Winter Storm and Strong Wind in California, December 21 to 25, 2008

Name: Winter Storm and Strong Wind in California, December 21 to 25, 2008
Start: 2008-12-21T02:55
End: 2008-12-25T22:00
Location: California

December 21 to 25, 2008 · NWS HNX · 13 events in 9 counties and zones

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $128,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 13

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 winter storm arrived in Central California on the 21st, bringing another round of rain and mountain snow to the region. SNOTEL observations in the Southern Sierra Nevada indicated that between one and two feet of snow fell over the higher elevations on the 21st and 22nd. Another storm reached California on Christmas Eve, but there was little (if any) break between the instability showers behind the exiting storm and the arrival of the new system. Snow levels fell below 3000 feet with this storm, with snow falling at Kernville. Gusty winds moved through the region on Christmas Day, with gusts to around 40 mph hitting Hanford around midday. Winds across the valley caused isolated reports of downed powerlines and small trees with peak wind gusts near 50 mph with the cold front.

After this system passed, widespread dense fog did not return for several days. This lack of sky cover, combined with light winds, allowed for good radiational cooling. This resulted in three days of freezing temperatures in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley, although widespread critical temperatures were not reported.

Strong winds also occurred with this storm across the Kern deserts with gusts to near 50 mph common, especially near and below canyons and passes.

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 20, 8:58 PM PST, 5 hours 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 20, 8:58 PM PST, 5 hours 57 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
858 PM PST SAT DEC 20 2008

.DISCUSSION...BANDS OF HIGH CLOUDS AREA NOW SPREADING INTO CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA IN THE WARM SECTOR AHEAD OF THE INCOMING SYSTEM NOW
PUSHING INTO NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA. LATEST MODEL DATA INDICATES THE
CURRENT TIMING OF THE FORECAST OF THE PRECIPITATION FOR SUNDAY
NIGHT LOOKS JUST FINE. LATEST QPF FORECAST STILL SHOWS THE
POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOW IN THE SIERRA ON TRACK THUS NO EVENING
GRID UPDATES ARE NEEDED IN THE SHORT TERM. FORECAST REMAINS
UNSETTLED THIS CHRISTMAS WEEK AS MODELS KEEP THE AREA UNDER AN
ACTIVE NORTHWEST FLOW AND THE CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY
FORECAST LOOKS WET. MIDNIGHT SHIFT MAY NEED TO UPGRADE THE WATCH
TO A WARNING FOR THE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY SYSTEM.

&&

.AVIATION...EXPECT AREAS OF MVFR VISIBILITIES IN HAZE OVER THE
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY WITH LOCAL IFR IN MIST THROUGH 20Z SUNDAY.
MVFR CONDITIONS SPREADING IN FROM THE NORTH IN RAIN AND HIGH
ELEVATION SNOW AFTER 20Z SUNDAY. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS WILL
PREVAIL OVER THE KERN COUNTY DESERT THROUGH 06Z MONDAY.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
NONE

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER STORM WATCH FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH MONDAY EVENING
FOR CAZ096-097.

&&

PUBLIC...DUDLEY
AVN/FW...DCH

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 20, 4:03 AM PST, 22 hours 52 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
403 AM PST SAT DEC 20 2008

CAZ096-097-211200-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
403 AM PST SAT DEC 20 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF
THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH MONDAY
EVENING FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA FROM YOSEMITE TO THE KERN COUNTY
LINE. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST /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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Dec 21, 12:12 AM PST, 2 hours 43 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
1212 AM PST SUN DEC 21 2008

CAZ093-211700-
MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
1212 AM PST SUN DEC 21 2008

...HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE IN THE TELEGRAPH FIRE BURN AREA SUNDAY
NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...

LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE WITH AN APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM
TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. FLASH FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR THE
TELEGRAPH FIRE BURN AREA. DEBRIS AND MUD FLOWS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN
THE MARIPOSA AREA ON MONDAY AS THE WEATHER SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH.

CAZ095-211700-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
1212 AM PST SUN DEC 21 2008

...HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE OVER THE KERN MOUNTAINS MONDAY...

LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE WITH AN APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM ON
MONDAY. FLASH FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR THE PIUTE BURN AREA.
DEBRIS AND MUD FLOWS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE LAKE ISABELLA AREA
ON MONDAY OR MONDAY NIGHT AS THE WEATHER SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH.

IN ADDITION...LIGHT SNOW IS POSSIBLE ABOVE 7000 FEET...HOWEVER SNOW
LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO LOWER TO AROUND 5000 FEET BY MONDAY
EVENING. THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BE ALL IN THE FORM OF
RAIN OVER INTERSTATE 5 THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE AREA AND ALONG
HIGHWAY 58 THROUGH THE TEHACHAPI AREA AT THIS TIME.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET...OR
YOUR FAVORITE NEWS SOURCE...FOR UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION.

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Event by event

8 strong wind, 5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Indian Wells Vly

When: December 21, 2:55 AM PST to December 22, 9:00 PM PST
Where: Indian Wells Vly forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Se Kern Cty Desert

When: December 21, 2:55 AM PST to December 22, 9:00 PM PST
Where: Se Kern Cty Desert forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Storm, S Sierra Mtns

When: December 21, 4:00 PM PST to December 22, 1:45 PM PST
Where: S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm, Tulare Cty Mtns

When: December 21, 4:00 PM PST to December 22, 1:45 PM PST
Where: Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm, Kern Cty Mtns

When: December 24, 6:00 PM PST to December 25, 8:00 PM PST
Where: Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm, S Sierra Mtns

When: December 24, 6:00 PM PST to December 25, 8:00 PM PST
Where: S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm, Tulare Cty Mtns

When: December 24, 6:00 PM PST to December 25, 8:00 PM PST
Where: Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Strong Wind, W Central S.J. Valley

When: December 25, 1:00 PM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where: W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, E Central S.J. Valley

When: December 25, 1:00 PM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where: E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Sw S.J. Valley

When: December 25, 1:00 PM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where: Sw S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Se S.J. Valley

When: December 25, 1:00 PM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where: Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Indian Wells Vly

When: December 25, 1:00 PM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where: Indian Wells Vly forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Se Kern Cty Desert

When: December 25, 1:00 PM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where: Se Kern Cty Desert forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Mesonet

What these are

Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
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

Every storm in California in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings 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: 147610, 147611, 147608, 147609, 147612, 147613, 147614, 147615, 147617, 147618, 147619, 147620, 147621.