Winter Storm, S Sierra Mtns
- When
- March 12, 4:00 PM PST to March 13, 4:00 AM PST
- Where
- S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Winter Storm and High Wind in California, March 12 to 14, 2010
The break between mid-month storms was short-lived as the next storm already was dropping out of the Aleutian Islands. 5 inches of rain to the Sierra at and below 5000 feet, wind gusts to 50 mph to the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, and gusts up to 70 mph in the Kern County Mountains and deserts.
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
- $500
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 7
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 break between mid-month storms was short-lived as the next storm already was dropping out of the Aleutian Islands. This storm brought 7-13 inches of new snow to the Southern Sierra Nevada high country on March 12th-13th, up to 1.5 inches of rain to the Sierra at and below 5000 feet, wind gusts to 50 mph to the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, and gusts up to 70 mph in the Kern County Mountains and deserts.
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 Mar 12, 2:04 PM PST, 1 hour 56 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 12, 2:04 PM PST, 1 hour 56 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 204 PM PST FRI MAR 12 2010 .SYNOPSIS... AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA TONIGHT BRINGING RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW. WINDY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ON SATURDAY AS THE SYSTEM PROGRESSES EASTWARD. HIGH PRESSURE WILL RETURN SUNDAY AND BRING WARMER TEMPERATURES AND DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. && .DISCUSSION... MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH A FAST MOVING UPPER TROUGH IS NOW PUSHING INTO CENTRAL CA. CLOUDS HAVE BEEN INCREASING THIS AFTERNOON FROM FRESNO COUNTY NORTHWARD WHILE KHNX 88D IS INDICATING PRECIPITATION HAS SPREAD INTO MERCED AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES WITH THE SNOW LEVEL CURRENTLY RUNNING AROUND 8500 FEET. WAA AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT HAS ALLOWED FOR TEMPERATURES TO RISE INTO THE LOWER TO MID 60S ACROSS MOST OF THE VALLEY TODAY ALTHOUGH TEMPERATURES WILL DROP RAPIDLY AS THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH OUR CWFA THIS EVENING. SNOW LEVELS WILL LOWER TO AROUND 5000 FEET NEAR YOSEMITE PARK BY THIS EVENING WITH A PERIOD OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL EXPECTED ABOVE 7000 FEET OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS FROM YOSEMITE PARK TO KINGS CANYON WHERE A WINTER STORM WARNING WAS ISSUED. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WAS ISSUED FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS WHERE ACCUMULATIONS WILL GENERALLY RANGE FROM 5 TO 10 INCHES ABOVE 7000 FEET JUST SOUTH OF KINGS CANYON WITH LESSER AMOUNTS NEAR THE KERN COUNTY BORDER. THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO TAPER OFF TO SHOWERS OVERNIGHT AND JUST SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED ON SATURDAY OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS MAINLY DURING THE MORNING. THE MAIN CONCERN FOR SATURDAY HOWEVER...IS STRONG WINDS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AS A RESULT OF INCREASED P-GRADS AND STRONG POST FRONTAL SUBSIDENCE. A HIGH WIND WARNING WAS ISSUED FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND THE SOUTHEAST KERN COUNTY DESERTS FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING WHERE GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED. WIND ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN POSTED FOR THE WEST SIDE OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND FOR THE INDIAN WELLS VALLEY AS STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED MOST NOTICEABLY ALONG THE I-5 CORRIDOR WHERE GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR MUCH OF THE DAY ON SATURDAY. THE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SLOWLY DIMINISH ON SATURDAY NIGHT AS THE TROUGH MOVES EAST OF OUR AREA. WHILE SKIES CLEAR OUT SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THE COLD AIRMASS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL SETTLE IN AND ALLOW FOR TEMPERATURES TO BOTTOM OUT ON SATURDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER...THE INCREASED WINDS IN THE VALLEY WILL MITIGATE ANY FROST THREAT IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND KEEP MINIMUM TEMPERATURES ABOVE THE FREEZING MARK. MODEL CONSENSUS CONTINUES TO INDICATE A LARGE DRY UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDING INTO CA ON SUNDAY...BRINGING AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER TO OUR AREA ALONG WITH A WARMING TREND TO OUR AREA SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY AS TEMPERATURES RISE TO WELL ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS. THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE 12Z GFS AND ECMWF AFTERWARD. THE ECMWF IS ADVERTISING A PACIFIC SHORTWAVE PUSHING INTO THE PAC NW TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY THEN DROPPING SOUTHEAST AND CARVING A TROUGH OVER THE GREAT BASIN WHILE THE RIDGE RE-AMPLIFIES OFF THE COAST...THIS WOULD KEEP OUR AREA UNDER A COOL AND DRY NORTHEAST FLOW THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WHILE THE GFS IS MORE PROGRESSIVE WITH THE PAC SHORTWAVE AND DIGS THE TROUGH FURTHER EAST AND IS NOT AS DEEP WITH IT WHILE AMPLIFYING THE RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN CONUS. WHILE OUR AREA WILL REMAIN MAINLY CLEAR AND DRY THROUGH THE PERIOD REGARDLESS OF WHICH SOLUTION VERIFIES...HAVE COMPROMISED BETWEEN THE TWO SOLUTIONS ON TEMPERATURES AND HAVE GONE A BIT ABOVE CLIMO FOR NOW FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. && .AVIATION... AN AREA OF PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH AN APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTH INTO INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS WILL GIVE WAY TO WIDESPREAD MVFR AND LOCAL IFR IN RAIN AND HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW AFTER 04Z SATURDAY. CONDITIONS IMPROVING OVER MOST OF THE VALLEY AFTER 12Z SATURDAY BUT LINGERING AREAS OF MVFR IN SHOWERS OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND SOUTH END OF THE VALLEY THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY. ACROSS THE KERN DESERTS...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... NONE. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 AM PST SATURDAY ABOVE 6000 FEET FOR THE CAZ097. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 AM PST SATURDAY ABOVE 6000 FEET FOR THE CAZ096. HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 10 AM SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT PST SATURDAY NIGHT CAZ095-099. WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 AM TO 10 PM PST SATURDAY CAZ089-091. WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT PST SATURDAY NIGHT CAZ098. && PUBLIC...DS AVN/FW...JEB SYNOPSIS...BSO WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 12, 11:21 AM PST, 4 hours 39 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 1121 AM PST FRI MAR 12 2010 CAZ096-131200- SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- 1121 AM PST FRI MAR 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH 6 AM PST SATURDAY MORNING. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE REFER TO /SFOWSWHNX/ OR /WWUS46 KHNX/. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE ABOVE MENTIONED WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH 6 AM PST SATURDAY MORNING. .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. BSO WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD CAZ097-131200- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 1121 AM PST FRI MAR 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH 6 AM PST SATURDAY MORNING. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE REFER TO /SFOWSWHNX/ OR /WWUS46 KHNX/. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE ABOVE MENTIONED WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM PST SATURDAY MORNING. .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. BSO WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD CAZ089-091-131200- WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- 1121 AM PST FRI MAR 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE WEST SIDE OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 10 PM PST SATURDAY FOR THE WEST SIDE OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION WARNING /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR SFONPWHNX/ 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. BSO WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD CAZ095-099-131200- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT- 1121 AM PST FRI MAR 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A HIGH WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION WARNING /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/ 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. BSO WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD CAZ098-131200- INDIAN WELLS VALLEY- 1121 AM PST FRI MAR 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE INDIAN WELLS VALLEY. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT PST SATURDAY NIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NON PRECIPITATION WARNING UNDER /WWUS76 KHNX/ OR /SFONPWHNX/ 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. BSO WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
3 heavy rain, 1 winter storm, 1 winter weather, 1 strong wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Weather, Tulare Cty Mtns
- When
- March 12, 4:00 PM PST to March 13, 4:00 AM PST
- Where
- Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
Strong Wind, W Central S.J. Valley
- When
- March 13, 8:34 AM PST to 3:19 PM PST
- Where
- W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 44 kt (51 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $500
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Heavy Rain, Mariposa
- When
- March 13, 9:33 AM PST
- Where
- Mariposa County, 0.88 mi NE of Elliott Corner
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.480, -119.760
Twenty four hour total at Ponderosa Basin was 1.5 inches.
High Wind, Se Kern Cty Desert
- When
- March 13, 1:09 PM PST to 9:47 PM PST
- Where
- Se Kern Cty Desert forecast zone
- Measured
- 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Heavy Rain, Mariposa
- When
- March 13, 4:27 PM PST
- Where
- Mariposa County, 0.55 mi W of Fish Camp
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.480, -119.640
Thirty six hour storm total rainfall was 1.60 inches.
Heavy Rain, Fresno
- When
- March 14, 2:56 AM PST
- Where
- Fresno County, Shaver Lake Hgts
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 37.100, -119.320
The twenty four hour storm total rainfall was 1.5 inches.
What these are
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
- Strong Wind
- Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
- Heavy Rain
- Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
- 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
- Hail and Lightning Strike in Tennessee, March 12, 2010
- Coastal Flood and High Surf in New York, March 12 to 15, 2010
- Rip Current in Florida, March 12, 2010
- Avalanche in Colorado, March 12, 2010
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Alabama, March 12, 2010
- Flash Flooding in Iowa, March 12 to 13, 2010
- Tornado and Hail in Georgia, March 12, 2010
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Alabama, March 12, 2010
- Flooding in South Dakota, March 12 to 28, 2010
- Hail in Tennessee, March 12, 2010
- Flooding and Hail in Tennessee, March 12, 2010
- Lightning Strike in South Carolina, March 12, 2010
More
Every storm in California in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in California, March 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: 222863, 222864, 222865, 222860, 222866, 222861, 222862.