High Wind and Strong Wind in California, April 2 to 4, 2009

Name: High Wind and Strong Wind in California, April 2 to 4, 2009
Start: 2009-04-02T16:05
End: 2009-04-04T06:35
Location: California

April 2 to 4, 2009 · NWS HNX · 8 events in 6 counties and zones

April began as an upper-level trough approached the California coast. This trough moved through California during the afternoon and evening of April 2nd, then into the Great Basin on the 3rd.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $2,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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.

April began as an upper-level trough approached the California coast. This trough moved through California during the afternoon and evening of April 2nd, then into the Great Basin on the 3rd. The trough brought gusty winds to the Kern County mountain and desert areas, with gusts to around 60 mph at River Kern, Mojave and the China Lake NAWC that began in the late afternoon of the 2nd and persisted through midday of the 3rd. In the central and southern San Joaquin Valley, the upper-level trough caused gusts to 40 mph during the afternoon of April 3rd.

The trough also brought an unseasonably cold airmass to the San Joaquin Valley, with low temperatures on April 4th falling into the 30-32-degree range over the east side of the Valley.

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 Apr 2, 2:04 PM PST, 2 hours 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 2, 2:04 PM PST, 2 hours 1 minute before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
304 PM PDT THU APR 2 2009

.DISCUSSION...FIRST SHORTWAVE PASSING THRU CA HAS BROUGHT SOME
SCATTERED CU TO THE MTNS. SFC PRESSURE FALLS IN THE GREAT BASIN
WERE BEGINNING TO INCREASE WINDS IN THE DESERTS...AND THIS WILL
CONT INTO THE EVE. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE SEEN IN SAT PIX IS NEAR THE
WA/OR COAST...WITH YET A 3RD JUST OFF VANCOUVER ISLE. THESE WILL
DIG A SHARP AND RATHER COLD TROF SOUTH OVERNITE...REACHING CENTRAL
CA ABOUT MID-DAY FRI. STRONG COLD ADVECTION AND DOWNWARD VERTICAL
MOTION INCREASES WINDS ACROSS THE SJV BY LATE MORNING. GUSTS
AROUND 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND
HAVE ISSUED AN ADVISORY FOR THIS. WINDS IN THE KERN MTNS AND
DESERTS BEGIN LATE TONIGHT. GUSTS AROUND 55 MPH ARE POSSIBLE IN
THESE AREAS. LITTLE PRECIP WILL OCCUR WITH THE PASSING TROF...BUT
ENOUGH INSTABILITY IS SEEN ON THE ECM TO HAVE SOME 30 POPS HIGHER
ELEVATIONS OF THE SRN SIERRA FRI. ALSO CANT RULE OUT AN ISOLATED
SHOWER OR TWO INTO THE TEHACHAPIS AS WELL. TYPICAL POST-TROF
CLOUDS WILL BANK UP OVER THE SOUTH AND EAST PARTS OF THE
SJV...ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...AND THE TEHACHAPIS FOR MUCH OF THE DAY.

FOR THE WEEKEND...TRANSITORY SHORTWAVE RIDGE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE
REGION. TEMPS WILL BEGIN AN UPWARD TREND SAT...BUT LIKELY STILL BE
A LITTLE BELOW AVERAGE. AS THE RIDGE MOVES EAST SUN...INCREASING
SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL BRING STRONGER WARMING.

MODELS COMING INTO BETTER AGREEMENT...OR SHOULD I SAY...THE GFS IS
MORE IN LINE WITH THE EURO NOW...IN A COLD UPPER LOW DEVELOPING
ROUGHLY NEAR 130W/37N MON. THIS SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWS DOWN PRECIP
INTO CENTRAL CA AND HAVE REDUCED MOST POPS FOR MON. THE EURO
EJECTS A SHORTWAVE OUT OF THE MAIN LOW MON NITE AND MADE LITTLE
CHANGE TO POPS FOR THAT. THE PARENT LOW THEN BEGINS TO
WEAKEN...OPEN UP...AND MOVE INLAND TUES. THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO
SHORTWAVE ENERGY MOVG INTO THE PAC NW AND THIS LOOKS REASONABLE.
THIS WILL SPREAD SOME LIGHT PRECIP INTO CENTRAL CA DURING THE DAY.
PRECIP WILL GRADUALLY TAPER OFF AFTER THAT...THOUGH THE EURO KEEPS
SOME LIGHT SHOWER ACTIVITY GOING IN A BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW ALL THE
WAY INTO THURS. TEMPS MUCH OF THE WEEK WILL BE A FEW DEGS BELOW
NORMAL FOR THE FIRST PART OF APRIL.

&&

.AVIATION...WIND GUSTS OF 45 KNOTS OR HIGHER ARE LIKELY AFTER
06Z FRIDAY ALONG THE SIERRA CREST AND THROUGH AND BELOW THE MOUNTAIN
PASSES OF KERN COUNTY. LOCAL WIND GUSTS OF 35 KNOTS WILL OCCUR IN
THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY FRIDAY AFTERNOON...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE
WEST SIDE.  OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
NONE

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 PM PDT FRIDAY FOR
CAZ095-098-099.

WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM PDT FRIDAY FOR CAZ089>092.

&&

PUBLIC...BINGHAM
AVN/FW...DURFEE

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 2, 2:39 PM PST, 1 hour 26 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
339 PM PDT THU APR 2 2009

CAZ089>092-040000-
WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
339 PM PDT THU APR 2 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

A WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM PDT FRIDAY FOR THE
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. FURTHER DETAILS CAN BE
FOUND IN THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY HANFORD, CA /WWUS76
KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/.

.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

CAZ095-098-099-040000-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-
SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT-
339 PM PDT THU APR 2 2009

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS REMAINS
IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 PM PDT FRIDAY. PLEASE
REFER TO THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY HANFORD, CA /WWUS76
KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/ FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THE WIND ADVISORY REMAINS GERMAINE THROUGH 11 PM PDT FRIDAY.
AGAIN, PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION STATEMENT.

.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

JONES

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 2, 2:51 PM PST, 1 hour 14 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
351 PM PDT THU APR 2 2009

CAZ089>092-031100-
WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
351 PM PDT THU APR 2 2009

...FROST POSSIBLE SATURDAY MORNING ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...

DIMINISHING WINDS AND DECREASING CLOUDS FRIDAY NIGHT WILL SET THE
STAGE FOR AREAS OF FROST DEVELOPMENT EARLY SATURDAY. LOW
TEMPERATURES OF 30 TO 32 DEGREES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN OUTLYING
RURAL AREAS BY SATURDAY MORNING.

IF YOU HAVE FROST SENSITIVE INTERESTS...YOU SHOULD MONITOR THE
LATEST TEMPERATURE FORECASTS.

BINGHAM

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Event by event

3 strong wind, 3 high wind, 2 frost/freeze. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, W Central S.J. Valley

When: April 2, 4:05 PM PST to April 3, 7:00 PM PST
Where: W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 36 kt (41 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind, Kern Cty Mtns

When: April 3, 6:08 AM PST to 7:00 PM PST
Where: Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Sw S.J. Valley

When: April 3, 8:15 AM PST to 7:00 PM PST
Where: Sw S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 36 kt (41 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind, Se Kern Cty Desert

When: April 3, 10:17 AM PST to 7:00 PM PST
Where: Se Kern Cty Desert forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, E Central S.J. Valley

When: April 3, 11:53 AM PST to 7:00 PM PST
Where: E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 36 kt (41 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind, Kern Cty Mtns

When: April 3, 12:57 PM PST to 7:00 PM PST
Where: Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Frost/Freeze, E Central S.J. Valley

When: April 4, 4:15 AM PST to 6:35 AM PST
Where: E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Frost/Freeze, Se S.J. Valley

When: April 4, 4:15 AM PST to 6:35 AM PST
Where: Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

What these are

Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
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 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in California, April 2009

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: 168719, 168717, 168721, 168718, 168720, 168716, 168722, 168723.