Winter Weather, S Sierra Mtns
- When
- February 11, 12:00 PM PST to 2:00 PM PST
- Where
- S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Winter Storm and High Wind in California, February 11 to 17, 2009
Repetitive low pressure systems moved into California on the 11th, 13th and 15th, as short-wave impulses rotated around an upper-level low off the northern California coast. The last of these troughs had a strong cold front that brought near-hurricane force winds to the Tehachapi Mountains during the night of February 15th-16th.
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
- $300
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 13
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.
Repetitive low pressure systems moved into California on the 11th, 13th and 15th, as short-wave impulses rotated around an upper-level low off the northern California coast. The last of these troughs had a strong cold front that brought near-hurricane force winds to the Tehachapi Mountains during the night of February 15th-16th. A sustained wind speed of 74 mph was measured by the Grapevine Peak RAWS (remote automated weather station) at 10:13 PM PST on the 15th. (Hurricane sustained winds begin at 75 mph). Two hours later, the same RAWS recorded a gust to 103 mph. The wind sensor actually stopped providing wind data briefly after the gust to 103 mph, so there is a chance that the communications of the system briefly failed and maximum wind gusts might have been even higher if they were able to have been recorded. These gusty winds spread over the San Joaquin Valley and the Southern Sierra Nevada during the early morning hours. At 4:05 AM PST, the Panoche Road RAWS on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley measured a gust to 51 mph, and the Miami RAWS, in the Sierra in Madera County, saw a gust to 48 mph.
The low off the northern California coast drew a deep fetch of moisture into the state. As the cold air behind this strong front spread into the Tehachapi Mountains, rain changed to snow with falling snow levels. Interstate 5 through Tejon Pass was closed as the snow level fell below 4000 feet and snow began accumulating on the summit of Tejon Pass. This storm brought snow accumulations that ranged from 2-3 feet near Yosemite and Kings Canyon down to 0.5-1 foot in the Kern County mountains.
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 11, 9:02 AM PST, 2 hours 58 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 11, 9:02 AM PST, 2 hours 58 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 902 AM PST WED FEB 11 2009 .DISCUSSION...FEATURE OF CONCERN FOR TODAY IS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW JUST OFF THE COAST NEAR THE ORCA BORDER WHICH IS DROPPING SOUTHEAST INTO NORTHWESTERN CA. THE LOW IS PROGGED BY THE 12Z WRF AND GFS TO TRACK INTO THE GREAT BASIN TONIGHT...BUT IN THE MEANTIME BANDS OF SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL AFFECT OUR AREA AS VORTS ROTATE AROUND THE LOW. SHOWERS HAVE ALREADY AFFECTED MUCH OF OUR AREA TODAY WITH MESOWEST INDICATING THE SNOW LEVEL RUNNING AROUND 3000 TO 3500 FEET. PRECIPITATION HAS REMAINED LIGHT ACROSS MOST OF THE AREAS AND RFC QPF GUIDANCE INDICATES SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL REACH ADVISORY CRITERIA ONLY NORTH OF KINGS CANYON IN THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS. A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT WAS ISSUED TO COVER THE LIGHTER SNOWFALL EXPECTED IN THE OTHER MOUNTAIN AREAS AND THE HIGHER FOOTHILLS. MID LEVEL WESTERLY FLOW SUGGESTS RAIN SHADOWING WILL INHIBIT PRECIPITATION OVER MOST OF THE KERN DESERTS. WHILE ON AND OFF SHOWERS AFFECT THE CENTRAL/SOUTH SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND THE LOWER FOOTHILLS THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. TEMPERATURES AND WINDS LOOK TO BE ON TRACK FOR TODAY AND AM NOT PLANNING AN UPDATE THIS MORNING. A BREAK IN THE ACTION IS EXPECTED ON THURSDAY WITH JUST A FEW RESIDUAL SHOWERS OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN THE CYCLONIC FLOW IN THE MORNING. OTHERWISE THURSDAY APPEARS TO BE LOOKING LIKE A DRY DAY ACROSS OUR AREA. ANOTHER UPPER LOW IS EXPECTED TO DROP INTO NORCAL BY FRIDAY...BRINING ANOTHER ROUND OF PRECIPITATION TO OUR AREA. RH PROGS SUGGEST THIS SYSTEM WILL HAVE MORE MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH IT THAN THE SYSTEM AFFECTING OUR AREA TODAY SO QPF/S WILL BE MORE SIGNIFICANT...AND SUBSEQUENTLY WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. AM STRONGLY CONSIDERING ISSUING A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR AT LEAST THE HIGHER SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FOR THIS TIME FRAME WITH THE AFTERNOON PACKAGE AND WILL MAKE THE CALL WITH THE AFTERNOON PACKAGE. ANOTHER BREAK IS EXPECTED ON SATURDAY WITH SHORTWAVE RIDGING BEFORE ANOTHER SYSTEM MOVES INTO CENTRAL CA ON SUNDAY. MEDIUM RANGE PROGS ARE CONTINUING TO INDICATE UNSETTLED CONDITIONS CONTINUING WELL INTO NEXT WEEK AS A DEEP UPPER TROUGH PERSISTS NEAR THE WESTERN CONUS COAST. THIS WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY BELOW CLIMO WITH PERIODS OF PRECIPITATION SUNDAY THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION...IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...AREAS OF MVFR DUE TO CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY IN PRECIPITATION. MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS IN CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL OVER THE KERN COUNTY DESERT THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES...NONE. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM PST THURSDAY FOR CAZ096. && PUBLIC...DS AVN/FW...BEAN WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 11, 3:50 AM PST, 8 hours 10 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 350 AM PST WED FEB 11 2009 CAZ096-121200- SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- 350 AM PST WED FEB 11 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM PST THURSDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HAFORD AT /SFOWSWHNX/ OR /WWUS46 KHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM THURSDAY. .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 TLM
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Feb 11, 11:58 AM PST, 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 1158 AM PST WED FEB 11 2009 CAZ093-094-120400- MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS- TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS- 1158 AM PST WED FEB 11 2009 ...MORE WINTRY WEATHER FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR... ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING WINTRY WEATHER BACK INTO THE FOOTHILLS THROUGH TONIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE STORM BRINGS LIGHTER PRECIPITATION TO THE REGION COMPARED TO RECENT STORMS...A SMALL ACCUMULATION OF SNOW AND OR ICE IS POSSIBLE AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2000 FEET BY LATER TONIGHT. A LIGHT DUSTING OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE AS LOW AS 2000 FEET BY DAYBREAK THURSDAY WITH LOCAL ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 3 INCHES AT AND ABOVE 3000 FEET. PERSONS PLANNING TO TRAVEL INTO THE FOOTHILLS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR WINTER TRAVEL CONDITIONS THIS EVENING INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA SOURCE FOR UPDATES ON THIS WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM. OR VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD. CAZ095-120400- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 1158 AM PST WED FEB 11 2009 ...MORE WINTRY WEATHER FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR... ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING WINTRY WEATHER BACK INTO THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS THROUGH TONIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE STORM BRINGS LIGHTER PRECIPITATION TO THE REGION COMPARED TO RECENT STORMS...A SMALL ACCUMULATION OF SNOW AND OR ICE IS POSSIBLE AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 3000 FEET BY LATE TONIGHT. A LIGHT DUSTING OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE AS LOW AS 3000 FEET BY DAYBREAK THURSDAY WITH LOCAL ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 3 INCHES AT AND ABOVE 4000 FEET. PERSONS PLANNING TO TRAVEL ON INTERSTATE 5 OVER THE GRAPEVINE AND HIGHWAY 58 THROUGH TEHACHAPI PASS SHOULD ANTICIPATE SLICK DRIVING CONDITIONS THIS EVENING INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA SOURCE FOR UPDATES ON THIS WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM. OR VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD. CAZ097-120400- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 1158 AM PST WED FEB 11 2009 ...MORE WINTRY WEATHER FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR... ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING WINTRY WEATHER BACK TO THE SIERRA NEVADA THROUGH TONIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE STORM BRINGS LIGHTER PRECIPITATION TO THE REGION COMPARED TO RECENT STORMS...SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED TO ACCUMULATE AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 4000 FEET BY LATE TONIGHT. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES ARE LIKELY ABOVE 5000 FEET BY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. PERSONS PLANNING TRAVEL IN THE MOUNTAINS OF TULARE COUNTY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR WINTER TRAVEL CONDITIONS INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA SOURCE FOR UPDATES ON THIS WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM. OR VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD. DS WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
The radar
The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:01 UTC.
Event by event
3 winter weather, 3 strong wind, 3 winter storm, 2 funnel cloud, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Weather, S Sierra Foothills
- When
- February 13, 4:00 AM PST to 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- S Sierra Foothills forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Winter Weather, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- February 13, 4:00 AM PST to 8:00 PM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Funnel Cloud, Madera
- When
- February 13, 12:00 PM PST
- Where
- Madera County, 0.55 mi E of Chowchilla
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 37.120, -120.260
The public reported a funnel cloud near the city of Chowchilla. The report was relayed by local broadcast media.
High Wind, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- February 15, 8:13 AM PST to February 16, 5:13 AM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Measured
- 90 kt (104 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Strong Wind, Sw S.J. Valley
- When
- February 15, 10:50 AM PST to February 16, 11:05 AM PST
- Where
- Sw S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $100
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Wind, Se S.J. Valley
- When
- February 15, 12:33 PM PST to February 16, 12:18 AM PST
- Where
- Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Strong Wind, W Central S.J. Valley
- When
- February 15, 1:21 PM PST to February 16, 11:05 AM PST
- Where
- W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 35 kt (40 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $100
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Winter Storm, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- February 16, 4:00 AM PST to February 17, 10:00 AM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Strong Wind, S Sierra Foothills
- When
- February 16, 4:59 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- S Sierra Foothills forecast zone
- Measured
- 42 kt (48 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $100
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Winter Storm, S Sierra Mtns
- When
- February 16, 6:00 AM PST to February 17, 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Winter Storm, Tulare Cty Mtns
- When
- February 16, 6:00 AM PST to February 17, 10:00 AM PST
- Where
- Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Funnel Cloud, Kern
- When
- February 16, 11:45 AM PST
- Where
- Kern County, 2.18 mi NW of Buttonwillow
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 35.420, -119.500
A California Highway Patrol reported a funnel cloud near Buttonwillow.
What these are
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
- Strong Wind
- Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, February 11, 2009
- High Wind in Ohio, February 11, 2009
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Ohio, February 11 to 12, 2009
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, February 11, 2009
- Tornado and Hail in Tennessee, February 11, 2009
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Kentucky, February 11, 2009
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Pennsylvania, February 11 to 12, 2009
- Tornado and Hail in Louisiana, February 11, 2009
- High Wind in Kentucky, February 11, 2009
- High Wind in Illinois, February 11, 2009
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Ohio, February 11 to 12, 2009
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in West Virginia, February 11 to 12, 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 157060, 157061, 157062, 157057, 157067, 157069, 157066, 157068, 157063, 157070, 157064, 157065, 157059.