Strong Wind and Frost and Freeze in California, February 13 to 15, 2008

Name: Strong Wind and Frost and Freeze in California, February 13 to 15, 2008
Start: 2008-02-13T12:56
End: 2008-02-15T08:00
Location: California

February 13 to 15, 2008 · NWS HNX · 10 events in 9 counties and zones

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $12,000
Crop damage: $77,000
Events: 10

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 dry cold front moved through California on the 13th. Winds gusted to around 50 mph in the Kern County mountains and deserts on the 13th, with a gust to 76 mph reported by the RAWS above Walker Pass and a gust to 82 mph measured by the Jawbone Canyon RAWS. The winds continued into the morning of the 14th in the high country of the Southern Sierra Nevada, and were observed in the Diablo Range on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley; whitecaps were reported on the San Luis Reservoir on the morning of February 14th.

A cold airmass settled into the San Joaquin Valley behind the cold front, bringing frost to the Valley floor. Low temperatures in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley the morning of February 15th were as low as 28 degrees, and over a dozen stations had lows below 32 degrees.

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 Feb 13, 9:44 AM PST, 3 hours 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 13, 9:44 AM PST, 3 hours 12 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
944 AM PST WED FEB 13 2008

.UPDATE...ADDRESSED EXTENT OF DENSE FOG IN THE VALLEY PORTIONS
OF KINGS AND TULARE COUNTIES THIS MORNING. CLOUDS ADDED TO THE
EAST SIDE AND SOUTH END OF THE SJ VLY...UPSLOPE AREAS OF THE
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND THE SIERRA FTHLS FOR TONIGHT AND
THURSDAY MORNING. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS ADDED TO THE SIERRA
CREST FOR THIS EVENING. REMAINDER OF FORECAST PKG LOOKS FINE.

&&

.DISCUSSION...A COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY SITUATED AROSS NORTHERN CA
AND WILL BRING A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE WEATHER AS IT BARRELS
SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE CENTRAL CA INTERIOR THIS AFTERNOON. PRIOR TO
ITS ARRIVAL...AREAS OF DENSE FOG WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE TRAVEL WOES
UNTIL LATE MORNING IN THE SOUTH VALLEY...MAINLY IN KINGS CO AND
TULARE CO WHERE VISIBILITIES HAVE BEEN AS LOW AS 100 FEET IN SPOTS.
OTHERWISE...CURRENT SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A SUBSTANTIAL AMT OF
HIGH CLOUDS BLANKETING CA. A BAND OF MID CLOUDS IN ASSOCIATION WITH
THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE CWA TODAY AND BE
FOLLOWED BY A STRENGTHENING ONSHORE FLOW AND AN INCREASE IN WINDS
IN MOST AREAS THIS AFTERNOON. THE NW WINDS WILL FINALLY SCOUR FOG
OUT OF THE SJ VLY TODAY BUT ALSO PUSH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE INTO THE
FOOTHILLS AND ALONG THE NORTH AND WEST FACING SLOPES OF THE KERN CO
MTNS BY TONIGHT WHERE THEY WILL PROBABLY LINGER INTO THU MORNING.

ALTHOUGH MOISTURE IS RATHER LIMITED WITH THIS COLD FRONT...
INTERACTION WITH THE UPPER LEVEL JET AND WEAK MID LEVEL MOISTURE
CONVERGENCE COULD INDUCE ISOLATED SHOWERS NEAR THE SIERRA CREST
THIS EVENING NEAR YOSEMITE. THE MODELS FORECAST THE SFO-LAS
GRADIENT TO INCREASE TO ABOUT 14.O MB BY 00Z THURSDAY...SO THIS
WOULD SUPPORT ADVISORY LEVEL WINDS THROUGH AND BELOW THE KERN CO
MTN PASSES THROUGH THIS EVE.

AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL DEEPEN OVER THE GREAT BASIN TONIGHT
THEN SETTLE SOUTHWARD INTO AZ BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON WHILE A STRONG
SFC HIGH BUILDS INTO IDAHO. THIS TYPE OF SET UP MIGHT PRODUCE A
BRIEF MONO WIND EVENT OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERNEV
BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON OR NIGHT. ADDITIONALLY...AS GRADIENTS TREND
STRONGLY OFFSHORE...ANY LOW CLOUDS IN THE SIERRA FTHLS MIGHT GET
PUSHED TOWARD THE WEST SIDE OF THE SJ VLY. THIS COULD MESS UP AN
OTHERWISE SUNNY FORECAST IN THE VALLEY FOR THURSDAY AND COULD ALSO
BRING A CONTINUATION OF LOCALLY GUSTY WINDS ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF
THE SJ VLY THU AFTN AS THE 300 MB JET NOSES ITS WAY DOWN ALONG THE
WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THE CLOSED LOW OVER THE GREAT BASIN. MORE
IMPORTANTLY...A MUCH COOLER AIRMASS WILL MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL CA
INTERIOR DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND IT WILL BE NOTICEABLY
DRIER IN THE SJ VLY. MAX TEMPS WILL BE MUCH CLOSER TO NORMAL...TOO...
ESPECIALLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN.

A WARMING TREND WILL BEGIN FRIDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE
WEEKEND AS AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS INTO CA FROM THE EASTERN
PACIFIC. THE MEDIUM RANGE MODELS FORECAST A MORE PROGRESSIVE PATTERN
EVOLVING THEREAFTER WITH WEAK SHORT WAVE TROUGHS MOVING ACROSS
CA MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY. BOTH OF THESE SYSTEMS ARE LIMITED ON
MOISTURE...SO EXPECT A CONTIUATION OF DRY WEATHER IN THE EXTENDED
PERIODS.

&&

.AVIATION...IFR WITH LOCAL LIFR IN FOG IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THROUGH 19Z WEDNESDAY...THEN VFR WITH AREAS
MVFR IN HAZE. IN THE MOUNTAINS AND KERN COUNTY DESERTS...VFR
CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
THE VALLEY AIR DISTRICT HAS ISSUED THE FOLLOWING FIREPLACE/WOOD
STOVE BURNING DECLARATION FOR WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 13 2008. WOOD
BURNING IS DISCOURAGED IN KERN COUNTY.

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR
CAZ095-098-099.

&&

PUBLIC...DURFEE
AVIATION/FIRE WEATHER...MV

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 13, 4:05 AM PST, 8 hours 51 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
405 AM PST WED FEB 13 2008

CAZ095-098-099-141215-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-
SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT-
405 AM PST WED FEB 13 2008

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM NOON TODAY TO 10 PM PST THIS
EVENING FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS OF KERN COUNTY. FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION PLEASE SEE THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION WARNING
/WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/ FOR DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

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

PEJ

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 13, 8:07 AM PST, 4 hours 49 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
807 AM PST WED FEB 13 2008

CAZ089>092-131915-
WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
807 AM PST WED FEB 13 2008

...AREAS OF DENSE FOG THIS MORNING...

DENSE FOG HAS ONCE AGAIN FORMED ACROSS AREAS OF THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THIS MORNING. THE MAIN AREA IMPACTED
BY DENSE FOG WAS FROM FOWLER SOUTHWARD TO TIPTON ALONG HIGHWAY
99...FROM SELMA SOUTHWARD TO CORCORAN ALONG HIGHWAY 43 AND ALONG
HIGHWAY 198 FROM THE HANFORD AREA EASTWARD TO VISALIA.
VISIBILITIES IN SOME AREAS WAS AS LOW AS 100 FEET.

A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE NORTH WILL HELP TO MIX UP THE
ATMOSPHERE ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE FOG TO BEGIN TO DISSIPATE BY AROUND 11
AM THIS MORNING.

MOTORISTS TRAVELING SHOULD BE ALERT FOR SUDDEN REDUCTIONS IN
VISIBILITY. LEAVE PLENTY OF ROOM IN BETWEEN YOU AND THE VEHICLE IN
FRONT OF YOU. USE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. AND REMEMBER...WHEN THE FOG
GETS THICK DONT DRIVE SO QUICK

STACHELSKI

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Local storm report, Feb 13, 8:35 AM PST, 4 hours 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA
835 AM PST WED FEB 13 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0817 AM     DENSE FOG        KINGSBURG               36.52N 119.56W
02/12/2008                   FRESNO             CA   NEWSPAPER

            *** 10 INJ *** SEVERAL VEHICLE PILE-UPS ALONG A 3 MILE
            STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 99 NEAR KINGSBURG. TWO INJURIES WERE
            CRITICAL. CHP REPORTS VISIBILITY WAS LOW AS 50 FEET.

&&

STACHELSKI

Event by event

6 strong wind, 4 frost/freeze. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Kern Cty Mtns

When: February 13, 12:56 PM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where: Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Measured: 46 kt (53 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Indian Wells Vly

When: February 13, 12:56 PM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where: Indian Wells Vly forecast zone
Measured: 48 kt (55 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Se Kern Cty Desert

When: February 13, 2:50 PM PST to 3:50 PM PST
Where: Se Kern Cty Desert forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, S Sierra Mtns

When: February 14, 1:52 AM PST to 7:59 AM PST
Where: S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Measured: 49 kt (56 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, W Central S.J. Valley

When: February 14, 4:02 AM PST to 11:02 AM PST
Where: W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 32 kt (37 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Tulare Cty Mtns

When: February 14, 7:21 AM PST to 10:21 AM PST
Where: Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
Measured: 49 kt (56 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Frost/Freeze, W Central S.J. Valley

When: February 15, 4:00 AM PST to 8:00 AM PST
Where: W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Crop damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Frost/Freeze, E Central S.J. Valley

When: February 15, 4:00 AM PST to 8:00 AM PST
Where: E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Crop damage: $25,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Frost/Freeze, Sw S.J. Valley

When: February 15, 4:00 AM PST to 8:00 AM PST
Where: Sw S.J. Valley forecast zone
Crop damage: $25,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Frost/Freeze, Se S.J. Valley

When: February 15, 4:00 AM PST to 8:00 AM PST
Where: Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
Crop damage: $25,000
Reported by: Mesonet

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.

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, February 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: 84930, 84931, 84932, 84934, 84928, 84926, 84935, 84936, 84938, 84939.