Winter Storm, S Sierra Mtns
- When
- January 23, 8:00 PM PST to January 24, 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
Winter Storm and Lightning Strike in California, January 23 to 24, 2001
In locally heavy rain, pea-size hail and lightning occurred in convective activity in Visalia during frontal passage through the Southern San Joaquin Valley. Local flooding in urban areas was reported as 24-hour precipitation totals climbed over 1/2" with the frontal passage and shower activity.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 4
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.
In locally heavy rain, pea-size hail and lightning occurred in convective activity in Visalia during frontal passage through the Southern San Joaquin Valley. Local flooding in urban areas was reported as 24-hour precipitation totals climbed over 1/2" with the frontal passage and shower activity. Central San Joaquin Valley rainfall totals reached over 1" in a 24-hour period. Some reports of cold air funnels were received including one southeast of Tipton in the Southern San Joaquin Valley. Mountain snowfall amounts varied from 20" at Ostrander Lake and Fish Camp and 14" at Tuolumne Meadows within a 24-hour period to 16" at Badger Pass and 15" at Lodgepole in 12 hours. Only light amounts of snowfall occurred in the Kern County Mountain areas from this weather system.
The radar
The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 75 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:14 UTC.
Event by event
2 winter storm, 1 lightning, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Tulare Cty Mtns
- When
- January 24, 12:00 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- PARK/FOREST SERVICE
Lightning, Tulare
- When
- January 24, 11:15 AM PST
- Where
- Tulare County, Visalia
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 36.220, -118.800 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Funnel Cloud, Tulare
- When
- January 24, 2:10 PM PST to 2:12 PM PST
- Where
- Tulare County, 3 mi SE of Tipton
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 36.220, -118.800 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Dense Fog in Washington, January 23, 2001
- Extreme Cold in Florida, January 23, 2001
- High Wind in Alaska, January 23 to 24, 2001
- Avalanche in Alaska, January 23, 2001
- Ice Storm in Alaska, January 23, 2001
- Heavy Snow in California, January 23 to 24, 2001
- Heavy Snow in California, January 23 to 24, 2001
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, January 23 to 24, 2001
- Heavy Snow in California, January 23 to 24, 2001
More
Every storm in California in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2001
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5229985, 5229986, 5229983, 5229984.