High Wind and Frost and Freeze in California, November 28 to 30, 2009

Name: High Wind and Frost and Freeze in California, November 28 to 30, 2009
Start: 2009-11-28T05:00
End: 2009-11-30T08:00
Location: California

November 28 to 30, 2009 · NWS HNX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A strong area of low pressure formed and moved into southern California during the evening of November 27th. 09 inch of rain over the 27th-28th.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $500
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.

A strong area of low pressure formed and moved into southern California during the evening of November 27th. As a result, the focus of precipitation was over Kern County with Bakersfield receiving 0.09 inch of rain over the 27th-28th. Fresno, in contrast, had only a trace of rain for that period. In the mountains, up to a half inch of rain fell. Lodgepole recorded 2 inches of snow, and a spotter near Frazier Park measured 4 inches. This was the first significant snowfall for the Tehachapis and Kern County Mountains. Bear Valley had 1.5 inches of snow on the 28th.

Gusty winds developed over the Indian Wells Valley behind the strong cold front, with gusts to 50 mph recorded during the evening hours of November 28th. Further north, a strong northeast jet moved over the Southern Sierra Nevada along the back side of the upper- level storm. Then high pressure dropped into northern Nevada, creating a northeast flow over the Sierra crest. This pattern prompted high wind watches for the potential for Mono winds over the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada in Mariposa, Madera and Fresno Counties. Wind gusts were mainly in the 40-45 mph range, except at Peckinpah in Madera County where a trained spotter reported persistent 70-mph wind gusts through Willow Creek Canyon that lasted for several hours during the evening of the 28th.

A significant frost event occurred across the San Joaquin Valley as the cold airmass settled over central California on the morning of the 30th. Early morning temperature readings fell to around 30 degrees at many locations.

Bakersfield ended November with 0.10 inch of rain, half of Fresno’s total. Compared to the normal rainfalls for November, Bakersfield had 16.9 percent of normal, while Fresno had 22.2 percent. The main difference was in the season-to-date amounts. Fresno, ending the month 0.90 inch below normal, fell back below normal for the season. As of November 30th, Fresno was down to 78.8 percent of normal. Bakersfield, which was rain-shadowed during October, saw its seasonal deficit increase, and after the first five months of the rain season was only at 17 percent of normal.

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 Nov 27, 8:13 PM PST, 8 hours 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 27, 8:13 PM PST, 8 hours 47 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
813 PM PST FRI NOV 27 2009

.SYNOPSIS...
A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM PASSING THROUGH THE VALLEY WILL BRING
SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS IN THE VALLEY AND LIGHT SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS.
COOLER AND DRYER WEATHER IS EXPECTED SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
CURRENT FORECAST IN GOOD SHAPE...NO UPDATE TONIGHT. SCATTERED
SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT IN THE VALLEY ALONG WITH ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS AS A COLD FRONT DEPARTS CENTRAL CALIFORNIA.

&&

.AVIATION...
AREAS OF MVFR AND LOCAL IFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES DEVELOPING
AFTER 02Z SATURDAY ACROSS SIERRA NEVADA AND KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS
WITH LOCAL MVFR CONDITIONS IN SHOWERS IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AS
PRECIPITATION SPREADS SOUTHWARD OVER CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. AFTER 18Z
SATURDAY...AREAS OF MVFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES CONTINUING IN THE
MOUNTAINS IN CLOUDS AND SHOWERS AND VFR CONDITIONS ELSEWHERE.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
NONE

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 308 PM PST FRI NOV 27 2009/

SYNOPSIS...
UNSTABLE WEATHER CAN BE EXPECTED BEHIND A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
PASSING THROUGH THE VALLEY TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY BRINGING A THREAT
OF RAIN IN THE VALLEY AND MOUNTAIN SNOW ALONG WITH MUCH COOLER
TEMPERATURES. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR TONIGHT IN THE
VALLEY. MORE STABLE CONDITIONS WITH DRY WEATHER AND A DAILY WARM UP
CAN BE EXPECTED BY SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

DISCUSSION...
THE SOUTHERN END OF THE COLD FRONT IS ACCELERATING THIS AFTERNOON
AS IT PUSHES ACROSS THE NORTHERN PART OF THE HANFORD WARNING/FORECAST
AREA. LIGHT RAIN HAS FALLEN IN MERCED COUNTY...WITH THE SAN LUIS
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE RECORDING 0.01 INCH AS OF 2031Z /1231 PST/
AND A TRACE AT MERCED MUNICIPAL AIRPORT THROUGH 21Z /1300 PST/. THE
COLD FRONT WILL REACH YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK WITHIN THE NEXT 1-2
HOURS.

SATELLITE LOOPS SHOW A WIDE POOL OF COLD-AIR CUMULUS BEHIND THE
FRONT. THE TROUGH IS BRINGING A COLD AIRMASS ALOFT OVER THE NEAR-
COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA. BY 22Z /1400 PST/...A LIGHTNING
STRIKE HAD BEEN DETECTED OVER SOUTHEASTERN NAPA COUNTY. THIS
INDICATES THAT THE AIRMASS BEHIND THE FRONT REMAINS VERY UNSTABLE.
HAVE LEFT MENTION OF A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR EVENING THUNDERSTORMS
OVER THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR SOME
INSTABILITY SHOWERS OVER THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR
TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY WITH THE COLD POOL ALOFT TRACKING SOUTH OVER
THE WESTERN HALF OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. STILL EXPECTING ONLY
LIGHT RAINFALL AMOUNTS ON THE VALLEY FLOOR...EXCEPT FOR ANY
EMBEDDED MODERATE SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS.

THE MODELS CONTINUE TO FORECAST A CLOSED LOW TO DEVELOP IN THE BASE
OF THE TROUGH AS IT DROPS INTO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA THIS AFTERNOON.
THE TROUGH AXIS IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH THE HANFORD
WARNING/ FORECAST AREA BETWEEN 06-12Z SATURDAY...WITH THE LOW
NEAR FRAZIER PARK BY 12Z SATURDAY. THE LOW THEN TRACKS SOUTHEAST
INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DURING THE DAY SATURDAY. THE COLD POOL
/-26 TO -27 C AT 500 MB/ IS FORECAST TO TRACK SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS SATURDAY...FOLLOWING THE PATH OF THE LOW.
SURFACE-COMPUTED LIFTED INDEXES OVER THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS ARE
FORECAST TO BE NEAR 0 BY 21Z SATURDAY...SO THERE WILL BE THE
POTENTIAL FOR CONVECTIVE SNOW DURING THE DAY. WITH SNOW LEVELS
FALLING TO AROUND 4000-4500 FEET DURING THE DAY...TRAVEL THROUGH
THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS WILL BE IMPACTED STARTING LATE TONIGHT
AND CONTINUING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. ALL THREE MAJOR
PASSES...WALKER...TEJON AND TEHACHAPI...WILL SEE SNOW OR SLUSH /OR
A MIX/. PER COORDINATION WITH WFO OXNARD...HAVE EXTENDED THE
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS THROUGH 00Z
SUNDAY /1600 PST SATURDAY/.

AS THE TROUGH MOVES SOUTH OF THE HANFORD WARNING/FORECAST AREA
SATURDAY NIGHT...A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL NORTHEAST JET DIVES DOWN THE
BACK OF THE TROUGH...WHILE AT THE SURFACE...A STRONG OFFSHORE
PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS. THIS PATTERN POTENTIALLY COULD SUPPORT
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MONO WINDS OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA
SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING...SO WILL LEAVE THE HIGH WIND
WATCH FOR THE FOOTHILLS AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN
SIERRA NEVADA...FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON...IN PLACE.

SKIES WILL BEGIN CLEARING OVER THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SATURDAY
NIGHT. VALLEY LOWS SUNDAY MORNING WILL BE IN THE 30S...SO HAVE ADDED
A MENTION OF PATCHY FROST AND FOG TO THE FORECAST. WITH A NORTH TO
NORTHEAST FLOW ALOFT OVER THE REGION SUNDAY....COLD AIR WILL
CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR...WITH LITTLE
CHANGE IN THE AIRMASS. LOWS MONDAY MORNING WILL BE SIMILAR TO SUNDAY
MORNING...WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF PATCHY FROST AND FOG.

THE 12Z MODELS HAVE SOME UNCERTAINTY FOR THE LATTER HALF OF THE
WEEK. THE GFS DROPS AN UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH...WITH AN EMBEDDED CLOSED
LOW...SOUTHEAST OVER THE EAST PACIFIC...PARALLELING THE CALIFORNIA
COAST. THIS BRINGS A WEAK TROUGH THROUGH THE STATE WEDNESDAY...
FOLLOWED BY A STRONGER SYSTEM THAT MOVES INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
THURSDAY NIGHT AND DROPS INTO THE ROCKIES FRIDAY.

IN CONTRAST...THE 12Z ECMWF HAS AN UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE ALONG THE COAST
WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MOVING ONSHORE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY.
WITH THESE DIVERGENT SOLUTIONS...HAVE NOT MADE ANY CHANGES TO THE
EXTENDED FORECAST AT THIS TIME.

AVIATION...
AREAS OF MVFR AND LOCAL IFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES DEVELOPING
AFTER 02Z SATURDAY ACROSS SIERRA NEVADA AND KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS
WITH LOCAL MVFR CONDITIONS IN SHOWERS IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AS
PRECIPITATION SPREADS SOUTHWARD OVER CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. AFTER 18Z
SATURDAY...AREAS OF MVFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES CONTINUING IN THE
MOUNTAINS IN CLOUDS AND SHOWERS AND VFR CONDITIONS ELSEWHERE.

AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
NONE.

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR
CAZ093-096.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST SATURDAY FOR CAZ095.

&&

PUBLIC...BENTZIEN
AVN/FW...DCH

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 27, 3:24 PM PST, 13 hours 36 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
324 PM PST FRI NOV 27 2009

CAZ093-096-282330-
MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
324 PM PST FRI NOV 27 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE FOOTHILLS AND HIGHER
ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS
CANYON.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

THE HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THE FOOTHILLS AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF
THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON IS NOW
IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. PLEASE
REFER TO THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION STATEMENT ISSUED BY NWSFO
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY HANFORD /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

CAZ089>092-282330-
WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
324 PM PST FRI NOV 27 2009

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A SLIGHT CHANCE OF VALLEY THUNDERSTORMS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.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

CAZ095-282330-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
324 PM PST FRI NOV 27 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS IS NOW
IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM PST SATURDAY. FOR MORE
DETAILS PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ISSUED
BY THE HANFORD WEATHER OFFICE AT /SFOWSWHNX/ OR /WWUS46 KHNX/.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.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

Event by event

4 frost/freeze, 2 high wind, 1 winter weather, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Kern Cty Mtns

When: November 28, 5:00 AM PST to 2:00 PM PST
Where: Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Wind, S Sierra Foothills

When: November 28, 7:30 PM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where: S Sierra Foothills forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Wind, S Sierra Mtns

When: November 28, 7:30 PM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where: S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Strong Wind, Indian Wells Vly

When: November 28, 7:50 PM PST to November 29, 2:00 AM PST
Where: Indian Wells Vly forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Mesonet

Frost/Freeze, W Central S.J. Valley

When: November 30, 12:00 AM PST to 8:00 AM PST
Where: W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Frost/Freeze, E Central S.J. Valley

When: November 30, 12:00 AM PST to 8:00 AM PST
Where: E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Frost/Freeze, Sw S.J. Valley

When: November 30, 12:00 AM PST to 8:00 AM PST
Where: Sw S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Frost/Freeze, Se S.J. Valley

When: November 30, 12:00 AM PST to 8:00 AM PST
Where: Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

What these are

Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
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.
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, November 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: 203944, 203942, 203943, 203945, 203946, 203947, 203948, 203949.