Heavy Rain in California, May 5 to 6, 2005

Name: Heavy Rain in California, May 5 to 6, 2005
Start: 2005-05-05T12:09
End: 2005-05-06T03:00
Location: California

May 5 to 6, 2005 · NWS HNX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

42" of rain during a 24-hour period ending by early on the 6th with over half of that occurring between Noon and 3 PM PST on the 5th from afternoon thunderstorms. Water collecting on a roof in downtown Madera led to its collapse and subsequent damage in mid-afternoon.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $200,000
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.

Madera received 1.42" of rain during a 24-hour period ending by early on the 6th with over half of that occurring between Noon and 3 PM PST on the 5th from afternoon thunderstorms. Water collecting on a roof in downtown Madera led to its collapse and subsequent damage in mid-afternoon. Numerous locations around Madera had street flooding with other reported flooding in Madera County including a freeway offramp in the city of Madera as well as rural roadway flooding 14 miles east of Madera. Chowchilla, in Madera County, reported 1.34" in the 24 hour period ending on the 6th. Fresno County reported several locations of roadway flooding from the heavy rain from Kerman, west of Fresno, to areas east of Fresno. Fresno reported a rainfall record-for-the-date of 1.02" during the 5th primarily due to the afternoon thunderstorm activity. Other areas reporting substantial rain from thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evening of the 5th in Fresno County included Reedley and Avenal each with an inch of rain, and Clovis receiving 2.35 inches. The Southern San Joaquin Valley reported several instances of road flooding, including Highway 99 and Interstate Highway 5, from Northwest Bakersfield, south to the Grapevine, and east of Bakersfield. In Kings County, Hanford had 0.64" and Lemoore reported 0.71" during the 5th. Bakersfield reported 0.67" from the 5th through early on the 6th with undoubtedly higher amounts of rain received in outlying areas.

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 May 5, 8:15 AM PST, 3 hours 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 5, 8:15 AM PST, 3 hours 54 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
915 AM PDT THU MAY 5 2005

.SHORT TERM...FOR THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR...
WATER VAPOR IMAGES SHOW AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH ALONG THE COASTAL
MOVING EAST. SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE CONNECTION IS WELL SOUTH OF
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. HOWEVER THE VANDENBURG SOUNDING INDICATES A
JUICY AIRMASS WITH AN INCH OF PRECIPITABLE WATER. A LEADING SHORT
WAVE MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING RESULTING IN A LONG NORTH
TO SOUTH BAND OF PRECIPITATION EXTENDING FROM YOSEMITE SOUTH TO THE
TEHACHAPIS. ANOTHER FRONTAL BOUNDAARY MOVING ONSHORE OVER THE
CENTRAL COAST WITH UPPER LEVEL ENERGY SUPPORT. IMPRESSIVE CLOUD TOP
COOLING ALONG COVECTION RESULTING IN MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL
ALONG THE COAST AND WEST SIDE OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY NORTH OF
THE KERN COUNTY LINE. EXPECT LIKELY CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY OVER MUCH OF
THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON WITH A GOOD POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL CAUSING FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS IN THE VALLEY. WITH
LOW WETBULBS NEAR 8K FEET STORMS WILL PRODUCE HAIL WITH LIMITED
DIRECTIONAL SHEAR FOR SUPERCELLS.

...PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
UPPER LOW TAKING SHAPE OFF THE NORCAL COAST NEAR 40N. THIS LOW FCST
TO MOVE TOWARD THE CENTRAL CA COAST LATER TODAY. PLENTY OF MOISTURE
AVAILABLE AS THE LOW GETS CLOSER. WHILE PRECIP IN CENTRAL CA HAS
BEEN FAIRLY SPOTTY EARLY THIS MORNING...MODELS DO FCST A RATHER
RAPID INCREASE IN PRECIP BETWEEN 12Z AND 18Z AND THIS LOOKS
REASONABLE AS H3 JET ROUNDS THE BASE OF THE TROF. CONTINUED WITH THE
WSW FOR THE HIGH SIERRA THROUGH THIS EVE...THOUGH OROGRAPHICS LOOK
WEAKER. DID LOWER SNOW TOTALS HOWEVER. COLD POOL LOOKS CLOSE ENOUGH
THIS AFTERNOON FOR ISOLD CONVECTION. UPPER LOW MOVES SLOWLY INLAND
TONIGHT...AND PRECIP WILL BEGIN TO WIND DOWN. ON FRI...LOW IS FCST
TO BE OVER ERN NV/WRN UT. DRIER NW FLOW ALOFT WILL PREVAIL.
HOWEVER...THERE IS STILL SOME
CYCLONIC CURVATURE TO THE FLOW...SO CANT RULE OUT A LINGERING
SHOWER...ESPECIALLY IN THE SRN SIERRA. FLAT RIDGING FCST TO MOVE IN
FRI NITE AND SAT TO END PRECIP. TEMPS TODAY AND FRI WELL BELOW
NORMAL FOR EARLY MAY...THEN SOME RECOVERY EXPECTED SAT.

.LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...FOCUS BEGINS TO SHIFT
TOWARD DEEP 50H LO OFF THE PAC NW COAST EARLY IN THE PERIOD. MODELS
ARE IN SURPRISINGLY GOOD AGREEMENT AND FORECAST MOISTURE-LADEN 300 MB
JET TO CUT UNDERNEATH THIS LOW WITH WATER HOSE AIMED PRIMARILY INTO
NORTHERN CA SUNDAY. MOISTURE AND JET DYNAMICS SHIFT SOUTHWARD INTO
CENTRAL CA SUNDAY NIGHT AS THE UPPER LOW DEEPENS ALONG THE OREGON
COAST. INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE MODELS FORECAST THE CENTER OF THE
50H LOW TO REMAIN FARTHER NORTH THAN PREVIOUS RUNS WITH COLDEST POOL
OF AIR ALOFT RESIDING ACROSS NORTHERN CA MONDAY AFTN. STILL...WITH
MUCH OF OUR CWA ENTERING THE LEFT FRONT QUADRANT OF THE UPPER LEVEL
JET BY THEN...THERE IS STILL A POSSIBILITY OF SCATTERED TSTMS WITH
SMALL HAIL. WHILE VERTICAL SHEAR WILL BE RATHER WEAK MONDAY AFTN...
ATMOSPHERIC PROFILE MIGHT EVEN FAVOR DEVELOPMENT OF ISOLATED FUNNEL
CLOUDS. DRYING TREND TUESDAY IS STILL QUESTIONABLE IF YOU BELIEVE
THE CANADIAN GLOBAL...UKMET AND THE NOGAPS SOLNS. THESE PARTICULAR
MODELS KEEP CA IN A MOIST...CYCLONIC FLOW ON DAY 6 AND SUGGEST THE
ATMOSPHERE WILL BE UNSTABLE ENOUGH FOR MORE SHOWERS...ESP OVER THE
HIGHER ELEVATIONS. WEDNESDAY WILL BRING DRY WEATHER AND THE START OF
A NICE WARMING TREND AS EASTERN PACIFIC RIDGE BUILDS INTO CA. LOCALLY
STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS IN THE KERN CO MTNS AND DESERT SUN EVENING
THRU MOST OF TUESDAY WILL FINALLY ABATE BY WEDNESDAY.

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE
     SOUTHERN SIERRA UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
&&

WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD /USE ALL LOWER CASE/

MV/BINGHAM/DURFEE

Hazardous weather outlook, May 5, 4:15 AM PST, 7 hours 54 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
515 AM PDT THU MAY 5 2005

CAZ089>094-098-099-061230-
EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-
MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
515 AM PDT THU MAY 5 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...THE SIERRA NEVADA FOOTHILLS...THE INDIAN
WELLS VALLEY...AND THE SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. SOME STORMS MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL...
FREQUENT LIGHTNING...HAIL...AND GUSTY WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AFTERNOON.
OTHERWISE...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 OFFICE.

CAZ096-097-061230-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
515 AM PDT THU MAY 5 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA
AND THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT. PLEASE
REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE /WWUS46 KHNX/ FOR
FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

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 OFFICE.

CAZ095-061230-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
515 AM PDT THU MAY 5 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

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 OFFICE.

DCH

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Kern

When: May 5, 12:09 PM PST to May 6, 3:00 AM PST
Where: Kern County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Fresno

When: May 5, 12:54 PM PST to May 6, 1:00 AM PST
Where: Fresno County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.758, -119.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Kings

When: May 5, 1:00 PM PST to May 6, 2:00 AM PST
Where: Kings County, Countywide
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 36.075, -119.815 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Madera

When: May 5, 2:11 PM PST to May 6, 3:00 AM PST
Where: Madera County, Countywide
Property damage: $200,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in California, May 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: 5449080, 5449079, 5449081, 5449078.