Strong Wind, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- November 24, 2:30 AM PST to 9:30 AM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Measured
- 43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Strong Wind and Heavy Rain in California, November 24 to 26, 2008
The strong low pressure trough brought significant rainfall amounts to the region on November 25th-26th, with Fresno and Bakersfield receiving around half of their monthly rain totals from this storm. 5 inches, while sites in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley saw amounts up to three-quarters of an inch.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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 strong low pressure trough brought significant rainfall amounts to the region on November 25th-26th, with Fresno and Bakersfield receiving around half of their monthly rain totals from this storm. Rainfall amounts in the Kern County mountains locally exceeded 1.5 inches, while sites in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley saw amounts up to three-quarters of an inch. A Flash Flood Watch was issued for the Piute burn area south of Lake Isabella, but fortunately, the ground was able to absorb the rainfall.
There was little snow in the mountains, as the low pressure systems during the month each brought some influx of tropical, moist air, keeping snow levels initially at 9000 feet or higher. Snow levels began falling during the morning of the 26th, with light snow falling at Hume Lake. By mid-morning, the California Highway Patrol had chain restrictions on Highway 168, as there was enough snow on the road to impede travel. Also, just after Thanksgiving, there were some trace amounts of snow in the mountains in Kern County after the rain tapered off, since the air had cooled off sufficiently by that time.
Strong winds also developed on the 24th of the month. Strong wind gusts of up to 50 mph occurred in the Kern County mountains, according to mesonet weather stations and a trained NWS spotter.
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 Nov 23, 10:20 PM PST, 4 hours 10 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Nov 23, 10:20 PM PST, 4 hours 10 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 1020 PM PST SUN NOV 23 2008 .UPDATE...DENSE FOG IS BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...SO HAVE ISSUED A DENSE FOG ADVISORY THROUGH 19Z MONDAY. && .DISCUSSION...THE UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE IS MOVING EASTWARD INTO ARIZONA AND UTAH TONIGHT...AS THE FIRST TROUGH DEEPENS ALONG 133W. AHEAD OF THE TROUGH...THE FLOW ALOFT OVER THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS WILL BECOME SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST...WITH THE 00Z NAM-12 FORECASTING A SOUTH 30-KT WIND AT 500 MB AT 21Z MONDAY ALIGNED WITH A 35 KT WIND AT 700 MB. THE 850-MB WIND IS FORECAST TO BE 25-30 KT...BUT FROM THE SOUTHEAST. STILL...THE WINDS ARE CLOSE ENOUGH IN ORIENTATION FOR THE WINDS TO BE FAVORABLY ALIGNED THROUGH THE TEJON PASS AND THE GRAPEVINE AND FUNNELED INTO THE SOUTH END OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. THE 00Z MET GUIDANCE FOR BAKERSFIELD FORECASTS SUSTAINED 23-KT SOUTHEAST WINDS AT 21Z. ALTHOUGH THESE WINDS ARE WEAKER THAN THE 28-KT WINDS FORECASTED BY THE PREVIOUS /12Z/ RUN...THEY ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO WARRANT CONTINUING THE WIND ADVISORY FOR THE GRAPEVINE AND SOUTH END OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY IN EFFECT FOR MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH IS FORECAST TO MOVE ONSHORE TUESDAY NIGHT... WITH THE TROUGH AXIS OVER THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR BY 12Z WEDNESDAY. THE 00Z MODEL QPF THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY FOR GIANT FOREST RANGES FROM 0.95 INCH ON THE NAM TO 1.40 INCH ON THE GFS. THE MODELS FORECAST 700-MB TEMPERATURES OVER THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS TO FALL TO -4 C BY 00Z THURSDAY...AND 1000-500-MB THICKNESSES TO 5490 METERS. THESE VALUES CORRESPOND TO A SNOW LEVEL AROUND 6000 FEET. THE MODEL QPF SUPPORTS BORDERLINE WINTER STORM SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...SO WILL CONTINUE THE WINTER STORM WATCH FOR LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE FIRST TROUGH MOVES INTO THE GREAT BASIN THURSDAY MORNING... BRINGING A POSSIBLE RESPITE FROM THE PRECIPITATION FOR THANKSGIVING DAY. AN UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE IS FORECAST TO BUILD OFF THE COAST...WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM RIDING OVER THE RIDGE THURSDAY NIGHT AND DROPPING INTO CALIFORNIA FRIDAY AND CONTINUING TO MOVE SOUTH TO WEST OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SATURDAY. THE NEW GFS BRINGS THE SECOND ROUND OF PRECIPITATION TO THE HANFORD WARNING/FORECAST AREA FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT...WITH A DRY WEEKEND. HOWEVER...THERE CONTINUE TO BE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GFS...DGEX AND ECMWF CONCERNING THE TIMING... TRAJECTORY AND STRENGTH OF THE LATE-WEEK SYSTEM...SO CONFIDENCE IN THE EXTENDED FORECAST IS LOW. && .AVIATION...MVFR VSBYS WITH AREAS OF IFR CONDITIONS IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THROUGH 12Z MONDAY DUE TO FOG/HAZE AND LOW CLOUDS. AREAS OF LIFR VSBYS AND CIGS DUE TO FOG BETWEEN 12Z AND 19Z MONDAY. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ELSEWHERE OVER THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR THROUGH AT LEAST 03Z TUESDAY. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ON MONDAY NOVEMBER 24 2008...UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS IN FRESNO...KERN AND MERCED COUNTIES. FIREPLACE/WOOD STOVE BURNING IS PROHIBITED IN FRESNO...KERN...MADERA...MERCED AND TULARE COUNTIES. FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT VALLEYAIR.ORG. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WATCH FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS /CAZ097/. WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 6 PM PST MONDAY FOR THE GRAPEVINE AREA AND THE SOUTH END OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY /CAZ091-092-095/. DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM PST MONDAY FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY /CAZ089>092/. && PUBLIC...SANGER AVN/FW...MOLINA WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 23, 10:57 PM PST, 3 hours 33 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 1057 PM PST SUN NOV 23 2008 CAZ089-090-241500- WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- 1057 PM PST SUN NOV 23 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A DENSE FOG ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. FOR MORE DETAILS SEE THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION WARNING ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A DENSE FOG ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PST MONDAY MORNING. FOR MORE DETAILS SEE THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION WARNING ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD CAZ097-241500- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 1057 PM PST SUN NOV 23 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK TO THE KERN COUNTY LINE. SEE /WWUS46 KHNX/ OR /SFOWSWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD CAZ091-092-241500- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- 1057 PM PST SUN NOV 23 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A DENSE FOG ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. FOR MORE DETAILS SEE THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION WARNING ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A DENSE FOG ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PST MONDAY MORNING. FOR MORE DETAILS SEE THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION WARNING ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HANFORD AT /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD HAS ALSO ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTH END OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 6 PM PST MONDAY. SEE /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD CAZ095-241500- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 1057 PM PST SUN NOV 23 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...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE GRAPEVINE IN THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 6 PM PST MONDAY. SEE /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD JEB
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Nov 23, 9:10 PM PST, 5 hours 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 910 PM PST SUN NOV 23 2008 CAZ089>092-240715- WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- 910 PM PST SUN NOV 23 2008 ...PATCHY FOG DEVELOPING IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THIS EVENING... PATCHY FOG HAS BEGUN DEVELOPING IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. THE THICKEST FOG WILL INITIALLY BE IN THE HANFORD AND VISALIA AREAS...INCLUDING THE HIGHWAY 198 CORRIDOR. OTHER FOG PRONE AREAS WILL INCLUDE THE HIGHWAY 99 CORRIDOR NEAR MERCED AND MADERA...THE HIGHWAY 43 AND 99 CORRIDORS FROM SELMA SOUTH TO TULARE AND CORCORAN...AND THE HIGHWAY 41 CORRIDOR. DRIVERS IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION...AS VISIBILITIES WILL VARY RAPIDLY OVER SHORT DISTANCES IN FOG PATCHES. SANGER WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 strong wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Rain, Kern
- When
- November 25, 9:00 PM PST to November 26, 5:00 AM PST
- Where
- Kern County, 8.57 mi NNE of Boron Afs to 0.71 mi S of Frazier Park
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 35.190, -117.810
The California Highway Patrol reported minor flooding on Highway 166 near Buttonwillow. In addition, rainfall amounts of just over 1 inch occurred in the Frazier Park area.
What these are
- Strong Wind
- Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
- Heavy Rain
- Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Winter Weather in Wisconsin, November 24, 2008
- Winter Weather in Indiana, November 24, 2008
- Winter Weather in Vermont, November 24 to 25, 2008
- Winter Weather in Kentucky, November 24, 2008
- Damaging Winds in Mississippi, November 24, 2008
- Heavy Snow in New York, November 24 to 25, 2008
- Winter Weather in Maryland, November 24, 2008
- Damaging Winds in Mississippi, November 24, 2008
- Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, November 24 to 25, 2008
- High Surf in Puerto Rico, November 24 to 28, 2008
- Winter Storm in New York, November 24 to 25, 2008
- Heavy Rain in American Samoa, November 24 to 30, 2008
More
Every storm in California in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in California, November 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: 143328, 143327.