California, 2007

Heavy Snow and Strong Wind in California, April 15 to 18, 2007

April 15 to 18, 2007 · NWS HNX · 8 events in 7 counties and zones

The next in a series of Pacific storm systems brought strong winds gusted as high as 56 mph to the Kern County Mountains and Desert from the afternoon of the 17th to the afternoon of the 18th. Strong winds gusted as high as 47 mph also accompanied a dry frontal passage across the Central and Southern San Joaquin Valley during the evening of the 17th.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$7,000
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.

The next in a series of Pacific storm systems brought strong winds gusted as high as 56 mph to the Kern County Mountains and Desert from the afternoon of the 17th to the afternoon of the 18th. Strong winds gusted as high as 47 mph also accompanied a dry frontal passage across the Central and Southern San Joaquin Valley during the evening of the 17th. Heavy rain and snow fell in the Kern County mountains, with 9 inches of new snow falling at Bear Valley Springs and up to 8 inches at Alpine Forest (near Tehachapi).

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 15, 8:47 AM PST, 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 15, 8:47 AM PST, 4 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 14, 1:09 PM PST, 19 hours 42 minutes before
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Event by event

7 strong wind, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Kern Cty Mtns

When
April 15, 8:51 AM PST to 1:00 PM PST
Where
Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Strong Wind, Kern Cty Mtns

When
April 17, 2:00 PM PST to April 18, 2:00 PM PST
Where
Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Measured
49 kt (56 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
Mesonet

Strong Wind, Indian Wells Vly

When
April 17, 2:00 PM PST to April 18, 2:00 PM PST
Where
Indian Wells Vly forecast zone
Measured
43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
Mesonet

Strong Wind, Se Kern Cty Desert

When
April 17, 2:00 PM PST to April 18, 2:00 PM PST
Where
Se Kern Cty Desert forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
Mesonet

Strong Wind, W Central S.J. Valley

When
April 17, 4:00 PM PST to 9:00 PM PST
Where
W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured
32 kt (37 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
Mesonet

Strong Wind, E Central S.J. Valley

When
April 17, 4:00 PM PST to 9:00 PM PST
Where
E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured
35 kt (40 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
ASOS

Strong Wind, Sw S.J. Valley

When
April 17, 4:00 PM PST to 9:00 PM PST
Where
Sw S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured
41 kt (47 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
ASOS

Strong Wind, Se S.J. Valley

When
April 17, 4:00 PM PST to 9:00 PM PST
Where
Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured
33 kt (38 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
ASOS

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
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

More

Every storm in California in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2007

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 26846, 19271, 19272, 19273, 19274, 19276, 19277, 19278.