California, 2000

Lightning Strikes and Heavy Rain in California, September 1, 2000

September 1, 2000 · NWS HNX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Convective activity formed and moved over the Central San Joaquin Valley in the wee hours of the morning of the 1st. Thundershowers caused damage to the drying raisins in the Fresno County area and lightning strikes caused power outages to 6,000 customers in the Madera Ranchos, Oakhurst, Mariposa, and Bear Valley areas.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
$250,000
Events
3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS HNX wrote it up.

Convective activity formed and moved over the Central San Joaquin Valley in the wee hours of the morning of the 1st. Thundershowers caused damage to the drying raisins in the Fresno County area and lightning strikes caused power outages to 6,000 customers in the Madera Ranchos, Oakhurst, Mariposa, and Bear Valley areas. A pedestrian was injured when struck by lightning at Shaw Avenue and Golden State Blvd in northwest Fresno. Fresno received 0.32" of rain breaking the record for the date of 0.21" held for 79 years. Many other areas on the Valley floor were less than 0.10" although isolated heavier amounts were received at Madera Ranchos of 0.90" and 0.65" at Clovis. Southern Sierra foothill areas received just over 1/2 inch with 0.35" reported at Tehachapi in the Kern Mountains.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

2 lightning, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, E Central Sj Valley

When
September 1, 3:40 AM PST to 5:45 AM PST
Where
E Central Sj Valley forecast zone
Crop damage
$250,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER

Lightning, Fresno

When
September 1, 4:10 AM PST
Where
Fresno County, Highway City
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
36.758, -119.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning, Madera

When
September 1, 5:15 AM PST
Where
Madera County, 12 mi SSW of Oakhurst
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
37.218, -119.763 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in California, September 2000

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5174109, 5174111, 5174110.