Winter Storm and Winter Weather in California, March 2 to 3, 2006

Name: Winter Storm and Winter Weather in California, March 2 to 3, 2006
Start: 2006-03-02T21:00
End: 2006-03-03T16:00
Location: California

March 2 to 3, 2006 · NWS HNX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Another major winter weather system struck Interior Central California the night of the 2nd and early on the 3rd. Sierra Nevada received substantial new snow amounts: 45" at Paradise Meadow; 42" at Lower Kibbie Ridge; 38" at Tamarack Summit; 36" at Gin Flat; 35" at Chilkoot Meadow; and Kaiser Point had 30".

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
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.

Another major winter weather system struck Interior Central California the night of the 2nd and early on the 3rd. The S.Sierra Nevada received substantial new snow amounts: 45" at Paradise Meadow; 42" at Lower Kibbie Ridge; 38" at Tamarack Summit; 36" at Gin Flat; 35" at Chilkoot Meadow; and Kaiser Point had 30". The Tulare County Mountains received: 26" at big Meadows and Grant Grove; and 18" at Beach Meadows. Snow fell to relatively low levels during the event: 10" at Lush Meadows and 2" at Coarsegold in the S. Sierra Nevada Foothills; Springville had 2" in the Tulare County Foothills; and 4" fell at Bear Valley Springs in the Tehachapi Mountains. Low snow levels (down to 1500 feet M.S.L.) occurred with this system throughout Interior Central California. In the Mariposa area of the S.Sierra Nevada foothills at the 2,900 foot M.S.L. elevation had 28" of snowfall for the period of Feb 18th to March 12th. The snowfall on the 3rd led to downed tree limbs and 20 locations of power line damage throughout the Mariposa area.

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 Mar 2, 2:30 PM PST, 6 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 2, 2:30 PM PST, 6 hours 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
230 PM PST THU MAR 2 2006

.SHORT TERM...SATELLITE AND SURFACE ANALYSIS FINALLY HAS THE COLD
FRONT ADVANCING THROUGH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DOWN TO KERN COUNTY THIS
AFTERNOON. THE PRECIP REMAINED MOSTLY NORTH OF KERN COUNTY TODAY
WITH A FEW SHOWERS ATTEMPTING TO CROSS INTO THE LOST HILLS THIS
AFTERNOON. MODELS STILL SHOW THIS FRONTAL BAND WEAKENING AS IT MOVES
FURTHER SOUTHEASTWARD...SO WILL NOT EXPECT MUCH IN THE WAY OF PRECIP
FOR THE KERN DESERTS UNTIL FRIDAY. CURRENTLY...SATELLITE IMAGERY
SHOWS THE BACK EDGE OF THE FRONTAL BAND WELL ONSHORE WITH THE COLD
POOL OF AIR RIGHT BEHIND IT. WHILE SOME GENERAL CLEARING WILL OCCUR
OVER PARTS OF THE DISTRICT THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...THE
BRIEF BREAK IN THE PRECIP WILL POSSIBLY END LATER IN THE EVENING AS
A SECONDARY LOW BEGINS TO INFLUENCE THE REGION. MODELS INDICATE THIS
SECONDARY LOW TO BE A STRONGER ONE AND WAS CURRENTLY DEVELOPING
AROUND 130W/40N. UPPER AIR ANALYSIS THIS TO A COLD CORE LOW WITH
500MB TEMPERATURES BELOW -30 DEG-C. IN ADDITION...A +100KTS JET MAX
WAS DRIVING THE LOW INTO THE BASE OF THE TROUGH AND WILL STEER IT
TOWARD CENTRAL CALIFORNIA TONIGHT. CURRENT TIMING WILL HAVE THIS
SECONDARY LOW REACHING CENTRAL CALIFORNIA TONIGHT. AT WHICH TIME...
PRECIP AND COLD AIR WILL SURGE THROUGH THE REGION AND ALLOW SNOW
LEVELS TO DROP OVERNIGHT. MODEL 700MB TEMP/S AND 1000-500MB
THICKNESS WERE IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN INDICATING VERY LOW SNOW
LEVELS. SNOW FALL MAY OCCUR ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS BY DAYBREAK AND
REACH THE 2500-3000 FOOT LEVEL. YET...THE DURATION OF SNOW IN THE
FOOTHILLS WILL BE SHORT ENOUGH TO ONLY ALLOW FOR LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS.
MOREOVER...THIS STORM WILL BRING THE THREAT OF HEAVY SNOW TO THE
SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AT AND ABOVE 5000 FEET. MODELS SHOW
IMPRESSIVE 700MB OMEGAS AND 250MB DIVERGENCE OVER THE NORTHERN HALF
OF THE DISTRICT FROM MERCED TO FRESNO COUNTIES AND UP TO YOSEMITE
START IN THE EARLY EVENING. THEREFORE...WILL ALLOW THE WINTER STORM
WARNING TO REMAIN IN EFFECT STARTING AROUND 800 PM. IN
ADDITION...SNOW MAY ALSO REACH THE GRAPEVINE OVERNIGHT WITH
A FEW INCHES POSSIBLE AT THE PASS LEVEL. WILL ISSUE A SNOW ADVISORY
FOR THE KERN MOUNTAINS...FOR POSSIBLE SNOW ACCUMULATION ON
INTERSTATE-5....ALONG WITH UPDATING THE WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE
SIERRA NEVADA AND SNOW ADVISORY FOR THE FOOTHILLS. THIS UNSETTLED
WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY BEFORE CONDITIONS
SETTLE DOWN ON SATURDAY. WILL SEE A COOLING TREND IN TEMPERATURES AS
A COLD AIRMASS MOVES INTO THE REGION. FURTHERMORE...OTHER THEN
LOCALLY STRONG FRONTAL WINDS...MODELS DO NOT TIGHTEN SURFACE
PRESSURE GRADIENTS FROM SFO TO LAS DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
THEREFORE SHORT TERM WINDS WILL NO BE A FACTOR IN THE WEATHER ON
FRIDAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND.

.LONG TERM...FOR SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...MEDIUM RANGE
MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT IN BRINGING A COLD UPPER TROUGH AND
ASSOCIATED DEEP MOISTURE AND DYNAMICS INTO CENTRAL CA BY SUNDAY
NIGHT. THE GFS IS MUCH DEEPER WITH THIS SYSTEM THAN THE OTHER MODELS
AND WILL BE DISREGARDED SINCE THE OTHER MODELS ALL INDICATE SOME
SPLITTING WILL TAKE PLACE WITH THIS SYSTEM BEFORE IT REACHES THE CA
COAST...WHICH IS MORE IN LINE WITH THE NAM EXTENSION. REGARDLESS
THIS SYSTEM WILL SPREAD ENOUGH MOISTURE AND DYNAMICS INTO CENTRAL CA
FOR A CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION ACROSS ALL OF OUR CWFA SUNDAY NIGHT
AND MONDAY. THE PRECIPITATION WILL TURN MORE SHOWERY BY TUESDAY AS
THE MAIN TROUGH AXIS AND UPPER COLD POOL CROSS CA. SHORTWAVE RIDGING
ON WEDNESDAY WILL BRING A BRIEF RESPITE ON WEDNESDAY WITH DRY
WEATHER PREVAILING. HOWEVER...THE MODELS ARE COMING INTO BETTER
AGREEMENT THAT ANOTHER COLD TROUGH WILL SPREAD MOISTURE INTO OUR
AREA ON THURSDAY AND HAVE INTRODUCED A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
PRECIPITATION FOR THE ENTIRE CWFA FOR THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL
DROP TO BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS BY TUESDAY WITH RECOVERY NOT EXPECTED
BY THE END OF THE PERIOD AS HEIGHTS AND THICKNESSES CONTINUE TO
DECREASE.

&&

.AVIATION...MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY
IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND KERN DESERTS WITH
AREAS OF MVFR CEILINGS POSSIBLE IN SHOWERS. AREAS OF MVFR AND IFR
CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND
TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY AS A RESULT OF MOUNTAIN
OBSCURATIONS AND LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS. FOR MORE SPECIFIC
INFORMATION...PLEASE REFER TO TAFS FOR KMCE...KFAT AND KBFL.

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE
     SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE PARK TO THE KERN
     COUNTY LINE TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.
  ...SNOW ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FOOTHILLS AND
     KERN MOUNTAINS TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.

&&

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

MOLINA/DS

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 2, 8:00 PM PST, 1 hour before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
800 PM PST THU MAR 2 2006

CAZ096-097-031300-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
800 PM PST THU MAR 2 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA
FROM YOSEMITE TO THE KERN COUNTY LINE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 4 PM PST FRIDAY. PLEASE
REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE /WWUS46 KHNX...SFOWSWHNX/
FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THE WINTER STORM WARNING WILL CONTINUE UNTIL 4 PM PST FRIDAY.

AFTER 4 PM FRIDAY...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>092-031300-
WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
800 PM PST THU MAR 2 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE FOR ISOLATED AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY.

OTHERWISE...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.

CAZ093>095-031300-
MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
800 PM PST THU MAR 2 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SIERRA NEVADA FOOTHILLS
AND THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

A SNOW ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM THROUGH 4 PM PST FRIDAY. PLEASE
REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE /WWUS46 KHNX ...SFOWSWHNX/
FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THE SNOW ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST FRIDAY.

AFTER 4 PM PST FRIDAY...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.

CAZ098-099-031300-
INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT-
800 PM PST THU MAR 2 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY DESERT.

.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 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

MYERS

Event by event

3 winter weather, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, S Sierra Mtns

When: March 2, 9:00 PM PST to March 3, 4:00 PM PST
Where: S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Winter Weather, S Sierra Foothills

When: March 2, 9:00 PM PST to March 3, 4:00 PM PST
Where: S Sierra Foothills forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Winter Storm, Tulare Cty Mtns

When: March 2, 10:00 PM PST to March 3, 4:00 PM PST
Where: Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Winter Weather, Tulare Cty Foothills

When: March 2, 10:00 PM PST to March 3, 4:00 PM PST
Where: Tulare Cty Foothills forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Weather, Kern Cty Mtns

When: March 3, 9:45 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
Where: Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, 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, March 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: 5496216, 5496218, 5496217, 5496219, 5496220.