Winter Storm, Se Kern Cty Desert
- When
- December 17, 4:00 AM PST to 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- Se Kern Cty Desert forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Winter Storm and Frost and Freeze in California, December 17 to 18, 2008
Another major winter storm reached the central California Interior during the afternoon of December 16th. This storm dropped south along the coast, and as a result had a stronger impact on the Kern County mountains and desert than on the Sierra Nevada north of Kings Canyon.
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 storm reached the central California Interior during the afternoon of December 16th. This storm dropped south along the coast, and as a result had a stronger impact on the Kern County mountains and desert than on the Sierra Nevada north of Kings Canyon. In the Kern desert, California City had 6 inches of new snow, and Rosamond received 2 inches. In the Kern County mountains, a foot of snow fell at Alpine Mountain. Rain that developed over San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties during the afternoon of the 16th moved into the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, and actually produced light snowfall at Harris Ranch.
As the storm crossed southern California and into Arizona, skies cleared over the central California interior. In the central and southern San Joaquin Valley, temperatures fell into the mid 20s during the morning of December 18th. The lowest temperatures were recorded in Merced and western Fresno Counties, where durations below 28 degrees were as much as 5 hours.
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 17, 3:00 AM PST, 1 hour earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 17, 3:00 AM PST, 1 hour before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 300 AM PST WED DEC 17 2008 .DISCUSSION...A LAYER OF MID-LEVEL CLOUDS PERSISTS OVER THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR. MOISTURE FROM SHOWERS OVER PARTS OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY TUESDAY EVENING HELPED KEEP DEWPOINTS IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S...MITIGATING THE THREAT OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES THIS MORNING. HAVE THEREFORE CANCELED THE FREEZE WARNING FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY FOR THIS MORNING. SATELLITE LOOPS SHOW THE UPPER-LEVEL LOW SOUTHWEST OF POINT CONCEPTION. THE LOW IS IN A POSITION TO SPIN MID-LEVEL MOISTURE NORTHWARD INTO THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS. AT 0844Z...THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED THAT SNOW WAS BEGINNING TO ACCUMULATE ON THE GRAPEVINE. THE 00Z MODELS INDICATE THAT THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS WILL BE THIS MORNING...THEN BEGIN TO TAPER OFF THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WITH A SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT...THERE WILL BE A THREAT OF SHOWERS DRIFTING NORTH FROM THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS INTO THE SOUTH END OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...SO HAVE BUMPED UP POPS THERE AS WELL. WITH FAVORABLE OROGRAPHICS...THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOWFALL OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS INCLUDING THE FRAZIER PARK-PINE MOUNTAIN AREA. LOCAL AMOUNTS OF 1-2 FEET WILL BE POSSIBLE AT 5000 FEET OE HIGHER...SO HAVE UPGRADED THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE KERN MOUNTAINS TO A WINTER STORM WARNING. A FORECAST CONCERN FOR TODAY IS MINIMUM TEMPERATURES IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY TONIGHT. THE CLOUDS OVER THE VALLEY ARE FORECAST TO BEGIN BREAKING UP THIS EVENING. WITH THE COLD AIRMASS BEHIND THE SURFACE FRONT...THE AIR WILL COOL TO NEAR SATURATION WITH FOG DEVELOPMENT. CONDENSATION WILL LOWER THE DEWPOINT...AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE AIR TEMPERATURE...TO NEAR TO A FEW DEGREES BELOW FREEZING. WHILE A FREEZE NOW APPEARS UNLIKELY...THERE IS A BETTER CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD FROST IN THE OUTLYING AREAS. HAVE CANCELLED THE FREEZE WARNING FOR TONIGHT/THURSDAY MORNING AND ISSUED A FROST ADVISORY FROM 04Z-17Z THURSDAY FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. THE UPPER-LEVEL LOW IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TONIGHT...TO OVER EXTREME SOUTHERN NEVADA BY 12Z THURSDAY. THE NEXT UPPER-LEVEL LOW IS FORECAST TO BE OVER VANCOUVER AT THIS TIME...WITH CALIFORNIA UNDER A VERY WEAK SHORT-WAVE RIDGE BETWEEN SYSTEMS. THE TROUGH ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEXT LOW IS FORECAST TO DEEPEN AND DROP INTO CALIFORNIA THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...BRINGING THE NEXT ROUND OF RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW TO THE HANFORD WARNING/FORECAST AREA. THIS TROUGH WILL MOVE EAST OF THE REGION SATURDAY AS YET ANOTHER LOW BEGINS DROPPING OUT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA. THIS LOW IS FORECAST TO OPEN INTO AN UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH THAT MOVES INTO INLAND OVER CALIFORNIA MONDAY...FOLLOWED BY YET ANOTHER TROUGH REACHING CALIFORNIA WEDNESDAY. THIS WILL BRING THE THREAT OF WET WEATHER FOR CHRISTMAS EVE. && .AVIATION...MVFR CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY WITH AREAS OF IFR CEILINGS IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS. LOCAL LIFR IS POSSIBLE WITH FOG FORMATION IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AFTER 06Z THURSDAY. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... NONE. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 8 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS /CAZ095-098-099/. FROST ADVISORY FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM PST THURSDAY FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY /CAZ089>092/. && PUBLIC...SANGER AVN/FW...DURFEE WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 16, 11:36 PM PST, 4 hours 24 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 1136 PM PST TUE DEC 16 2008 CAZ089>092-180745- WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- 1136 PM PST TUE DEC 16 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM PST WEDNESDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION WARNING ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY HANFORD CA /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM WEDNESDAY TO 9 AM PST THURSDAY FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. AGAIN REFER TO THE LATEST /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .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 CAZ095-180745- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 1136 PM PST TUE DEC 16 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 8 PM PST WEDNESDAY FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS... ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY HANFORD CA. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST /WWUS46 KHNX/ OR /SFOWSWHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .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 CAZ098-099-180745- INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT- 1136 PM PST TUE DEC 16 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY DESERTS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE KERN COUNTY DESERTS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 8 PM PST WEDNESDAY. AGAIN PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER STORM WARNING /WWUS46 KHNX/ OR /SFOWSWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .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 PJ
Event by event
3 frost/freeze, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- December 17, 4:00 AM PST to 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Frost/Freeze, W Central S.J. Valley
- When
- December 18, 3:00 AM PST to 9:00 AM PST
- Where
- W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- ASOS
Frost/Freeze, E Central S.J. Valley
- When
- December 18, 3:00 AM PST to 9:00 AM PST
- Where
- E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- ASOS
Frost/Freeze, Sw S.J. Valley
- When
- December 18, 3:00 AM PST to 9:00 AM PST
- Where
- Sw S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- ASOS
What these are
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
- Frost/Freeze
- Frost or temperatures at or below freezing during the growing season, usually filed for crop damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, December 17 to 18, 2008
- Avalanche in Colorado, December 17, 2008
- Heavy Snow in Washington, December 17 to 18, 2008
- Heavy Snow in Nevada, December 17, 2008
- Dense Fog in Louisiana, December 17, 2008
- Winter Weather in Vermont, December 17, 2008
- Winter Weather in New York, December 17, 2008
- Winter Weather in New York, December 17, 2008
- Heavy Snow in Washington, December 17 to 19, 2008
- Heavy Snow in Washington, December 17 to 18, 2008
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Washington, December 17 to 18, 2008
- Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Michigan, December 17 to 20, 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: 147606, 147607, 147601, 147602, 147603.