Hail, Fresno
- When
- April 21, 3:55 PM PST to 4:22 PM PST
- Where
- Fresno County, 15 mi SW of San Joaquin
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 36.467, -120.383
Flash Flooding and Hail in California, April 21, 2006
Multicellular thunderstorms passed from the SSE to NNW just east of Interstate Highway 5 in Fresno County during the late afternoon and into the early evening of the 21st. Hail varied from 3/4" to 1" throughout the event.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
- 8
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.
Multicellular thunderstorms passed from the SSE to NNW just east of Interstate Highway 5 in Fresno County during the late afternoon and into the early evening of the 21st. Hail varied from 3/4" to 1" throughout the event. The thunderstorms formed forward of a "dry line" pushing in from the Central Coast and resulted in a 31-mile track, 3 miles wide, of the heavy rain and severe hail. The heavy rain resulted in several locations of moving water over roadways along the west side of the San Joaquin Valley from southwest of San Joaquin to northwest of Firebaugh. Over 4" of rain fell from 1430 to 1630 PM PST measured at a farmyard 14.5 miles SSW of Mendota during the event.
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 Apr 21, 1:15 PM PST, 2 hours 40 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 21, 1:15 PM PST, 2 hours 40 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
215 PM PDT FRI APR 21 2006
.SHORT TERM...FOR THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR...SKIES HAVE
CLEARED UP EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AS DRIER AIR IN THE MID LEVELS HAS
ADVECTED INTO THE REGION. THUS FAR, CONVECTION HAS BEEN LIMITED
TO THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS OF KERN, KINGS AND FRESNO COUNTIES. NO
THUNDER HAS BROKEN OUT IN THE HANFORD FORECAST HOWEVER THUNDER HAS
FORMED TO THE NORTHWEST. WITH THE SUNNY SKIES, TEMPERATURES HAVE
WARMED THROUGH THE 70S AND CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES MAY BE REACHED
IN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. IT WILL BY INTERESTING TO SEE JUST HOW
WIDESPREAD THE CONVECTION GETS OR IF IT FIRES OFF OVER THE SJV. THE
POTENTIAL STILL EXISTS FOR SOME ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS THE UPPER LOW STILL MOVING
TOWARDS THE CENTRAL COAST AND MODELS BRING IT ASHORE LATER TONIGHT
AND EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. ON SATURDAY, THE LOW IS PROGGED TO
SLOWLY MOVE EAST OVER THE AREA AND THE THREAT OF SHOWERS WILL
CONTINUE. MAY SEE SOME AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS AS THE COLDER AIR
ALOFT MOVES ACROSS. MODELS HAVE SLOWED DOWN THE EASTWARD
PROGRESSION OF THE LOW AND NOW HANG ON TO SOME WRAP AROUND
PRECIPITATION OVER THE SIERRA INTO SUNDAY NIGHT. HAVE OPTED TO LIMIT
POPS TO THE FOOTHILLS AND SIERRA. ON MONDAY, THE LATEST GFS MODEL
CONTINUES TO SHOW SOME RIDGING OVER THE AREA, HOWEVER WITH EACH
MODEL RUN, THE RIDGE IS LESS AMPLIFIED. MAY NOT SEE SUCH A
PRONOUNCED WARMING AS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.
.LONG TERM...FOR MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...THE MEDIUM RANGE
MODELS FORECAST A FLAT WAVE RIDGE TO RESIDE OVER CENTRAL CA MON
NIGHT WITH AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH POSITIONED ALONG THE PAC NW
COAST. DIFFERENCES CONTINUE IN THE STRENGTH AND EVOLUTION OF THIS
TROF AS IT MOVES INTO THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST TUE AND WED. THE
NOGAPS SOLN DIGS THIS TROUGH SO DEEPLY THAT IT CLOSES OFF A 50H LOW
OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERNEV BY 12Z WED. THE GFS IS MUCH FARTHER NORTH
WITH THE CLOSED LOW THAN PREVIOUS RUNS AND KEEPS IT NORTH OF CA
TUE NIGHT SIMILAR TO THE ECM AND UKMET. THE CANADIAN GLOBAL LEANS
TOWARD THE NCEP MEAN ENSEMBLE WHICH BASICALLY FORECASTS AN OPEN WAVE
TROF TO MOVE ACROSS CA LATE TUESDAY WITH THE DEEPEST MOISTURE AND
DYNAMICS RESIDING OVER THE PAC NW. AS LONG AS THE MEDIUM RANGE MODELS
SHOW DISCREPANCIES WITH STRENGTH AND POSITION OF THIS TROF...WILL
LEAVE TOKEN POPS IN ACROSS OUR CWA NORTH OF KERN CO TUE AND TUE
NIGHT. DURING THE LATTER PART OF THE WEEK...THE MODELS FORECAST A
50H RIDGE TO BUILD RATHER STRONGLY OVER CA. TEMPS WILL AVERAGE
SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL THRU WED. HOWEVER...A PRONOUNCED WARMUP IS
EXPECTED BY DAY 7.
&&
.AVIATION...MVFR CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED IN ISOLATED TO SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THRU SATURDAY. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS
WILL PREVAIL THROUGH 00Z SUN. FOR SPECIFIC DETAILS...PLEASE REFER
TO TAFS FOR KMCE...KFAT AND KBFL.
&&
.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR
SOUTHWESTERN MADERA AND NORTHWEST FRESNO COUNTIES ALONG THE
CHOWCHILLA BYPASS.
&&
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD /USE ALL LOWER CASE/
DUDLEY/DURFEEHazardous weather outlook, Apr 21, 4:45 AM PST, 11 hours 10 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 545 AM PDT FRI APR 21 2006 CAZ089>092-221200- WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- 545 AM PDT FRI APR 21 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. .DAY ONE...TODAY A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. CAZ093>099-221200- MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-INDIAN WELLS VALLEY- SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT- 545 AM PDT FRI APR 21 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SIERRA NEVADA AND FOOTHILLS...THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERT. .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 THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. PJ
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Apr 21, 11:00 AM PST, 4 hours 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 1200 PM PDT FRI APR 21 2006 CAZ089>097-220100- WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 1200 PM PDT FRI APR 21 2006 ...ISOLATED POTENTIALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP ACROSS THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR THIS AFTERNOON... A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST THIS AFTERNOON. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...POSSIBLY SEVERE...MAY DEVELOP OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AS WELL AS THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS. TRAVELERS AND PEOPLE PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS. LIGHTNING...HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS SOURCE FOR UPDATED WEATHER INFORMATION. OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD /USE ALL LOWER CASE/. DCH
The radar
The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 69 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:56 UTC.
Event by event
3 hail, 2 flash flood, 2 lightning, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Funnel Cloud, Fresno
- When
- April 21, 4:08 PM PST to 4:15 PM PST
- Where
- Fresno County, 14 mi W of Five Pts
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 36.758, -119.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Hail, Fresno
- When
- April 21, 4:22 PM PST to 5:05 PM PST
- Where
- Fresno County, 23 mi W of San Joaquin
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 36.617, -120.600
Flash Flood, Fresno
- When
- April 21, 4:22 PM PST to 7:30 PM PST
- Where
- Fresno County, 17 mi SW of San Joaquin
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 36.450, -120.400
Flash Flood, Fresno
- When
- April 21, 5:18 PM PST to 7:30 PM PST
- Where
- Fresno County, 2 mi NW of Coalinga
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 36.167, -120.400
Hail, Fresno
- When
- April 21, 7:16 PM PST to 7:45 PM PST
- Where
- Fresno County, 1 mi W of Easton
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 36.650, -119.800
Lightning, Fresno
- When
- April 21, 7:39 PM PST
- Where
- Fresno County, 1 mi N of (Fch) Chandler Af
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 36.758, -119.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lightning, Kern
- When
- April 21, 7:50 PM PST
- Where
- Kern County, 3 mi NW of (Bfl)meadows Field Ap
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 35.343, -118.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
- 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
- Tornado and Hail in Texas, April 21, 2006
- Damaging Winds in Mississippi, April 21, 2006
- Hail in Mississippi, April 21, 2006
- Tornado in Mississippi, April 21, 2006
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Alabama, April 21, 2006
- Lightning Strike in Mississippi, April 21, 2006
- Damaging Wind in Ohio, April 21, 2006
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, April 21, 2006
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, April 21, 2006
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, April 21, 2006
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, April 21, 2006
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, April 21, 2006
More
Every storm in California in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2006
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: 5502004, 5502006, 5502005, 5502007, 5502008, 5502011, 5502010, 5502009.