Winter Storm, S Sierra Mtns
- When
- December 17, 10:00 AM PST to December 20, 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
Flash Flood and Winter Storm in California, December 17 to 21, 2010
The first in a series of low pressure systems, rotating around an upper level low pressure system centered off the coast of the Pacific Northwest, moved through the central California interior, during the night of the 16th into the 17th, bringing copious amounts of moisture to the area. By the evening of the 17th, many locations in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley received from a half…
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
- $6.2 million
- 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.
The first in a series of low pressure systems, rotating around an upper level low pressure system centered off the coast of the Pacific Northwest, moved through the central California interior, during the night of the 16th into the 17th, bringing copious amounts of moisture to the area. By the evening of the 17th, many locations in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley received from a half inch to over one inch of rain. Locations in the southern Sierra Nevada foothills received up to 3 inches of rain over a 24 hour period. During the evening of the 17th into the early morning hours of the 18th, local roadway flooding, mudslides, and rockslides were reported in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley from Bakersfield northward, in the|mountain areas of Kern County, and in the southern Sierra Nevada foothills.|There was a break in the weather during most of the day of December 18th, but the next storm arrived during the late afternoon and continued overnight and into the next day. By the time midnight arrived, Bakersfield had recorded a record 1.37 inch of rain. Even more rain fell the next day at Meadows Field, shattering rainfall records. Below is the Record Event Report summarizing the records from the six-day series of storms:
...Summary of precipitation and temperature records at Bakersfield And Fresno during the December 17-22 series of storms...
A series of strong pacific storms moved into central and southern California beginning December 17th and continuing through the 22nd. Bakersfield shattered several precipitation records during this Period...as well as setting a record high minimum temperature on The 19th. Fresno set a record high minimum temperature on December|18th...and had record rainfall the next day.|Bakersfield...|18th...record rainfall for the date of 1.37 inch. The old record was 0.30 inch...set in 1921. 19th...record rainfall for the date of 1.53 inch. The old record was 0.48 inch...set in 1984. This also was the wettest day on Record for december at bakersfield. The previous wettest day In december was december 27th 1936...with 1.02 inch of rain. 18-19th...the 24-hour rainfall of 2.31 inches was the highest 24-hour Rainfall on record for december. The previous record was 1.15 Inch...set on december 3-4th 1914. This also was the 3rd Highest 24-hour rainfall on record for bakersfield after February 9-10th 1978 3.02 inches and January 24-25th 1999|2.32 inches. 19th...record high minimum temperature for the date of 55 degrees.|The old record was 53 degrees...set in 1981. 20th...the rainfall for the date at meadows field was 0.85 inch. This was only 0.01 inch shy of the record rainfall for the|Date of 0.86 inch...set in 1943. The rainfall at Meadows Field...Bakersfield for December through The 22nd was 4.95 inches. This broke the record for the wettest|December on record...surpassing the previous wettest December... 2.98 inches for December 1931. December 2010 also is the 2nd wettest Month on record for Bakersfield ...after February 1998 with 5.36 inches of rain.|Fresno...17th...record rainfall for the date of 1.12 inch. The old record was|1.10 inch...set in 1977. 18th...record high minimum temperature for the date of 52 degrees. The old record was 51 degrees...set in 1894. 19th...record rainfall for the date of 0.90 inch. The old record was 0.69 inch...set in 1952.
Snowfall in the southern Sierra Nevada was in measured in feet, with total new snow|accumulations reaching around 15 feet at Wet Meadow and Crabtree Meadow. There were numerous reports of flooding in the southern Sierra Nevada foothills and on the central and southern San Joaquin Valley floor, as runoff from the heavy rains overwhelmed drainage systems.
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 Dec 17, 9:50 AM PST, 10 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 17, 9:50 AM PST, 10 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 950 AM PST FRI DEC 17 2010 .SYNOPSIS... A SERIES OF PACIFIC STORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA TODAY THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK...BRINGING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MOISTURE TO THE AREA WITH HEAVY RAIN AND VERY HEAVY HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW EXPECTED AT TIMES. && .DISCUSSION...FIRST WAVE OF SEVERAL IS CURRENTLY EXITING EASTWARD INTO THE GREAT BASIN. MUCH OF THE CENTRAL CA INTERIOR WILL BE IN A LULL TODAY WITH RESPECT TO PRECIPITATION. NEXT IMPULSE EXPECTED TO MOVE IN FROM THE PACIFIC THIS EVENING WITH SUBSTANTIAL PRECIP OCCURING OVERNIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING MAINLY NORTH OF KERN COUNTY. QPF AMTS OF UP TO HALF INCH LIKELY IN THE SJ VLY NORTH OF KERN COUNTY TONIGHT WITH 1 TO AS MUCH AS 3 INCHES IN THE SIERNEV FTHLS. SNOW LEVELS WILL FLUCTUATE BETWEEN 6K AND 8K FEET WITH OROGRAPHIC ENHANCEMENT LEADING TO SIZEABLE SNOW ACCUMS ABOVE 8K FEET BY MIDDAY SATURDAY. CONCERN OF LOCALIZED FLOODING IN THE URBAN AREAS OF THE SJ VLY TONIGHT AND WATER RISES ALONG SMALL STREAMS IN THE SIERRA BELOW 7K FEET HAS PROMPTED ISSUANCES OF FLOOD ADVISORIES WITH THE MORNING UPDATE. POPS AND QPF WERE LOWERED SOMEWHAT IN THE LOWER TERRAIN FOR TODAY DUE TO THE LULL IN PRECIP. OTHERWISE...FORECAST LOOKS ON TRACK WITH NO OTHER UPDATES. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 500 AM PST FRI DEC 17 2010/ DISCUSSION... THE INITIAL ROUND OF PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPCOMING SERIES OF SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCES IS CURRENTLY PUSHING THROUGH THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR. RAINFALL AMOUNTS SO FAR HAVE BEEN LIGHT TO MODERATE...WITH AROUND 1/10 OF AN INCH REPORTED IN SOME VALLEY LOCATIONS AND HIGHER AMOUNTS IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN...ESPECIALLY ALONG OROGRAPHICALLY FAVORED WEST FACING SLOPES. SNOW LEVELS ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING FROM AS LOW AS AROUND 5 KFT NEAR YOSEMITE TO OVER 7 KFT FARTHER SOUTH INTO KERN COUNTY. SATELLITE LOOPS SHOW ADDITIONAL IMPULSES IN THE WET WESTERLY FLOW LINED UP AND TAKING AIM ON OUR REGION. MODELS CONTINUE TO PROG THESE SHORTWAVES TO TRACK ACROSS THE REGION FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS BRINGING PERIODS OF PRECIPITATION INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. SNOW LEVELS WILL RISE TODAY IN THE RELATIVELY WARM SUBTROPICAL FLOW AND SHOULD REMAIN FAIRLY HIGH FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS...LOWERING BRIEFLY BY MONDAY AS THE GULF OF ALASKA UPPER LEVEL LOW WOBBLES SLIGHTLY SOUTHWARD. PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW WILL PRODUCE SEVERAL FEET OF ACCUMULATIONS AT THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA ZONES...GENERALLY ABOVE 7000 FEET AND A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT THERE THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE PERIODS OF RAINFALL MAY CAUSE SOME FLOODING CONCERNS IN THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN BELOW THE SNOW LEVEL AS WELL AS IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. TIMING OF THE DISTURBANCES AND MOISTURE SURGES STILL SUGGEST THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION WILL OCCUR SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY AND AGAIN TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. BY THURSDAY AT LEAST A BRIEF RESPITE IS EXPECTED AS A RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE REGION. && .AVIATION... WIDESPREAD MVFR WITH AREAS OF IFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY ACROSS THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS ALONG WITH MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL OVER THE KERN COUNTY DESERT THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... NONE && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST SUNDAY ABOVE 7000 FEET FOR THE CAZ096-097. && PUBLIC...DURFEE AVN/FW...DCH SYNOPSIS...WP PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...JEB WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 17, 9:58 AM PST, 2 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 958 AM PST FRI DEC 17 2010 CAZ095-098-099-181800- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-INDIAN WELLS VALLEY- SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT- 958 AM PST FRI DEC 17 2010 ...VERY WET WEATHER... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT RAIN WILL CONTINUE DEVELOPING TODAY AND LIKELY CONTINUE OFF AND ON THROUGH AT LEAST THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. RAIN MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT RISES ON AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS. PLEASE SEE THE HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...SFOESFHNX...WMO HEADER FGUS76 KHNX...FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY RAIN WILL LIKELY CONTINUE OFF AND ON THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND POSSIBLY INTO THURSDAY. RAIN MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT RISES ON AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS. PLEASE SEE THE HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...SFOESFHNX...WMO HEADER FGUS76 KHNX...FOR DETAILS. .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. CAZ096-097-181800- SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 958 AM PST FRI DEC 17 2010 ...HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A SERIES OF PACIFIC STORMS WILL DRIVE CONSIDERABLE MOISTURE INTO THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA STARTING TODAY. HEAVY SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND...AND POSSIBLY INTO THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK. VERY HEAVY SNOWFALL OF 5 TO 10 FEET ABOVE 7000 FEET IS LIKELY. A WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 7000 FEET IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM PST TODAY TO 4 PM PST SUNDAY. PLEASE SEE /SFOWSWHNX/ OR /WWUS46 KHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND POSSIBLY INTO THURSDAY. WHILE THE WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST SUNDAY...FURTHER WINTER STORM WARNINGS MAY NEED TO BE ISSUED DURING THIS PERIOD. .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. CAZ093-094-181800- MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS- TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS- 958 AM PST FRI DEC 17 2010 ...SMALL STREAM FLOODING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE FOOTHILLS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT RAIN WILL CONTINUE DEVELOPING TODAY AND LIKELY CONTINUE OFF AND ON THROUGH AT LEAST THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. RAIN MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT RISES ON AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS. PLEASE SEE THE HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...SFOESFHNX...WMO HEADER FGUS76 KHNX...FOR DETAILS. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD CA HAS ISSUED A SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR THE SIERRA NEVADA FOOTHILLS AND THE SIERRA NEVADA BELOW 7000 FEET UNTIL 900 AM PST SATURDAY. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL IS EXPECTED AFTER 600 PM THIS EVENING. PLEASE SEE /SFOFLSHNX/ OR /WGUS86 KHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM PST SATURDAY. PLEASE SEE /SFOFLSHNX/ OR /WGUS86 KHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .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. CAZ089>092-181800- WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- 958 AM PST FRI DEC 17 2010 ...URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT RAIN WILL CONTINUE DEVELOPING TODAY AND LIKELY CONTINUE OFF AND ON THROUGH AT LEAST THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. RAIN MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT RISES ON AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS. PLEASE SEE THE HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...SFOESFHNX...WMO HEADER FGUS76 KHNX...FOR DETAILS. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD CA HAS ISSUED AN URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY NORTH OF KERN COUNTY UNTIL 930 AM PST SATURDAY. PLEASE SEE /SFOFLSHNX/ OR /WGUS86 KHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM PST SATURDAY. PLEASE SEE /SFOFLSHNX/ OR /WGUS86 KHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .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
The radar
The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 113 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:05 UTC.
Event by event
5 flood, 2 winter storm, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Tulare Cty Mtns
- When
- December 17, 10:00 AM PST to December 20, 10:00 PM PST
- Where
- Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
Flood, Madera
- When
- December 17, 10:05 PM PST to December 19, 7:00 PM PST
- Where
- Madera County, Oakhurst to Coarsegold
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $35,000
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 37.330, -119.670
At 2205 PST on the 17th the CHP reported rock slides on State Route 49 at Harmony Lane, 3 miles WNW of Oakhurst in Madera County. Several other flood reports on the 18th and 19th in the Madera area and nearby foothills.
Flood, Kern
- When
- December 19, 9:00 AM PST to December 21, 12:00 AM PST
- Where
- Kern County, Randsburg to Johannesburg
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 35.370, -117.650
CHP reported flooding on Red Rock Randsburg Road about 5 miles west of Randsburg. CHP also reported flooding on Garlock Road at northbound US 395.
Flood, Tulare
- When
- December 19, 9:01 AM PST to December 21, 12:00 AM PST
- Where
- Tulare County, 0.56 mi E of Cinowths Corner to 1.04 mi SE of Cinowths Corner
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $1.0 million
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 36.330, -119.320
Local emergency management reported Highway 198 was shut down east of Akers Ave in Visalia due to severe flooding. The roadway was closed off and on for several days due to periodic flooding. At 1126 PST on the 19th the CHP reported mud flowing into the number 2 lane of state route 198 at Court Avenue in Visalia.
Flood, Fresno
- When
- December 19, 11:00 AM PST to December 21, 12:00 AM PST
- Where
- Fresno County, (Fat) Air Terminal to Auberry
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $150,000
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 36.770, -119.720
Widespread flooding reported on the 19th and 20th around metro Fresno and the adjacent foothills.
Flood, Kern
- When
- December 19, 11:00 AM PST to December 21, 12:00 AM PST
- Where
- Kern County, (Bfl)meadows Field Ap to Lake Isabella
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $5.0 million
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 35.430, -119.050
At 1235 PST on the 19th local officials reported widespread flooding on many city streets in Bakersfield and around Kern County. At 1205 PST on the 20th the CHP reported large rock slides on CA Highway 178 have closed the Kern Canyon Road that connects Bakersfield and Lake Isabella. At 1600 PST on the 20th Local officials reported the city drainage infrastructure in Bakersfield was overwhelmed and backing up in some areas. Several city streets were flooded and closed with deep water.
Flash Flood, Kern
- When
- December 20, 6:21 PM PST to 10:45 PM PST
- Where
- Kern County, 3.24 mi SSW of Garlock to 3.11 mi N of Ricardo
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 35.360, -117.810
The Highway Patrol reported basketball size rocks washed onto Hwy 14 at Jawbone Canyon.
What these are
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
- Flood
- Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Ice Storm in Arizona, December 17 to 23, 2010
- Flash Flooding and Flood in California, December 17 to 24, 2010
- Winter Storm in California, December 17 to 20, 2010
- High Wind in Washington, December 17 to 18, 2010
- Winter Storm and Avalanche in Colorado, December 17 to 23, 2010
- Winter Storm in California, December 17 to 20, 2010
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Nevada, December 17 to 20, 2010
- Heavy Snow in California, December 17 to 21, 2010
- Winter Weather in Michigan, December 17 to 18, 2010
- High Wind in Washington, December 17 to 18, 2010
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, December 17 to 18, 2010
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, December 17 to 19, 2010
More
Every storm in California in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2010
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: 275650, 275651, 275825, 275821, 266306, 275822, 275823, 275659.