Damaging Wind and Strong Wind in California, October 30, 2008

The next series of low pressure systems approached Central California by the early morning hours of the 30th. Even on the 30th temperatures remained mostly in the 80s in the valley and desert along with increased cloud cover since warm air remained ahead of the trough.

The southern end of the San Joaquin Valley experienced gusty winds and blowing dust during much of the daylight hours of the 30th (winds in Bakersfield gusted to 40 mph) before the next and last low pressure system for the month, that brought measurable rainfall in the valley on the 31st, arrived. Blowing dust created reduced visibilities, especially in the south end of the San Joaquin Valley, near Bakersfield, where blowing dust was reported to reduce visibilities to below one mile at times, as well as prompt local air quality officials to issue health warnings due to the blowing dust.

The large Pacific storm also brought enough instability in the atmosphere to generate a few thunderstorms in Central California. One storm in particular reached severe criteria with wind gusts of over 60 mph, near Mariposa. No damage was reported due to this storm.

On the last day of the month there were rainfall amounts as high as 0.15 inch in the valley, and amounts ranged from around a half inch to just above an inch for much of the foothills and higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada. Prior to the rainfall that occurred on the last day of the month, there were new minimum temperature records set in Fresno and Bakersfield. Fresno had a low of 61 (prior record was 59 set in 1983), and Bakersfield had a low of 65 (beating the old record of 58 set in 1987).