Strong Wind, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- December 13, 4:00 AM PST to December 14, 3:00 AM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Measured
- 46 kt (53 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $500
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Winter Storm and Strong Wind in California, December 13 to 16, 2008
The weather pattern changed on December 12th, as a series of upper-level troughs began moving through the central California interior. These troughs brought several days of precipitation to the region, as well as a push of unseasonably cold air.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $2,000
- 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 weather pattern changed on December 12th, as a series of upper-level troughs began moving through the central California interior. These troughs brought several days of precipitation to the region, as well as a push of unseasonably cold air. The first storm brought up to an inch of rain to the central and southern San Joaquin Valley, and heavy snow to the Southern Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Mountains. Wofford Heights, near the southern end of the Sierra Nevada received a foot of new snow on December 15th, as did Camp Nelson, further north in Tulare County. 1648 PST: Ponderosa Basin 18 inches of snow so far. Locations in the higher terrain saw very high snowfall totals with this storm. Between 2 to 4 feet of snow fell at locations such as Tenaya Lake, Poison Ridge, Lower Kibbie Ridge, Pascoes, Wet Meadows, and Casa Vieja Meadows. Despite the low snow levels, little snow fell in the Sierra Nevada foothills. This storm also brought strong winds to the Kern Mountains and the Deserts with peak wind gusts reported between 50 to 55 mph.
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 Dec 12, 9:55 PM PST, 6 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 12, 9:55 PM PST, 6 hours 5 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 955 PM PST FRI DEC 12 2008 .UPDATE...AMENDED SJ VLY ZONES FOR DENSE FOG TONIGHT. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY LAUNCHED FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS FOR SATURDAY EVE THROUGH SUNDAY. HIGH WIND WATCH CANCELLED IN THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERT AND REPLACED WITH A WIND ADVISORY SATURDAY. MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO MIN TEMPS IN THE SJ VLY MADE THROUGH DAY 7. && .DISCUSSION...AS FEARED...THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH THAT MOVED THROUGH THE CENTRAL CA INTERIOR TODAY WAS TOO WEAK TO SCOUR LOW LEVEL MOISTURE OUT OF THE SJ VLY. CONSEQUENTLY...THE FORMATION OF DENSE FOG HAS RECURRED THIS EVENING AND IS MOST PREVALENT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SJ VLY FROM DELANO NORTHWARD AT THIS TIME. MEANWHILE...THE NEXT COLD FRONT IS MOVING INTO NORTHERN CA AND WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD ACROSS OUR CWA LATER SATURDAY MORNING. UNTIL THE COLD FRONT ARRIVES...FOG WILL BE STUBBORN TO LIFT IN THE SJ VLY. BLUSTERY WINDS IN THE WAKE OF THIS FRONT WILL BRING A MUCH COLDER AIRMASS INTO THE CENTRAL CA INTERIOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. STRONG WINDS WILL BUFFET THE SIERRA CREST AS WELL AS THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERT. HOWEVER...THE LATEST MOS GUIDANCE HAS SCALED BACK ON WIND SPEEDS IN KERN COUNTY AND IT WAS FELT THAT SUSTAINED SPEEDS IN MOST AREAS WILL REMAIN BELOW 40 MPH. OF COURSE...THE NORMALLY WINDIEST LOCALES JUST BELOW THE MOUNTAIN PASSES COULD RECEIVE WIND GUSTS TO 65 MPH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. PRECIPITATION WILL BE RATHER LIGHT JUST BEHIND THE COLD FRONT SATURDAY. HOWEVER...IN THE UPSLOPE AREAS OF THE MOUNTAINS... INCLUDING THE TEHACHAPIS...THERE IS A THREAT OF FROZEN PRECIP IN AREAS THAT RARELY GET SNOW AS THE COLD AIR IS POURING INTO THE DISTRICT SATURDAY EVENING AND SUNDAY. THIS WOULD INCLUDE INTERSTATE 5 OVER THE GRAPEVINE AND FOOTHILL LOCATIONS ABOVE 1500 FEET. (PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WSWHNX AND SPSHNX FOR DETAILS) A MORE SIGNIFICANT PRECIP EVENT IS LIKELY TO OCCUR SUNDAY EVENING INTO MONDAY AS A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES INTO THE CWA ON A BRISK NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. HENCE...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES MAY BE NECESSARY FOR THE SIERRA FOOTHILLS AND MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED FOR THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS DURING THIS TIME. THIS COULD BE A PROLONGED WINTER TRAVEL PROBLEM FOR THE GRAPEVINE AND OTHER LOW ELEVATIONS. IT WOULD NOT BE A SURPRISE IF HEAVIER RAIN SHOWERS IN THE SJ VLY BECOME MIXED WITH SNOW SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. AND IN THE KERN CO DESERT...THE FIRST ACCUMULATING SNOW OF THE SEASON COULD ALSO OCCUR SUNDAY NIGHT...ESP OVER THE HIGHER RIDGES. THE MODELS FORECAST A CONTINUATION OF CHILLY AND UNSETTLED WEATHER ACROSS THE CWA THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY MORNING BUT SHOW DIFFERING SOLUTIONS THEREAFTER. FOR EXAMPLE...THE GFS MOVES THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH EASTWARD INTO THE GREAT BASIN BY WED AFTN WITH SUBSEQUENT WEAK RIDGING BEHIND IT FROM WED NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY PERHAPS GIVING US A BREAK FROM WET WEATHER. THE EURO IS MUCH SLOWER AND DOES NOT MOVE THE TROUGH INTO THE GREAT BASIN UNTIL THURSDAY AFTERNOON. BOTH MODELS BRING ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL TROUGH INTO THE PAC NW ON FRIDAY BUT IT APPEARS AS THOUGH ANY PRECIP FROM THIS SYSTEM SHOULD REMAIN TO OUR NORTH UNTIL FRIDAY NIGHT OR SATURDAY. && .AVIATION...WIDESPREAD IFR/LIFR DUE TO FOG IN THE SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THROUGH 19Z SATURDAY FROM KHJO AND KVIS TO KDLO. OTHERWISE WIDESPREAD MVFR IN THE CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY DUE TO VISIBILITIES/CEILINGS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY WITH LOCAL IFR IN FOG THROUGH 19Z SATURDAY. VFR CONDITIONS IN MTN AREAS UNTIL 12Z SATURDAY...THEN TURNING TO MVFR CONDITIONS DUE TO CIGS IN PRECIP THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY. DESERT AREAS IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR CAN EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY WITH SOME MID AND HIGH CLOUDS. IN ADDITION...GUSTY WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED AFTER 18Z SATURDAY OVER THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS THROUGH 02Z SUNDAY. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... NONE && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 PM SATURDAY TO 4 PM PST SUNDAY FOR CAZ095. WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM PST SATURDAY FOR CAZ095-098-099. DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM PST SATURDAY FOR CAZ091-092. && PUBLIC...DURFEE AVN/FW...SANGER WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 13, 3:42 AM PST, 18 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 342 AM PST SAT DEC 13 2008 CAZ091-092-141200- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- 342 AM PST SAT DEC 13 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A DENSE FOG ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION WARNING ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD CAZ095-141200- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 342 AM PST SAT DEC 13 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM TODAY TO 4 PM PST SUNDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER STORM WARNING ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS46 KHNX/ OR /SFOWSWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM PST TODAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NON PRECIPITABLE WARNING ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM SUNDAY. AFTER 4 PM SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD CAZ098-099-141200- INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT- 342 AM PST SAT DEC 13 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY DESERTS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NON PRECIPITABLE WARNING ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. TLM WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Dec 12, 10:30 PM PST, 5 hours 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 1030 PM PST FRI DEC 12 2008 CAZ089>092-131830- WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- 1030 PM PST FRI DEC 12 2008 ...COLDER AND UNSETTLED WEATHER FOR INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK... INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL TRANSITION INTO A WET AND WINTRY WEATHER PATTERN THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK AS A SERIES OF COLD WEATHER SYSTEMS FROM ALASKA AND NORTHERN CANADA DROP SOUTH INTO THE REGION. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA SATURDAY AND BEGIN TO USHER IN SIGNIFICANTLY COLDER AIR. THE PRECIPITATION WITH THIS FIRST FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY LIGHT IN THE VALLEY. BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONT SATURDAY. THE STRONGER WINDS WILL BE CONFINED MAINLY TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY. NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH WITH LOCAL GUSTS TO 45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE INTERSTATE 5 CORRIDOR. PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY...WITH LITTLE BREAK BETWEEN THE FIRST STORM AND THE NEXT. A WETTER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY BRINGING MORE SIGNIFICANT RAIN TO THE VALLEY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE STILL UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME...HOWEVER MEASURABLE RAIN IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE VALLEY SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. LONGER RANGE FORECAST MODELS INDICATE INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL REMAIN IN THIS COLDER UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. PERSONS PLANNING TRAVEL THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK SHOULD CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION PRIOR TO DEPARTING. CAZ093-094-131830- MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS- TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS- 1030 PM PST FRI DEC 12 2008 ...COLDER AND UNSETTLED WEATHER FOR INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK... INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL TRANSITION INTO A WET AND WINTRY WEATHER PATTERN THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK AS A SERIES OF COLD WEATHER SYSTEMS FROM ALASKA AND NORTHERN CANADA DROP SOUTH INTO THE REGION. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA SATURDAY AND BEGIN TO USHER IN SIGNIFICANTLY COLDER AIR. THE MAIN PRECIPITATION WITH THIS FIRST FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY LIGHT. BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT SATURDAY. A GENERALLY LIGHT DUSTING OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE IN FOOTHILLS SATURDAY NIGHT WITH SNOW LEVELS LOWERING TO AROUND 1500 FEET. LOCAL ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO AN INCH OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGHER FOOTHILLS. PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY...WITH LITTLE BREAK BETWEEN THE FIRST STORM AND THE NEXT. ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 4 INCHES NEAR MARIPOSA TO AN INCH IN THE TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS. A WETTER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY BRINGING MORE SIGNIFICANT SNOW TO THE FOOTHILLS. SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN AROUND 1500 FEET. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME...BUT SEVERAL INCHES ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY IN THE FOOTHILLS. LONGER RANGE FORECAST MODELS INDICATE INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL REMAIN IN THIS COLDER UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. PERSONS PLANNING TRAVEL INTO THE FOOTHILLS THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK SHOULD CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION PRIOR TO DEPARTING. CAZ096-097-131830- SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 1030 PM PST FRI DEC 12 2008 ...COLDER AND UNSETTLED WEATHER FOR INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK... INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL TRANSITION INTO A WET AND WINTRY WEATHER PATTERN THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK AS A SERIES OF COLD WEATHER SYSTEMS FROM ALASKA AND NORTHERN CANADA DROP SOUTH INTO THE REGION. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA SATURDAY AND BEGIN TO USHER IN SIGNIFICANTLY COLDER AIR. THE MAIN PRECIPITATION WITH THIS FIRST FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY LIGHT. BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONT SATURDAY. A FEW INCHES OF SNOW ARE POSSIBLE IN SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA ON SATURDAY NIGHT. PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY...WITH LITTLE BREAK BETWEEN THE FIRST STORM AND THE NEXT. ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 3 TO 4 INCHES NEAR YOSEMITE TO AROUND AN INCH IN THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS. A WETTER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY BRINGING MORE SIGNIFICANT SNOW TO THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA. SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN AROUND 1500 TO 2500 FEET. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME...BUT 1 TO 2 FEET OF SNOW ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY IN THE MOUNTAINS. LONGER RANGE FORECAST MODELS INDICATE INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL REMAIN IN THIS COLDER UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. PERSONS PLANNING TRAVEL INTO THE FOOTHILLS THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK SHOULD CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION PRIOR TO DEPARTING. CAZ095-131830- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 1030 PM PST FRI DEC 12 2008 ...COLDER AND UNSETTLED WEATHER FOR INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK... INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL TRANSITION INTO A WET AND WINTRY WEATHER PATTERN THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK AS A SERIES OF COLD WEATHER SYSTEMS FROM ALASKA AND NORTHERN CANADA DROP SOUTH INTO THE REGION. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS SATURDAY NIGHT AND BEGIN TO USHER IN SIGNIFICANTLY COLDER AIR. THE MAIN PRECIPITATION WITH THIS FIRST FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY LIGHT. VERY WINDY CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT SATURDAY. WINDS WILL BE NORTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH. LOCAL GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE RIDGES AND THROUGH THE PASSES. SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL FROM 5000 FEET SATURDAY EVENING TO 2500 FEET SUNDAY MORNING. PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY...WITH LITTLE BREAK BETWEEN THE FIRST STORM AND THE NEXT. SNOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN AROUND 2500 FEET...WELL BELOW THE PASS LEVELS. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH SUNDAY OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE AT 2500 FEET...WITH 4 TO 6 INCHES AT 5000 FEET. SNOW WILL BEGIN FALLING ON THE GRAPEVINE AND TEHACHAPI PASS BY SATURDAY EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY. UP TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW COULD FALL ON THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF INTERSTATE 5 AND HIGHWAY 58...IMPACTING TRAVEL THROUGH THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS. A WETTER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY BRINGING MORE SIGNIFICANT SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS. SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO LOWER TO AROUND 3000 FEET. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME...BUT SEVERAL INCHES ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY IN THE MOUNTAINS. LONGER RANGE FORECAST MODELS INDICATE INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL REMAIN IN THIS COLDER UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. PERSONS PLANNING TRAVEL INTO THE FOOTHILLS THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK SHOULD CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION PRIOR TO DEPARTING. CAZ098-099-131830- INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT- 1030 PM PST FRI DEC 12 2008 ...COLDER AND UNSETTLED WEATHER FOR INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK... INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL TRANSITION INTO A WET AND WINTRY WEATHER PATTERN THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK AS A SERIES OF COLD WEATHER SYSTEMS FROM ALASKA AND NORTHERN CANADA DROP SOUTH INTO THE REGION. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE KERN COUNTY DESERT SATURDAY NIGHT AND BEGIN TO USHER IN SIGNIFICANTLY COLDER AIR. THE PRECIPITATION WITH THIS FIRST FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY LIGHT IN THE DESERT. VERY WINDY CONDITIONS DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT SATURDAY. WINDS WILL BE NORTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH. LOCAL GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE BELOW THE PASSES. A WETTER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY BRINGING MORE SIGNIFICANT RAIN TO THE DESERT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE STILL UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME...HOWEVER MEASURABLE RAIN IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE DESERT SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL TO AROUND 3000 FEET...WITH A DUSTING OF SNOW ON THE EL PASO MOUNTAINS AND THE HIGHER DESERT TERRAIN. LONGER RANGE FORECAST MODELS INDICATE INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL REMAIN IN THIS COLDER UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. PERSONS PLANNING TRAVEL THIS WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK SHOULD CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION PRIOR TO DEPARTING. WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
Event by event
3 strong wind, 3 winter storm, 2 frost/freeze. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong Wind, Indian Wells Vly
- When
- December 13, 4:00 AM PST to December 14, 3:00 AM PST
- Where
- Indian Wells Vly forecast zone
- Measured
- 46 kt (53 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $500
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Strong Wind, Se Kern Cty Desert
- When
- December 13, 4:00 AM PST to December 14, 3:00 AM PST
- Where
- Se Kern Cty Desert forecast zone
- Measured
- 46 kt (53 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $500
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Frost/Freeze, W Central S.J. Valley
- When
- December 14, 4:00 AM PST to 8:00 AM PST
- Where
- W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- ASOS
Frost/Freeze, E Central S.J. Valley
- When
- December 14, 4:00 AM PST to 8:00 AM PST
- Where
- E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- ASOS
Winter Storm, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- December 14, 8:24 PM PST to December 16, 4:00 AM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Winter Storm, S Sierra Mtns
- When
- December 14, 10:43 PM PST to December 16, 4:00 AM PST
- Where
- S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Winter Storm, Tulare Cty Mtns
- When
- December 14, 10:43 PM PST to December 16, 4:00 AM PST
- Where
- Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
What these are
- Strong Wind
- Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
- Frost/Freeze
- Frost or temperatures at or below freezing during the growing season, usually filed for crop damage.
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flooding and Winter Storm in California, December 13 to 17, 2008
- High Wind in Missouri, December 13, 2008
- Debris Flow and Flooding in Puerto Rico, December 13, 2008
- High Wind in Kansas, December 13, 2008
- Blizzard in North Dakota, December 13 to 14, 2008
- Blizzard in South Dakota, December 13 to 15, 2008
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Montana, December 13 to 14, 2008
- High Wind in Texas, December 13 to 14, 2008
- Blizzard in North Dakota, December 13 to 15, 2008
- Blizzard in South Dakota, December 13 to 14, 2008
- Extreme Cold in Montana, December 13 to 15, 2008
- Blizzard in Minnesota, December 13 to 15, 2008
More
Every storm in California in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2008
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: 147592, 147593, 147594, 147598, 147599, 147595, 147596, 147597.