Strong Wind, W Central S.J. Valley
- When
- January 7, 6:00 AM PST to 2:30 PM PST
- Where
- W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 36 kt (41 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
High Wind and Strong Wind in California, January 7, 2005
Strong southeast pre-frontal winds buffeted Central California on the 7th. A truck-trailer was overturned from the high wind with areas of zero visibility and numerous power poles downed near Arvin in the South San Joaquin Valley on the7th.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $345,000
- Crop damage
- $200,000
- Events
- 5
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.
Strong southeast pre-frontal winds buffeted Central California on the 7th. A truck-trailer was overturned from the high wind with areas of zero visibility and numerous power poles downed near Arvin in the South San Joaquin Valley on the7th. Wind speeds were commonly up to 45 MPH throughout the Central and South San Joaquin Valley with higher wind gusts in the far South and Southwest areas of the Valley. Even in the foothill areas of the Southern Sierra Nevada and Tulare County Mountains wind gusts up to 56 MPH were observed. Trees were commonly downed taking power lines with them from Merced and Mariposa Counties south through Kern County. Property damage was high due to large trees falling in the Merced, Fresno-Clovis, and Visalia areas. Agriculture suffered loss through numerous deciduous trees being uprooted.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Jan 7, 4:45 AM PST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 7, 4:45 AM PST, 1 hour 15 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
445 AM PST FRI JAN 7 2005
.SHORT TERM...FOR THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR...TIGHTLY WOUND
SFC AND UPPER LEVEL LOW CURRENTLY APPROACHING THE BAY AREA. THIS LOW
IS FCST TO MOVE QUICKLY NE THIS MORNING...AND MERGE WITH DEVELOPING
SYS OFF THE WA/OR COAST. STRONGEST SFC GRADS IN THE SJV FCST TO
OCCUR BETWEEN 12-18Z...THEN DECREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON. AFTER THE
TWO ABOVE MENTIONED SYSTEMS MERGE TODAY...THE DOMINANT LOW OFF THE
WA/OR COAST WILL BRING A VERY MOIST W-SW FLOW ALOFT TO CENTRAL CA
THRU THE WEEKEND. MODELS ARE FCSTG RATHER HIGH 3 DAY QPF TOTALS FOR
THE REGION...RANGING FROM AN INCH OR BETTER IN THE SJV TO 5 INCH
TOTALS IN THE SIERRA. SNOWFALL TOTALS COULD BE ON THE ORDER OF 5
FEET AT AND ABOVE 7K. IN THE KERN MTNS AND DESERTS...RUNOFF FROM
MELTING SNOW AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS POSE A FLOOD PROBLEM AT AND
BELOW ABOUT 5500 FEET OVER THE WEEKEND. NORMALLY DRY STREAM BEDS AND
WASHES WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED. FOR NOW...SMALL STREAM FLOOD
ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED BUT FLOOD WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED
DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH RAIN OCCURS AND HOW HIGH /OR LOW/ SNOW LEVELS
ACTUALLY GET.
LONG TERM...FOR SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...EXTENDED RANGE PROGS
REMAIN IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT THIS MORNING AS THEY ALL ATTEMPT TO
SWING AN UPPER LOW INTO THE AREA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD. ALL
MODELS STILL TRY TO PLACE THE UPPER LOW NEAR 44N/128W AT THE START
OF THE PERIOD WHICH REMAINS CONSISTENT WITH PREVIOUS RUNS OF THE
LAST FEW DAYS. WHILE MODEL DO SHOW SOME SLIGHT DIFFERENCES IN THE
TIMING AND STRENGTH OF THE TROF...ALL SHOW IT MOVING INTO THE AREA
LATE SUNDAY NIGHT. THEREFORE...WILL MAINTAIN WORDING IN THE FORECAST
OF LIKELY RAIN AND SNOW OVER THE DISTRICT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
LONG TERM AND TRENDING DOWN TO CHANCE CATEGORY BY MONDAY NIGHT INTO
TUESDAY. MODELS ATTEMPT TO MOVE THE TROF THROUGH THE DISTRICT
QUICKLY AND HAVE IT EXIT THE AREA LATER TUESDAY. IN
ADDITION...+120KT JET MAX NOW SHOWING A MORE SOCAL TRAJECTORY AND
NOT HITTING THE DISTRICT ON MONDAY. WITH A MORE SOCAL TRACK...THAT
AREA WILL GET THE BULK OF THE DYNAMICS WITH LESSER VALUES REACHING
INTO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. THEREFORE...WILL SEE A QUICK STORM WHICH
WILL BEGIN DIMINISHING BY TUESDAY NIGHT AND STARTING A DRYING TREND
INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY. RIDGING WILL RETURN TO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA BY
WEDNESDAY WHICH WILL SUPPORT DRIER CONDITIONS OVER THE DISTRICT
DURING THE LATTER HALF OF THE LONG TERM. WITH THE END OF THE WET
PATTERN WILL SEE A RETURN OF FOG OVER THE CENTRAL VALLEY. ADJUSTED
WEATHER DURING THE LAST TWO DAYS OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD TO REFLEX
FOG DEVELOPMENT DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. FURTHERMORE...MODELS
BACKING OFF ON THE STRENGTH OF THE COLD AIRMASS FILTERING INTO THE
DISTRICT DURING THE LAST FEW DAYS OF THE EXTENDED. WILL STILL
MAINTAIN THE COOLING TREND...BUT REDUCE THE DEPTH OF HOW COLD IT
WILL GET DURING THE PERIOD.
&&
.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE
SOUTHERN SIERRA AND TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS THRU SUNDAY.
...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE FAR SOUTH END OF THE SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY AND A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CENTRAL
AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY TODAY.
...SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS
AND DESERTS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY.
&&
BINGHAM/MOLINAHazardous weather outlook, Jan 7, 5:00 AM PST, 1 hour before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 500 AM PST FRI JAN 7 2005 CAZ096-097-081300- SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 500 AM PST FRI JAN 7 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON...AND THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS. .DAY ONE...TODAY A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM THROUGH 4 PM SUNDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE /WWUS46 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE WINTER STORM WARNING WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE /WWUS46 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THEIR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. CAZ093-094-081300- MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS- 500 AM PST FRI JAN 7 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SIERRA NEVADA FOOTHILLS. .DAY ONE...TODAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THEIR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. CAZ098-099-081300- INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT- 500 AM PST FRI JAN 7 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE INDIAN WELLS VALLEY...AND THE SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT. .DAY ONE...TODAY A SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY /WGUS86 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY CONTINUES THROUGH 4 PM SUNDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY /WGUS86 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THEIR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. CAZ095-081300- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 500 AM PST FRI JAN 7 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER ADVISORY IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS. .DAY ONE...TODAY A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE /WWUS46 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS...AND A SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY /WGUS86 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE WINTER STORM WARNING CONTINUES TO BE IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY. THE SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY CONTINUES TO BE IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THEIR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. CAZ089>092-081300- WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- 500 AM PST FRI JAN 7 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. .DAY ONE...TODAY THE HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FAR SOUTH END ...AND THE WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WEATHER MESSAGE /WWUS76 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THEIR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. TLM
Event by event
3 high wind, 2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong Wind, S Sierra Foothills
- When
- January 7, 9:30 AM PST to 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- S Sierra Foothills forecast zone
- Measured
- 49 kt (56 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
High Wind, Sw S.J. Valley
- When
- January 7, 11:00 AM PST to 5:30 PM PST
- Where
- Sw S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $75,000
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
High Wind, E Central S.J. Valley
- When
- January 7, 11:45 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
- Where
- E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $150,000
- Crop damage
- $150,000
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
High Wind, Se S.J. Valley
- When
- January 7, 12:10 PM PST to 5:30 PM PST
- Where
- Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $100,000
- Crop damage
- $50,000
- Reported by
- DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
What these are
- Strong Wind
- Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flooding and Winter Storm in California, January 7 to 11, 2005
- Avalanche and Flooding in Utah, January 7 to 12, 2005
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, January 7, 2005
- Heavy Rain in California, January 7 to 11, 2005
- Winter Storm and Flood in California, January 7 to 10, 2005
- Flooding in Kentucky, January 7 to 29, 2005
- Strong Wind in California, January 7, 2005
- Winter Storm in California, January 7 to 8, 2005
- Heavy Snow in Washington, January 7, 2005
- Winter Storm in Ohio, January 7 to 8, 2005
- Strong Wind in California, January 7, 2005
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, January 7 to 9, 2005
More
Every storm in California in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2005
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: 5438312, 5438315, 5438313, 5438311, 5438314.