY AFTERNOON.
* FLOOD STAGE 10.0 FT
* MONITOR STAGE MSG FT,


$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this river 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 river flood warning went out at Dec 2, 8:17 AM PST, 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 2, 8:17 AM PST, 35 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
817 AM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

.SYNOPSIS...
SCATTERED SHOWERS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL EVOLVE IN TO A STEADY
RAIN BEFORE NOON FROM FRESNO NORTH. THE RAIN WILL SPREAD SOUTH
DURING THE AFTERNOON. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE FROM
FRESNO NORTH INCLUDING THE SIERRA NORTH OF KINGS CANYON. THE RAIN
WILL DIMINISH IN THE NORTH THIS EVENING...AND GRADUALLY ENDING IN
KERN COUNTY NEAR DAYBREAK MONDAY.

&&

.DISCUSSION...RADAR SHOWS THE BIG AREA OF HEAVY RAIN NOW JUST
MOVING INTO YOSEMITE AND MERCED COUNTY. RAINFALL RATES WILL REALLY
RAMP UP OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AS THE SYSTEM MOVES TO THE
SOUTHEAST. SNOW LEVEL REMAINS HIGH...AT OR ABOVE 9500 FEET BASED
ON OAKLAND SOUNDING AND BUCK ROCK APRS (ELEVATION 8500 FEET
TEMPERATURE 37 DEGREES). FLOOD WATCH AND WIND ADVISORIES REMAIN IN
EFFECT. FORECAST GRIDS HAVE BEEN TWEAKED FOR LATEST QPF. LET IT RAIN.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 421 AM PST SUN DEC 2 2012/

DISCUSSION...
BAROCLINIC LEAF RAPIDLY DEVELOPING EARLY THIS MRNG FROM NORCAL SW
IN INTO THE PACIFIC AROUND 35N. TRIPLE POINT COMING ASHORE NEAR
CAPE MENDO. SCT SHWRS IN CENTRAL CA OVER NITE WILL BE REPLACED
SHORTLY WITH MORE STEADY RAIN NEAR KMCE AROUND DAYBREAK SPREADING
SOUTH TO KFAT BEFORE NOON...AND FINALLY INTO KERN COUNTY MID-LATE
AFTN. HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE AT TIMES...ESP KFAT NORTH...WITH
LESSER AMOUNTS IN KINGS/TULARE CNTYS. MODEL QPF RANGES FROM 1-2
INCHES ON THE VALLEY FLOOR FROM KFAT NORTH...3 INCHES AROUND YNP
DROPPING OFF TO AROUND 1 INCH IN KINGS CANYON. AS THE SYS WEAKENS
AS IT SLIDES FARTHER SOUTH...1-2 TENTHS ARE ABOUT ALL THAT IS LEFT
FOR KBFL-KTSP...AND A COUPLE OF HUNDREDTHS FOR THE DESERT. NO
CHANGES TO THE FLOOD WATCH CENTRAL SJV-SIERRA ATTM. IN COORD WITH
KSTO...WILL WATCH PROGRESS THRU THE SAC VLY BEFORE DETERMINING
WHETHER AN ADVISORY OR WARNING IS WARRANTED. SNOW LEVELS CURRENTLY
BETWEEN 9-10K WILL REMAIN NEAR THERE THRU THE BULK OF THE PRECIP
TODAY. COOLER AIR WILL WORK IN BEHIND THE FRONT WITH SNOW LEVEL
LOWERING TO NEAR 6-7K FT. BUT BY THEN MUCH OF THE PRECIP WILL BE
OVER.

AFTER FROPA...PRECIP WILL SHARPLY DIMINISH IN THE NORTH FROM KMCE
AND KFAT THIS EVE...WITH THE LAST PRECIP OUT OF KERN CNTY BEFORE
DAYBREAK MON. A SOMEWHAT MOIST WESTERLY UPPER FLOW WILL CONT MON
INTO MID-WEEK. THIS WILL BRING OCCASIONAL CLOUDINESS TO CENTRAL CA
THRU AT LEAST WED. A SHORTWAVE TROF IN THE FLOW WILL SPREAD REACH
THE PAC NW TUES. THE TROF WILL HAVE MINIMAL IMPACT ON CENTRAL CA.
A FEW SHOWERS COULD REACH AS FAR SOUTH AS KFAT LATER TUES-WED.
OTHERWISE PTCLDY AND DRY. BY THE END OF THE WEEK...HIGH PRESS WILL
BUILD IN THE EAST PAC PUTTING CA IN A DRY...SOMEWHAT COOLER...NW
FLOW ALOFT. FOG DEVELOPMENT IN THE SJV SHOULD REMAIN NIL...OR VERY
LIMITED WITH CLDS AND CONTINUED MIXING THRU AT LEAST WED. BUT AS
HEIGHTS BUILD 2ND PART OF THE WEEK...A MORE STABLE AIRMASS AND
CLEARING SKIES COULD CAUSE A SIGNIFICANT UPTICK IN FOGGY NITE AND
MRNG HRS.

&&

.AVIATION...
OVER THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...AREAS OF MVFR
AND LOCAL IFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES IN RAIN THRU 12Z MON. OVER
THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA...RAIN AND HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW
CONTINUING WITH AREAS OF IFR CONDITIONS IN MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS
THRU 12Z MON. OVER THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS...AREAS OF MVFR AND
LOCAL IFR IN SHOWERS AND UPSLOPE CLOUDS THRU 12Z MON. OVER THE KERN
COUNTY DESERTS...VFR THRU 12Z MON.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
NONE.

&&

.CERTAINTY...

THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 1 AND 2 IS HIGH.
THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 3 THROUGH 7 IS HIGH.

THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS PART OF A TRIAL PROJECT CONDUCTED
BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD.
CERTAINTY LEVELS INCLUDE LOW...MEDIUM...AND HIGH. PLEASE VISIT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HNX/CERTAINTY.PHP /ALL LOWER CASE/ FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND/OR TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING CAZ089-090-093-096.

WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING CAZ089>091-098.

&&

PUBLIC...DUDLEY
AVN/FW...BEAN
SYNOPSIS...BSO

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 2, 5:50 AM PST, 3 hours 2 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
550 AM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

CAZ089>091-093-096-031400-
WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
550 AM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

...HEAVY RAIN AT TIMES...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...AND HIGHER
ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA NORTH OF KINGS CANYON.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

BECOMING BREEZY TO WINDY TODAY WITH RAIN DEVELOPING. RAIN MAY BE
HEAVY AT TIMES ESPECIALLY FROM FRESNO NORTH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY TODAY FOR POTENTIAL
URBAN AND LOWLAND FLOODING IN THE CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...AND
RIVERS AND STREAMS IN THE SIERRA NEVADA NORTH OF KINGS CANYON.

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR
UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

CAZ092-094-095-097-099-031400-
SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT-
550 AM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

...PERIODS OF MAINLY LIGHT RAIN...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY...THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT
FOOTHILLS...AND THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

RAIN SPREADING SOUTH...LOCALLY HEAVY AT TIMES NORTH OF KERN
COUNTY. OTHERWISE HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED.

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR
UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

CAZ098-031400-
INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-
550 AM PST SUN DEC 2 2012

...WIND ADVISORY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE INDIAN WELLS VALLEY.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING. SEE SFONPWHNX.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR
UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

MCB

Nearby

River Flood Warnings in California, 2012Every river flood warning in 2012

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive; the gauge from the NWS water service and the USGS.