Strong Wind in California, January 2, 2006

Name: Strong Wind in California, January 2, 2006
Start: 2006-01-02T09:00
End: 2006-01-02T15:15
Location: California

January 2, 2006 · NWS HNX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Strong southerly wind buffeted the Kern Desert Areas around mid-day on the 2nd. Laural Mountain had a gust to 60 MPH at 1213 PST while Mojave gusted to 46 MPH at 1335 PST.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $2,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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 southerly wind buffeted the Kern Desert Areas around mid-day on the 2nd. Laural Mountain had a gust to 60 MPH at 1213 PST while Mojave gusted to 46 MPH at 1335 PST.

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 2, 2:32 AM PST, 6 hours 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 2, 2:32 AM PST, 6 hours 28 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
232 AM PST MON JAN 2 2006

.SHORT TERM...FOR THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR...MODERATE TO
HEAVY PRECIPITATION CONTINUES TO BE FOCUSED ON FRESNO, KINGS AND
TULARE COUNTIES AS THE MOISTURE TRAIN EXTENDS WELL BACK TO THE
SOUTHWEST. VANDENBERG RADAR SHOWS THE BAND EXTENDS WELL OFFSHORE
AND I EXPECT THIS HEAVY PRECIPITATION TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS. RAIN HAS TEMPORARILY ENDED OVER KERN COUNTY, HOWEVER
I EXPECT AS THE FRONTAL SYSTEM BEGINS TO PUSH ASHORE AND SOUTHEAST,
THE RAIN WILL BEGIN AGAIN LATER THIS MORNING. MANY LOCATIONS HAVE
EXCEEDED ONE INCH AS OF MIDNIGHT AND UP TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN IN THE
SJV IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. WIND IS A BIG CONCERN THIS MORNING AS
THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SOME HIGH WINDS. SO FAR, NOT MUCH WIND HAS
BEEN REPORTED HOWEVER FORECAST MODELS CONTINUE TO FOCUS THE HIGHEST
WIND POTENTIAL IN THE 4 AM TO 10 AM WINDOW. NOT TOO SURE JUST HOW
MUCH WIND WILL SURFACE IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY OUTSIDE OF THE
GRAPEVINE AREA, THUS THE HIGH WIND WATCH WILL BE SCALED BACK TO
INCLUDE JUST THE SOUTH VALLEY AND KERN MOUNTAINS. OVER THE SIERRA,
HEAVY SNOW CONTINUES TO FALL ABOVE 7000 FEET AND BASED ON AVAILABLE
DATA, IT APPEARS WELL OVER 2 FEET HAS ALREADY FALLEN.

IN THE BIGGER PICTURE, IR AND WATER VAPOR SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOW A
VERY IMPRESSIVE SYSTEM WITH A BAROCLINIC ZONE STRETCHING WELL BACK
TO AROUND 30/127W. A VORTICITY CENTER IS LOCATED TO THE NORTH OF
THIS ZONE AND CLOUD TOPS CONTINUE TO COOL. IT APPEARS THE FORECAST
AREA WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE HEAVY RAINS FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS, BEFORE THE BAROCLINIC ZONE PUSHES ACROSS THE AREA
THIS AFTERNOON. THIS FRONTAL ZONE WILL LIKELY BE ACCOMPANIED BY
THUNDERSTORMS AS THE NAM MODEL INDICATES CAPES TO OVER 600 J/KG
AT THE NOON HOUR. IT LOOKS LIKE A VERY BUSY DAY TODAY WITH HEAVY
RAIN, HEAVY SNOW, WIND, FLOODING AND THUNDERSTORMS. BY TONIGHT THE
MODELS PROJECT THIS SYSTEM WILL BE EXITING THE DISTRICT WITH HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDING IN TO THE AREA ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. FOG WILL
LIKELY BECOME AN ISSUE IN THE SJV AFTER THE RIDGE BUILDS IN.

.LONG TERM...FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...MEDIUM RANGE
MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN THE SHORT TERM AND INDICATE A DRY UPPER
RIDGE DEVELOPING OVER THE WEST AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD. BUT
HAVE DIFFERING SOLUTIONS ON BREAKING THE RIDGE DOWN LATER IN THE
PERIOD. THE RIDGE WILL WEAKEN FRIDAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW
APPROACHES THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THE RIDGE WILL RESULT IN
A RELATIVELY WARM AIRMASS PREVAILING ALOFT. MILD TEMPERATURES SHOULD
PREVAIL IN THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS WHILE A TEMPERATURE INVERSION
OVER THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY WILL PROVIDE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR
THE FORMATION OF FOG AND/OR STRATUS INTO FRIDAY.
MODEL CONSENSUS IS FOR THE RIDGE TO BREAK DOWN FOR THE WEEKEND.
THIS SHOULD BRING A COOLING TREND IN MOST AREAS AND DIMINISH THE
THREAT OF LOW STRATUS AND FOG IN THE VALLEY.

&&

.AVIATION...A PACIFIC STORM WILL AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH 06Z
TUESDAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION AND STRONG WINDS
ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SIERRA AND TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS THROUGH THE
PERIOD. AREAS OF RAIN WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD MVFR CEILINGS
UNTIL 06Z TUESDAY WITH LOCAL IFR VISIBILITIES IN HEAVIER
RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOWERS. FOR MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION...SEE
TAFS FOR KFAT...KBFL...KMCE FOR DETAILS.

&&

&&

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...FLOOD WARNING FOR THE CENTRAL
        AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...ADJACENT SIERRA
        SLOPES BELOW 7000 FEET...AND THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS
        AND DESERTS TODAY.
     ...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA NORTH OF
        KERN COUNTY THROUGH THIS EVENING.
      ...HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND
        THE GRAPEVINE AREA OF THE SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY TODAY.
&&

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

DUDLEY/MV

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 2, 5:00 AM PST, 4 hours before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
500 AM PST MON JAN 2 2006

CAZ089-090-093-094-098-099-031300-
WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT-
500 AM PST MON JAN 2 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...AND THE KERN COUNTY DESERT.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 10 PM PST. PLEASE REFER TO THE
LATEST WEATHER MESSAGE SFOFLWHNX /WGUS46 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. SOME STORMS MAY
PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL...GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...AND FREQUENT
LIGHTNING.

.DAY TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

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.

CAZ091-092-095-031300-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
500 AM PST MON JAN 2 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY...AND THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 10 PM PST. PLEASE REFER TO THE
LATEST SFOFLWHNX /WGUS46 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

A HIGH WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM UNTIL NOON. PLEASE REFER
TO THE LATEST WEATHER MESSAGE SFONPWHNX /WWUS76 KHNX/ FOR FURTHER
DETAILS.

THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. SOME STORMS MAY
PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL...GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...AND FREQUENT
LIGHTNING.

.DAY TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

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.

CAZ096-097-031300-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
500 AM PST MON JAN 2 2006

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 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST. PLEASE REFER TO
THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE SFOWSWHNX /WWUS46 KHNX/ FOR
FURTHER DETAILS.

THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. SOME STORMS MAY
PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL...GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...AND FREQUENT
LIGHTNING.

.DAY TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

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.

TLM

Event by event

2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Indian Wells Vly

When: January 2, 9:00 AM PST to 3:15 PM PST
Where: Indian Wells Vly forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Strong Wind, Se Kern Cty Desert

When: January 2, 11:35 AM PST to 1:50 PM PST
Where: Se Kern Cty Desert forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

What these are

Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings 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: 5491917, 5491916.