Funnel Cloud, Merced
- When
- January 18, 1:55 PM PST to 1:58 PM PST
- Where
- Merced County, 5 mi NW of Gustine
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 37.192, -120.718 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lightning Strike in California, January 18, 2006
Instability behind a Central California frontal passage produced low-topped convection (20K Feet) during the mid-afternoon of the 18th. Numerous reports of funnels were noted along with lightning as thunderstorms developed along an eastward moving line from Merced County through northern Madera County.
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
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.
Instability behind a Central California frontal passage produced low-topped convection (20K Feet) during the mid-afternoon of the 18th. Numerous reports of funnels were noted along with lightning as thunderstorms developed along an eastward moving line from Merced County through northern Madera County.
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 18, 9:00 AM PST, 4 hours 55 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 18, 9:00 AM PST, 4 hours 55 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
900 AM PST WED JAN 18 2006
.SHORT TERM...FOR THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR...UPPER LEVEL
TROUGH ALONG THE NORCAL COAST CONTINUES TO SPREAD MOISTURE ACROSS
THE REGION THIS MORNING. DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES DIMINISHING PRECIP
IN THE VALLEY AS IT MOVES INTO THE FOOTHILLS AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS.
CURRENT SURFACE OBS REVEAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM A FEW HUNDREDTHS
UP TO A TENTH OF AN INCH IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY...WITH ONLY A TRACE
TO A FEW HUNDREDTHS OVER THE SOUTH VALLEY. A LITTLE FARTHER NORTH
SHOWERS CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO THE BAY AREA AND EXPECT THESE TO WORK
THERE WAY DOWN TO THE NORTHERN FRINGES OF THE FA FROM MERCED TO
YOSEMITE. INITIAL PRECIP ESTIMATES IN THE MOUNTAINS INDICATE FROM A
QUARTER INCH UP TO ONE INCH THUS FAR...WITH MODEL QPF SUGGESTING
ANOTHER HALF INCH POSSIBLE NEAR YOSEMITE. H7 TEMPS PLACE THE SNOW
LEVEL AROUND 4500 FEET TODAY AND THIS IS SUPPORTED BY GROUND TRUTH.
THEREFORE...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA FROM
YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM THIS
EVENING. ALSO...WIND ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE KERN
MTNS/DESERT UNTIL 10 PM. SFO-LAS SURFACE GRADIENTS ARE STILL
EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO AROUND 11MB THIS AFTERNOON IN ADDITION TO
MID LEVEL JET EFFECTS. CURRENT FORECAST COVERS ALL CONCERNS AND NO
UPDATE PLANNED THIS MORNING.
.LONG TERM...FOR FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...MEDIUM RANGE MODELS
SHOW LARGE DISPARITIES IN HANDLING TRACK OF CLOSED LOW THIS WEEKEND.
FOR EXAMPLE...THE CANADIAN GLOBAL FCSTS 50H LOW TO MOVE AS AN INSIDE
SLIDER WITH BULK OF MOISTURE AND DYNAMICS REMAINING WELL NORTH AND
EAST OF OUR CWA SATURDAY THRU SUNDAY. THE NOGAPS SOLN IS SIMILAR TO
THE ECM AND POSITIONS THIS LOW OFF THE COAST OF NRN CA SATURDAY.
AFTERWARD...BOTH SOLNS FORECAST THIS LOW TO DRIFT SOUTHWARD AND
REMAIN OFFSHORE THE CENTRAL CA COAST SUNDAY THRU TUESDAY. IN STARK
CONTRAST...THE GFS SOLN NEVER CLOSES OFF THIS LOW BUT INSTEAD BRINGS
AN OPEN WAVE TROUGH SOUTHWARD ACROSS CA FRI NIGHT...THEN MOVES THE
TROF AXIS INTO THE GREAT BASIN SATURDAY. A SECONDARY SHORT WAVE
IMPULSE IS PROGGED TO DROP INTO THE GREAT BASIN SAT NIGHT AND HELP
CARVE OUT A BROAD BASED TROUGH OVER THE FOUR CORNERS REGION FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND. ON MONDAY...THE GFS SOLN COMES INTO
AGREEMENT WITH THE CANADIAN GLOBAL AND FORECASTS AN EPAC RIDGE TO
BUILD INTO CA. THE CANADIAN GLOBAL HOLDS THIS RIDGE OVER CA TUESDAY
WHILE THE GFS FLATTENS IT AS A SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVES THRU THE PAC
NW AND INTO NORTHERN CA. DESPITE THE WIDELY VARYING SCENARIOS OF THE
MODELS...THE OVERALL PATTERN APPEARS TO FAVOR A CONTINUATION OF DRY
WEATHER ACROSS THE CENTRAL CA INTERIOR IN THE 4 TO 7 DAY PERIOD. WE
CURRENTLY HAVE SLIGHT CHC POPS PENCILED IN OVER THE HIER ELEVATIONS
OF THE SIERRA NEVADA NORTH OF KINGS CANYON SUNDAY WITH TOKEN POPS
ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE CWA. UNTIL MODELS COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT...
CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW THRU THE PERIOD...SO WILL MAKE NO CHANGES TO
THE GRIDDED FORECASTS AT THIS TIME.
&&
.AVIATION...IFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA
NEVADA NORTH OF KINGS CANYON THROUGH 02Z THURSDAY DUE TO PRECIP AND
LOW CEILINGS. MEANWHILE...AREAS OF MVFR WITH LOCAL IFR CONDITIONS
CAN BE EXPECTED ELSEWHERE NORTH OF KERN COUNTY. ACROSS KERN COUNTY...
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH TONIGHT EXCEPT ALONG THE NORTH
AND WEST FACING SLOPES OF THE TEHACHAPI MTNS AFTER 06Z THURSDAY
WHEN AREAS OF MVFR CAN BE EXPECTED. FOR SPECIFIC DETAILS...PLEASE
REFER TO TAFS FOR KMCE...KFAT AND KBFL.
&&
.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM
YOSEMITE PARK TO KINGS CANYON UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING.
...WIND ADVISORY FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS FROM
10 AM UNTIL 10 PM TODAY.
&&
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD /USE ALL LOWER CASE/
DCH/DURFEEHazardous weather outlook, Jan 18, 5:05 AM PST, 8 hours 50 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 505 AM PST WED JAN 18 2006 CAZ096-191300- SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- 505 AM PST WED JAN 18 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON. .DAY ONE...TODAY A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH 6 PM THIS EVENING. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE SFOWSWHNX /WWUS46 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THEIR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. CAZ095-098-099-191300- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-INDIAN WELLS VALLEY- SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT- 505 AM PST WED JAN 18 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS. .DAY ONE...TODAY A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WEATHER MESSAGE SFONPWHNX /WWUS76 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THEIR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. CAZ089>094-097-191300- 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- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 505 AM PST WED JAN 18 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...AND FOR THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS. .DAY ONE...TODAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THEIR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. JEB
The radar
The San Francisco radar (KMUX), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:54 UTC.
Event by event
3 funnel cloud, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Funnel Cloud, Merced
- When
- January 18, 2:18 PM PST to 2:19 PM PST
- Where
- Merced County, 5 mi SW of El Nido
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 37.192, -120.718 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lightning, Merced
- When
- January 18, 2:57 PM PST
- Where
- Merced County, 5 mi NW of Merced
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 37.192, -120.718 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Funnel Cloud, Madera
- When
- January 18, 2:58 PM PST
- Where
- Madera County, Chowchilla
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 37.218, -119.763 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
- 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
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, January 18, 2006
- High Wind and Strong Wind in New Jersey, January 18, 2006
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Pennsylvania, January 18, 2006
- High Wind in Connecticut, January 18, 2006
- High Wind in Maine, January 18, 2006
- High Wind in Rhode Island, January 18, 2006
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Delaware, January 18, 2006
- Wildfire in Oklahoma, January 18 to 19, 2006
- Flooding in Vermont, January 18, 2006
- Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, January 18, 2006
- Strong Wind in Maryland, January 18, 2006
- High Wind in New Hampshire, January 18, 2006
More
Every storm in California in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 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: 5491885, 5491884, 5491887, 5491886.