Dense Fog, W Central S.J. Valley
- When
- February 1, 3:00 AM PST to 11:00 AM PST
- Where
- W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Dense Fog and Strong Wind in California, February 1 to 5, 2009
February began with an upper-level ridge of high pressure building into California, which promoted dense fog development around the valley during the morning of the 1st of the month. West of the ridge, a low-pressure trough deepened as it dropped out of the Gulf of Alaska.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $200
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 6
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.
February began with an upper-level ridge of high pressure building into California, which promoted dense fog development around the valley during the morning of the 1st of the month. West of the ridge, a low-pressure trough deepened as it dropped out of the Gulf of Alaska. Once the ridge had moved inland on the 3rd and 4th, the combination of the ridge and trough set up a southerly flow over the state. These winds funneled through the passes of the Tehachapi Mountains into the south end of the San Joaquin Valley, with gusts in the far south end of the Valley reaching 55 mph. The winds warmed as they descended through the passes, bringing unseasonably warm temperatures to the San Joaquin Valley. Bakersfield set record highs on both the 3rd and the 4th, with the high of February 4th reaching 85 degrees. Fresno tied its record high of 74 on the 4th.
Event by event
4 dense fog, 2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Dense Fog, E Central S.J. Valley
- When
- February 1, 3:00 AM PST to 11:00 AM PST
- Where
- E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Dense Fog, Sw S.J. Valley
- When
- February 1, 3:00 AM PST to 11:00 AM PST
- Where
- Sw S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Dense Fog, Se S.J. Valley
- When
- February 1, 3:00 AM PST to 11:00 AM PST
- Where
- Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Strong Wind, Se S.J. Valley
- When
- February 3, 11:30 PM PST to February 5, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 39 kt (45 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $100
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Strong Wind, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- February 4, 4:00 AM PST to February 5, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Measured
- 49 kt (56 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $100
- Reported by
- Mesonet
What these are
- Dense Fog
- Fog reducing visibility to a quarter mile or less, filed where it caused accidents or disruption.
- Strong Wind
- Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Drought in Texas, February 1 to 11, 2009
- Drought in Texas, February 1 to 28, 2009
- Drought in California, February 1 to 28, 2009
- Drought in Texas, February 1 to 28, 2009
- Drought in Oklahoma, February 1 to 28, 2009
- Drought in Wisconsin, February 1 to 28, 2009
- Drought in Texas, February 1 to 28, 2009
- Drought in California, February 1 to 28, 2009
- Drought in Texas, February 1 to 28, 2009
- Drought in Hawaii, February 1 to 28, 2009
- Heavy Snow in Alaska, February 1 to 3, 2009
- Hail in Texas, February 1, 2009
More
Every storm in California in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in California, February 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 157076, 157077, 157078, 157079, 157080, 157081.