Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in California, March 26 to 27, 2007

Name: Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in California, March 26 to 27, 2007
Start: 2007-03-26T15:00
End: 2007-03-27T23:00
Location: California

March 26 to 27, 2007 · NWS HNX · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $26,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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.

A cold Pacific storm system dropped out of the Gulf of Alaska into California on the 26th and 27th, with snow levels as low as 2500 feet msl. Over a foot of snow fell on the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada, with 14 inches at Paradise Meadow (elevation 7650 msl). In the San Joaquin Valley, the storm triggered several thunderstorms during the evening of the 26th. Outflow winds from collapsing cells generated gusty winds, resulting in power outages, downed trees, and minor damage to roofs. Tight pressure gradients behind the storm also brought gusty winds to the Kern County Mountains and Desert into the evening of the 27th.

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 26, 1:39 PM PST, 1 hour 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 26, 1:39 PM PST, 1 hour 21 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
239 PM PDT MON MAR 26 2007

.DISCUSSION...A COLD UPPER TROF IS JUST BEGINNING TO MOVE INSIDE
130W THIS AFTERNOON. THE LEADING EDGE PRECIP AHEAD OF THE TROF WAS
ROUGHLY ON A LINE FROM MONTEREY BAY TO TAHOE. AS THE LOW MOVES
EAST INTO CENTRAL CA TONITE...AREAS OF HEAVY SNOW ARE LIKELY FROM
YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS SOUTH. THE STORM
WILL BE ON THE COLD SIDE...AND SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP TO AT LEAST
3500 FEET...IF NOT A LITTLE LOWER. ON TUES...THE CENTER OF THE LOW
WILL MOVE INTO THE GREAT BASIN. HOWEVER CENTRAL CA WILL STILL BE
IN A CYCLONIC FLOW FOR A CONTINUATION OF SHOWERS. STILL AN OUTSIDE
RISK OF AN ISOLATED TSTM. THE UPPER LOW WILL MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL
ROCKIES TUES NITE WITH A DRY NW FLOW ALOFT RETURNING TO CENTRAL
CA. RIDGING WILL BUILD ACROSS THE REGION WED-FRI WITH A WARMING
TREND. A SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE INTO THE PAC NW SAT AND FLATTEN THE
RIDGE SOME. A QUASI-ZONAL FLOW THEN DEVELOPS ACROSS CA SUN AND
MON. THIS WILL BRING TEMPS DOWN A FEW DEGREES...BUT EXPECT TO
WEEKEND TO BE SEVERAL DEGS ABOVE AVERAGE.

&&

.AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL OVER THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
INTERIOR THROUGH SUNSET THIS EVENING. INCREASING CLOUDS WILL
GRADUALLY LOWER THEIR CEILINGS THROUGH MIDNIGHT (07Z). CEILINGS AND
VISIBILITIES WILL LOWER TO MVFR LEVEL WITH AREAS OF IFR IN MODERATE
RAIN AND SNOW ACROSS THE DISTRICT. THESE CONDITION WILL CONTINUE
ACROSS THE AREA OVERNIGHT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY. CONDITIONS WILL
SLOWLY IMPROVE DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY. VFR CONDITIONS CONTINUING
ACROSS THE KERN DESERTS THROUGH THIS EVENING WITH MVFR CONDITIONS
EARLY TUESDAY. FOR SPECIFIC DETAILS...PLEASE REFER TO THE TAFS FOR
KMCE...KFAT AND KBFL AND TWEB ROUTES 421 AND 423.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
NONE

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SNOW ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM PDT TUESDAY FOR
CAZ097.

HEAVY SNOW WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM PDT TUESDAY
FOR CAZ096.

HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM PDT TUESDAY FOR
CAZ095-098-099.

&&

BINGHAM/MOLINA

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 26, 2:29 PM PST, 31 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
329 PM PDT MON MAR 26 2007

CAZ089>092-272230-
WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
329 PM PDT MON MAR 26 2007

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

INSTABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH A STORM SYSTEM WORKING ACROSS CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA TONIGHT WILL ALLOW FOR A CHANCE OF ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS
THAT CAN QUICKLY REDUCE VISIBILITY FOR TRAVELERS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THE THREAT FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY AS THIS
SAME STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES TO AFFECT THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY. THE THREAT FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL DIMINISH BY
TUESDAY EVENING AS ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS BECOME LESS CONDUCIVE
FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP.

OTHERWISE...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.

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

CAZ096-272230-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
329 PM PDT MON MAR 26 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA
FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A HEAVY SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING
AND REMAINS IN EFFECT OVERNIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER
WEATHER MESSAGE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
HANFORD AT /WWUS46 KHNX/ OR /SFOWSWHNX/ FOR DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

A HEAVY SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM PDT TUESDAY. PLEASE
REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS46 KHNX/ OR /SFOWSWHNX/
FOR DETAILS.

OTHERWISE...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.

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

CAZ095-098-099-272230-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-
SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT-
329 PM PDT MON MAR 26 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS
AND DESERTS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING AND
CONTINUES OVERNIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WEATHER MESSAGE ISSUED BY
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR
/SFONPWHNX/ FOR DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PDT TUESDAY.
PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WEATHER MESSAGE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/
FOR DETAILS.

OTHERWISE...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.

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

CAZ097-272230-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
329 PM PDT MON MAR 26 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TULARE COUNTY
MOUNTAINS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A SNOW ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING AND CONTINUES
OVERNIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE ISSUED
BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS46 KHNX/
OR SFOWSWHNX/ FOR DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

A SNOW ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM TUESDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE
LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS46 KHNX/ OR SFOWSWHNX/ FOR
DETAILS.

OTHERWISE...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.

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

STACHELSKI

Event by event

6 strong wind, 1 high wind, 1 winter storm, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Kern Cty Mtns

When: March 26, 3:00 PM PST to March 27, 11:00 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: March 26, 3:00 PM PST to March 27, 11:00 PM PST
Where: Indian Wells Vly forecast zone
Measured: 49 kt (56 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind, Se Kern Cty Desert

When: March 26, 3:00 PM PST to March 27, 11:00 PM PST
Where: Se Kern Cty Desert forecast zone
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: COOP Observer

Winter Storm, S Sierra Mtns

When: March 26, 6:00 PM PST to March 27, 9:00 AM PST
Where: S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Heavy Snow, Tulare Cty Mtns

When: March 26, 6:00 PM PST to March 27, 9:00 AM PST
Where: Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, W Central S.J. Valley

When: March 27, 2:00 PM PST to 6:00 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: March 27, 2:00 PM PST to 6:00 PM PST
Where: E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 33 kt (38 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: ASOS

Strong Wind, Sw S.J. Valley

When: March 27, 2:00 PM PST to 6:00 PM PST
Where: Sw S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $6,000
Reported by: ASOS

Strong Wind, Se S.J. Valley

When: March 27, 2:00 PM PST to 6:00 PM PST
Where: Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: ASOS

What these are

Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in California, March 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 13991, 13993, 13994, 13986, 13988, 13980, 13981, 13982, 13984.