Alert archive / California / Flash Flood Warnings in 2023

Flash Flood Warning 33, NWS Hanford, CA

May 20, 2023Fresno County, California

NWS Hanford, CA issued this flash flood warning at May 20, 2023, 4:38 PM PDT for Fresno County, California. It was in force for 48 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 20, 2023, 4:38 PM PDT (23:38 UTC)
Expired
May 20, 2023, 5:26 PM PDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Hanford, CA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Fresno County, CA

The radar

The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 49 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:38 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.

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 May 20, 12:35 PM PDT, 4 hours 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 20, 12:35 PM PDT, 4 hours 3 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 20, 2:18 PM PDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 20, 3:17 PM PDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley CA
317 PM PDT Sat May 20 2023

CAZ331-332-202245-
Kern River Valley CA-South End of the Upper Sierra CA-
317 PM PDT Sat May 20 2023

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern Kern
and southeastern Tulare Counties through 345 PM PDT...

At 316 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm,
located about 13 miles northwest of Onyx, moving to the south at
around 20 mph.

HAZARD...Nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

&&

LAT...LON 3595 11839 3590 11813 3566 11821 3575 11852
TIME...MOT...LOC 2216Z 017DEG 15KT 3586 11831

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH

BS
Special weather statement, May 20, 3:25 PM PDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley CA
325 PM PDT Sat May 20 2023

CAZ323-326-202300-
Yosemite NP outside of the valley CA-Upper San Joaquin River CA-
325 PM PDT Sat May 20 2023

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern Madera
County through 400 PM PDT...

At 325 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm
about 15 miles west of Mammouth Mountain. This storm was nearly
stationary.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of northeastern Madera
County.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 3768 11935 3767 11924 3759 11926 3760 11938
TIME...MOT...LOC 2225Z 009DEG 3KT 3764 11931

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH

BS
Special weather statement, May 20, 3:40 PM PDT, 58 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley CA
340 PM PDT Sat May 20 2023

CAZ323-202315-
Yosemite NP outside of the valley CA-
340 PM PDT Sat May 20 2023

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern
Mariposa and southeastern Tuolumne Counties through 415 PM PDT...

At 339 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Tioga Pass, moving to the west at around 10 mph.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

&&

LAT...LON 3791 11928 3785 11928 3783 11946 3790 11944
TIME...MOT...LOC 2239Z 083DEG 11KT 3788 11935

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH

BS
Special weather statement, May 20, 3:54 PM PDT, 44 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley CA
354 PM PDT Sat May 20 2023

CAZ323-202330-
Yosemite NP outside of the valley CA-
354 PM PDT Sat May 20 2023

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of eastern Mariposa and
northern Madera Counties through 430 PM PDT...

At 353 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm,
located about 8 miles east of Yosemite Valley, moving to the north
at around 10 mph.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Merced Lake High Sierra Camp, Merced Lake Ranger Station and Sunrise
High Sierra Camp.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

&&

LAT...LON 3771 11934 3770 11946 3781 11947 3782 11936
TIME...MOT...LOC 2253Z 176DEG 8KT 3773 11941

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

BS
Special weather statement, May 20, 4:11 PM PDT, 27 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 20, 9:24 AM PDTRiver Flood WarningHNXMariposa5 days
May 20, 2:18 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementHNX42 min
May 20, 3:17 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementHNX28 min
May 20, 3:25 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementHNXMono35 min
May 20, 3:40 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementHNXMono35 min
May 20, 3:54 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementHNXMariposa36 min
May 20, 4:11 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementHNXKern34 min
May 20, 4:21 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHNXKern24 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in California, 2023Every flash flood warning in 2023

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.