California, 2002

Extreme Cold in California, January 29 to 31, 2002

January 29 to 31, 2002 · NWS HNX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Following the reports of snow on the San Joaquin Valley floor and with cleared skies, residing cold air became a threat to local citrus growers. For the period from late January 29th through the morning of February 6th.

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.

Following the reports of snow on the San Joaquin Valley floor and with cleared skies, residing cold air became a threat to local citrus growers. For the period from late January 29th through the morning of February 6th. During the mornings of the 30th and 31st of January, overnight low temperatures plunged to 24 to 30 degree F. range for all of the Central and Southern Valley. Growers had to actively protect citrus groves but no damage was reported.

Event by event

4 extreme cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, W Central Sj Valley

When
January 29, 11:56 PM PST to January 31, 11:59 PM PST
Where
W Central Sj Valley forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, E Central Sj Valley

When
January 29, 11:56 PM PST to January 31, 11:59 PM PST
Where
E Central Sj Valley forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Sw Sj Valley

When
January 29, 11:56 PM PST to January 31, 11:59 PM PST
Where
Sw Sj Valley forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Se Sj Valley

When
January 30, 3:00 AM PST to January 31, 11:59 PM PST
Where
Se Sj Valley forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

What these are

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Temperatures or wind chills at or below the local warning criteria, or cold that caused deaths.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2002

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: 5279424, 5280109, 5280110, 5280111.