High Wind, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- December 5, 3:13 PM PST to 10:46 PM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Measured
- 62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
High Wind in California, December 5, 2010
December began with an upper-level ridge over California. With a stable airmass over the region, skies cleared and early morning temperatures in the rural areas fell to near freezing on the 1st.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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.
December began with an upper-level ridge over California. With a stable airmass over the region, skies cleared and early morning temperatures in the rural areas fell to near freezing on the 1st. As fog developed toward sunrise, the risk of clear (or black ) ice of bridges and overpasses increased.|A developing Pacific storm dropped south from the Gulf of Alaska on December 3rd-4th, strengthening the ridge and bringing warmer temperatures to the region. Fresno reached a high of 64 degrees on the 4th, and the average temperature for the date of 57 degrees was 10 degrees above normal. The high at Bakersfield on the 4th also was 64 degrees.|The center of the storm remained offshore on December 5th, generating strong southerly winds over interior central California. Winds downsloped through the Grapevine into the south end of the San Joaquin Valley, with a spotter estimating gusts of 60-70 mph near the Interstate 5-Highway 99 split, and Meadows Field in Bakersfield had gusts to 41 mph. The downslope winds also warmed Bakersfield to a high of 69 degrees. The storm was moved rapidly through the|region during the evening of the 5th, with most of the precipitation falling while the area was still in the warm sector of the storm. As a result, snow levels remained above 8,000 feet and accumulations were lighter than expected.|The storm lifted northeast through the Great Basin into Idaho during the night of December 5th-6th and the following morning. This allowed an upper-level ridge to move over California, creating conditions for patchy night and morning fog in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley. The fog was most prevalent in the Atwater-Merced area and along the Highway 198 corridor from Lemoore through Hanford to Visalia and Tulare, the normally fog-prone areas.|One surprise was the development of dense fog in the Mojave Desert and Indian Wells Valley during the morning of the 6th. The visibility at Edwards AFB fell to 1/8 of a mile, and the ASOS at the China Lake N.W.T.C. reported a visibility of less than a quarter mile. The fog began lifting by mid morning, but formed again the next morning, only not as thick. The visibility at Edwards AFB fell to 1- mile during the morning of December 7th, but remained above 7 miles at the China Lake Naval Weapons Test Center.
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 5, 2:00 PM PST, 1 hour 13 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 5, 2:00 PM PST, 1 hour 13 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 200 PM PST SUN DEC 5 2010 .SYNOPSIS... SHOWERS AND HIGH ELEVATION SNOW ARE LIKELY THROUGH TONIGHT DUE TO A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OFF THE COAST OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THERE IS ALSO A SLIGHT CHANCE OF VALLEY AND FOOTHILL THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. THE SYSTEM WILL MOVE OUT OF AREA MONDAY BUT LINGERING SHOWERS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE. THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM COULD ARRIVE BY MID-WEEK BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE OF RAIN AND HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW. && .DISCUSSION... SATELLITE IMAGERY AT 21Z /1300 PST/ SHOW A WELL-DEFINED UPPER-LEVEL LOW CENTERED NEAR 38N/131W. AN OFF-DUTY NWS EMPLOYEE REPORTED SPRINKLES NEAR THE SOUTH EDGE OF FRESNO AROUND 2010Z /1210 PST/ AND RADAR INDICATES A BAND OF SHOWERS CONTINUING TO MOVE INTO THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY FROM THE SOUTHWEST...WHILE THE NEXT BAND MOVES THROUGH THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA INTO THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY. THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION WILL OCCUR TONIGHT AS THE TROUGH AXIS SWINGS THROUGH THE HANFORD WARNING/FORECAST AREA BETWEEN 06-12Z /2200 PST TONIGHT-0400 PST MONDAY/. THE 12Z NAM-12 SHOWS A BAND OF SURFACE COMPUTED CAPE PEAKING AT 200-250 JOULES/KG MOVING THROUGH THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY BETWEEN 06-09Z TONIGHT. ALTHOUGH SURFACE COMPUTED LIFTED INDEXES REMAIN POSITIVE...THERE WERE LIGHTNING STRIKES OVER OCEAN WEST OF THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST THIS MORNING...AND SPC HAD THE WESTERN HALF OF THE HANFORD WARN/FORECAST AREA UNDER A GENERAL RISK FOR THUNDERSTORMS. WILL KEEP THE SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDER IN THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FOOTHILLS FOR TONIGHT. IN THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA...SNOWFALL ESTIMATES CONTINUE TO BE IN THE 1-2 FOOT RANGE OVER THE HIGH COUNTRY. THE WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 7000 FEET FOR 00-16Z MONDAY /1600 PST SUNDAY-0800 PST MONDAY/ LOOKS ON TRACK. AFTER THE TROUGH MOVES EAST OF THE REGION MONDAY...A SHORT-WAVE UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE WILL MOVE OVER CALIFORNIA. WITH A STABLE AIRMASS OVERHEAD AND GROUND MOISTURE FROM TONIGHT/S STORMS...PATCHY FOG IS POSSIBLE TUESDAY MORNING. HAVE LIMITED THE FOG TO THE TWO MOST FOG-PRONE AREAS...THE HIGHWAY 198 CORRIDOR BETWEEN LEMOORE AND VISALIA...AND THE HIGHWAY 99 CORRIDOR FROM ATWATER SOUTH TO JUST NORTH OF MADERA. THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TUESDAY NIGHT AND LINGER THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. 500-MB HEIGHTS OVER THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR REMAIN HIGH...ABOVE 5700 METERS...AND THE 12Z GFS KEEPS HEIGHTS OVER THE REGION ABOVE 5760 METERS THROUGH THE PERIOD. HAVE LIMITED PRECIPITATION TO THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE HANFORD WARNING/FORECAST AREA...WITH THE HIGHEST POPS ALONG THE NORTHERN FRINGES OF THE REGION. THE NEXT UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO CALIFORNIA FRIDAY...WITH 500-MB HEIGHTS CLIMBING ABOVE 5820 METERS BY 00Z SUNDAY /1600 PST SATURDAY/...WITH THE 05/00Z ECMWF PUSHING 500-MB HEIGHTS ABOVE 5880 METERS BY 12Z /0400 PST/ SUNDAY. THIS WILL BE A DRY AND WARM PATTERN FOR THE WEEKEND. && .AVIATION... MVFR VSBYS IN HAZE WITH ISOLATED LIGHT PRECIPITATION IN THE THROUGH 02Z. PRECIPITATION BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD AFTER 02Z AND CONTINUING THROUGH 15Z MONDAY WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND SIERRA FOOTHILLS UNTIL 12Z MONDAY. AREAS OF MVFR WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS FROM 15Z MONDAY TO 00Z TUESDAY. AREAS OF MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION IN CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY. GENERALLY...VFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE KERN DESERT THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 5 2010...FIREPLACE/WOOD STOVE BURNING IS PROHIBITED IN FRESNO...KERN...KINGS AND TULARE COUNTIES. FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT VALLEYAIR.ORG && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 8 AM PST MONDAY ABOVE 7000 FEET FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK TO THE KERN COUNTY LINE /CAZ096-097/. && PUBLIC...SANGER AVN/FW...BEAN SYNOPSIS...PJ WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 5, 2:42 PM PST, 31 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 242 PM PST SUN DEC 5 2010 CAZ096-097-061400- SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 242 PM PST SUN DEC 5 2010 ...MOUNTAIN SNOW... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM PST TODAY THROUGH 8 AM PST MONDAY FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 7000 FEET. PLEASE REFER TO SFOWSWHNX OR /KHNX WWUS46/ FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...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. CAZ089>094-061400- WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS- TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS- 242 PM PST SUN DEC 5 2010 ...VALLEY THUNDER... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE OF VALLEY AND FOOTHILL THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 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. JONES
Event by event
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High Wind, E Central S.J. Valley
- When
- December 5, 5:10 PM PST to 8:59 PM PST
- Where
- E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
What these are
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Lake-Effect Snow in New York, December 5 to 8, 2010
- Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, December 5 to 8, 2010
- Avalanche in Colorado, December 5, 2010
- Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, December 5 to 7, 2010
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in West Virginia, December 5 to 8, 2010
- Blizzard and Heavy Snow in Pennsylvania, December 5 to 7, 2010
- Heavy Snow in West Virginia, December 5 to 7, 2010
- Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Michigan, December 5 to 7, 2010
- Heavy Snow and Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, December 5 to 7, 2010
- Freezing Fog in Montana, December 5, 2010
- Heavy Snow in West Virginia, December 5 to 7, 2010
- Heavy Snow in California, December 5 to 6, 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: 275643, 275644.