Wildfire and Hail in California, June 1 to 30, 2009

Name: Wildfire and Hail in California, June 1 to 30, 2009
Start: 2009-06-01T00:00
End: 2009-06-30T23:59
Location: California

June 1 to 30, 2009 · NWS HNX · 11 events in 4 counties and zones

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $3,000
Crop damage: $2.0 million
Events: 11

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.

Thunderstorms developed over western Fresno County during the evening of June 4th, and rapidly grew in intensity. One severe thunderstorm had a reflectivity of 73 dBz, and a VIL (vertically integrated liquid) of 43 g/kg. Hail up to an inch in diameter fell near the town of Helm, and outflow winds were estimated at around 60 mph.

The low finally moved onshore on the 5th, and lifted northeast into northern Nevada that evening. An upper-level trough remained over California, with an unseasonably cold airmass aloft. Upper-level impulses moving through the trough continued the threat of afternoon and evening mountain convection, with isolated light showers drifting over the San Joaquin Valley at times. Temperatures fell to some 10-15 degrees below normal, and stayed well below normal for the next week.

The Grouse wildfire that was sparked by lightning on May 30th continued through the month of June. The ignition time was 1400 PST on May 30th, the location was 3 miles southwest of Yosemite Valley in Mariposa County. The size of the fire was 3047 acres. The cost to containment was $2.9 million. The containment date was July 13th.

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 May 31, 7:30 PM PST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 31, 7:30 PM PST, 4 hours 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
830 PM PDT SUN MAY 31 2009

.UPDATE...WILL UPDATE THE FORECAST TO REMOVE MENTION OF EVENING
THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE TONIGHT PERIOD.

&&

.DISCUSSION...CONVECTION OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA PEAKED
DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON TODAY...AND WAS MOSTLY ENDED BY SUNSET.
THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPED AROUND 2151Z OVER THE PIUTE
MOUNTAINS...JUST EAST OF THE PIUTE BURN AREA. THE THUNDERSTORM MOVED
EAST TOWARD THE INDIAN WELLS VALLEY...BUT WEAKENED AS IT DID SO AND
PRODUCED ONLY RAIN AS IT REACHED HIGHWAY 14.

SATELLITE LOOPS SHOW THAT THE WEAK UPPER-LEVEL LOW THAT HAD BEEN
OVER SOUTHWESTERN ARIZONA HAS LIFTED NORTHEAST TO THE FOUR CORNERS
AREA. THIS HAS ALLOWED THE FLOW AROUND THE EAST PACIFIC LOW TO
DOMINATE THE UPPER AIR FLOW...SETTING UP A SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND
KEEPING THIS AFTERNOONS THUNDERSTORMS CONFINED MAINLY TO NEAR THE
SIERRA NEVADA CREST.

THE MEAN WEATHER PATTERN OVER NORTH AMERICA CONTINUES TO BE
DOMINATED BY AN UPPER-LEVEL LOW OVER THE HUDSON BAY AREA. TROUGHS
ROTATING AROUND THIS LOW ARE DROPPING THROUGH THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS...
KEEPING THE RIDGE OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA IN PLACE AND MAINTAINING
THE REX BLOCK IN THE EAST PACIFIC. THIS IN TURN WILL KEEP THE LOW
WEST OF CALIFORNIA OFFSHORE THROUGH THURSDAY.

WITH THE LOW WEST OF CALIFORNIA...THE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT
OVER CALIFORNIA WILL BRING SOME MID-LEVEL MOISTURE INTO THE STATE.
THE NAM-12 HAS LIMITED MOISTURE...AND BRINGS IT IN AS DISCRETE PUSHES
OVER THE SIERRA NEVADA. THE GFS ALSO HAS A DISCONTINUOUS MOISTURE
STREAM...BUT DOES HAVE HIGHER 700-500-MB RELATIVE HUMIDITIES. THUS
WILL KEEP EXISTING SLIGHT CHANCE TO LOW CHANCE POPS OVER THE
SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD.

ONE CHANGE IN THE MEDIUM-RANGE MODELS IS THE TRANSITION TO THE UKMET
SOLUTION...WHICH BRINGS THE LOW ONSHORE SOUTH OF SAN FRANCISCO BY 12Z
FRIDAY..THEN NORTHEAST ACROSS THE SACRAMENTO DELTA. THIS WILL TURN
THE FLOW ALOFT OVER THE HANFORD WARNING/FORECAST AREA MOST WESTERLY
FOR BETTER OROGRAPHIC LIFT OVER THE WEST-FACING SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL
AND SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA.

CONCERNING TEMPERATURES...THE OFFSHORE LOW WILL KEEP 500-MB HEIGHTS
OVER THE REGION SUPPRESSED...WITH MARINE AIR INFLUENCES AT THE NEAR-
SURFACE. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL TO BELOW NORMAL BY TUESDAY...AND TO
NEARLY 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL BY FRIDAY /WITH LITTLE CHANGE OVER
NEXT WEEKEND/.

NOTE...THE PRELIMINARY MAY 2009 CLIMATE PUBLIC INFORMATION
       STATEMENT /SFOPNSHNX OR NOUS46 KHNX/ FOR BAKERSFIELD AND
       FRESNO WAS ISSUED AT 0210Z MONDAY.

&&

.AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
INTERIOR THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY EXCEPT FOR LOCAL MVFR IN ISOLATED TO
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE SIERRA CREST BETWEEN 19Z MONDAY AND
03Z TUESDAY.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
ON MONDAY JUNE 1 2009...UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS IN KERN
AND TULARE COUNTIES. FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT
VALLEYAIR.ORG

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.

&&

PUBLIC...SANGER
AVN/FW...DURFEE

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Hazardous weather outlook, May 31, 3:55 PM PST, 8 hours 5 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
455 PM PDT SUN MAY 31 2009

CAZ096-097-020000-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
455 PM PDT SUN MAY 31 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF
THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING.
THE MAIN THREAT FROM THE STORMS WILL BE GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL
HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS DURING
THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

.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

CAZ095-020000-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
455 PM PDT SUN MAY 31 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING.
THE MAIN THREAT FROM THE STORMS WILL BE GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL
HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON TUESDAY. OTHERWISE NO
HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

.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

CAZ093-094-020000-
MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
455 PM PDT SUN MAY 31 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE FOOTHILLS OF THE
SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. OTHERWISE
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

.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.

WP

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail, 3 lightning, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, S Sierra Mtns

When: June 1, 12:00 AM PST to June 30, 11:59 PM PST
Where: S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

Lightning, Kern

When: June 3, 8:15 AM PST
Where: Kern County, 0.56 mi E of Kernvale
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 35.620, -118.470

Lightning struck a 13 year old boy riding a bicycle near Lake Isabella Blvd and Highway 178.

Hail, Fresno

When: June 4, 11:10 PM PST to 11:15 PM PST
Where: Fresno County, 2.76 mi S of Helm
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.490, -120.100

A trained spotter reported Quarter-sized hail 4 miles north of Five Points.

Hail, Fresno

When: June 4, 11:20 PM PST to 11:25 PM PST
Where: Fresno County, 2.22 mi W of Kerman Bland Arpt
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.570, -120.070

A trained spotter reported Half-dollar sized hail 7 miles ESE of San Joaquin.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fresno

When: June 4, 11:20 PM PST
Where: Fresno County, 7 mi ESE of San Joaquin
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.581, -120.063

Outflow winds from a severe thunderstorm reported by a trained spotter.

Hail, Fresno

When: June 4, 11:35 PM PST to 11:40 PM PST
Where: Fresno County, 3.23 mi NNW of Kerman Bland Arpt
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.610, -120.060

Quarter-sized hail was reported by a trained spotter.

Hail, Fresno

When: June 4, 11:48 PM PST to June 5, 12:00 AM PST
Where: Fresno County, 1.8 mi WNW of Kerman Bland Arpt
Measured: 1 in hail
Crop damage: $2.0 million
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 36.580, -120.060

Widespread large hail up to the size of quarters was reported near the town of Helm. Crop losses were estimated at $2 million by Fresno County officials.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fresno

When: June 4, 11:48 PM PST
Where: Fresno County, Helm
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 36.530, -120.100

Outflow winds from a severe thunderstorm reported by a Fresno County official.

Hail, Fresno

When: June 5, 12:15 AM PST to 12:20 AM PST
Where: Fresno County, 4.29 mi NNE of Burrel
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.540, -119.960

A trained spotter reported quarter-sized hail.

Lightning, Madera

When: June 5, 12:32 AM PST
Where: Madera County, 4.29 mi SSE of Daulton
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 37.060, -119.960

Law enforcement reported tree damage due to lightning near the town of Daulton.

Lightning, Fresno

When: June 5, 12:54 AM PST
Where: Fresno County, 3.04 mi NW of Caruthers
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.560, -119.870

A utility pole was struck by lightning and set on fire near Caruthers.

What these are

Wildfire: A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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, June 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: 185358, 185344, 185337, 185339, 185355, 185340, 185341, 185356, 185342, 185345, 185343.