On the 28th, southeast winds aloft began to bring mid-level moisture from northern Mexico and the Desert Southwest. For the first time in approximately three weeks, isolated thunderstorms developed over the Sierra crest around Kings Canyon and points just to the north and east.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS HNX wrote it up.
On the 28th, southeast winds aloft began to bring mid-level moisture from northern Mexico and the Desert Southwest. For the first time in approximately three weeks, isolated thunderstorms developed over the Sierra crest around Kings Canyon and points just to the north and east. The surge of monsoonal moisture continued through the end of the month, with the strongest thunderstorm activity on July 30th and the morning of the 31st. A few thunderstorms over the Southern Sierra Nevada had rain rates of an inch or more in an hour, and a severe thunderstorm moved over Edwards Air Force Base during the afternoon of the 30th. The warm nature of the monsoonal moisture kept central and southern San Joaquin Valley high temperatures around 100 degrees through July 30th.
A line of thunderstorms moved through the central and southern San Joaquin Valley during the morning of July 31st, bringing record-tying rain to both Bakersfield and Fresno. After the thunderstorms moved out of the San Joaquin Valley, skies began to clear and temperatures warmed rapidly. With the cloud cover, the temperature at Fresno was between 70-72 degrees for most of the morning of the 31st. But once the clouds began to clear, the temperature warmed at a rate of 8 degrees per hour from 11 AM to 1 PM (reaching 88 degrees), and topped out at 97 degrees at 5 PM.|Both Bakersfield and Fresno were 0.6 degrees warmer than normal for July. However, July was the last month to use the 1971-2000 30-year climatological normals. The new normals, for 1981-2010, were implemented of August 1st. The new average temperature for July is slightly warmer than the 1971-2000 average. Using the new normals, July 2011 was slightly cooler than normal, with Bakersfield down 0.1 degree, and Fresno down 1.0 degree. Both Bakersfield and Fresno had 11 days with highs of 100 or above in July.
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 Jul 30, 8:44 AM PST, 2 hours 7 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 944 AM PDT SAT JUL 30 2011 .SYNOPSIS... THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE AT TIMES ARE EXPECTED MAINLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERT TODAY AND INTO MONDAY. AFTERWARD...MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES ARE EXPECTED OVER THE REGION DUE TO A DRY SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. && .DISCUSSION...VISIBLE SATELLITE SHOWING SCATTERED CLOUDS OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA THIS MORNING. DID SEE A LITTLE ALTOCUMULUS FLOCCUS OUT EARLIER INDICATING THE MID-LEVEL INSTABILITY. EXPECT CONVECTION TO DEVELOP LATER THIS MORNING AND INCREASE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON ...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SIERRA HIGH COUNTRY. NOTABLY THERE IS STILL A DECENT ONSHORE FLOW AS EVIDENCED BY THE COASTAL STRATUS PUSHED INTO THE VALLEYS. FORT ORD PROFILER HAS THE MARINE LAYER JUST OVER 2000 FEET AND TEMPS IN THE CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ARE DOWN A BIT FROM THIS TIME YESTERDAY. DO NOT PLAN ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE FORECAST TODAY AS THE MONSOON THREAT IS NOW WELL ANTICIPATED. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 318 AM PDT SAT JUL 30 2011/ DISCUSSION... MONSOONAL MOISTURE CONTINUES FLOWING INTO THE REGION FROM THE SOUTHEAST LATE TONIGHT/EARLY THIS MORNING. DEEPEST MOISTURE IS JUST TO THE EAST OF KERN COUNTY AT THIS TIME. IN FACT...AN IMPRESSIVE CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED JUST BEFORE 100 AM PDT THIS MORNING OVER SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY NEAR THE BARSTOW AND DAGGETT AREAS. THIS IS LIKELY DUE TO EMBEDDED VORTICITY IN THE MID LEVELS WHICH USUALLY PROVIDES DECENT LIFT TO ENHANCE CONVECTION. THEREFORE...NOCTURNAL CONVECTION REMAINS A POSSIBILITY OVER THE DESERT AREAS FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT AND AGAIN THE FOLLOWING NIGHT. THUS...WILL KEEP THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT OVER THE TULARE COUNTY MTNS AND KERN COUNTY DESERT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS WELL AS SUN AFTN/EVE AS MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL BE PLENTIFUL. FORECAST REMAINS A CHALLENGE OVER THIS WEEKEND DUE TO MID-LEVEL CLOUD COVER WHICH COULD ALLOW FOR SOMEWHAT COOLER DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURES AND WARMER OVERNIGHT LOWS...BUT EXPECTED A BIT MUGGY. BY SUNDAY...THERE IS EVEN THE POSSIBILITY OF CONVECTION SPREADING FURTHER WESTWARD AS THE RIDGE CONTINUES TO PUSH FURTHER NORTH AND WEST...BRINGING THE MOISTURE WITH IT. A ZONAL FLOW ALOFT WILL CONTINUE OVER NORTHERN CA AND THE PACIFIC NW...SO THIS SHOULD HELP THE RIDGE CONTINUE ITS PUSH INTO THE REGION. AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS COULD AFFECT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR...WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EVEN INTO THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. FOR MONDAY...MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE DRIER SOUTHWEST FLOW BEGINNING TO SET UP OVER THE REGION. THIS WILL GRADUALLY PUSH MOISTURE EASTWARD...ALTHOUGH SOME RESIDUAL MOISTURE MAY REMAIN AT LEAST UNTIL MON EVE. THEREFORE...HAVE KEPT AT LEAST SLIGHT CHANCE POPS RUNNING OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA. TEMPERATURES ARE ANTICIPATED TO BRIEFLY WARM BACK UP DURING THE DAYTIME AS SKIES WILL BEGIN TO CLEAR...WITH OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES BEGINNING TO MODERATE. AS FOR TUESDAY AND INTO NEXT WEEKEND A TROUGH PATTERN WILL REMAIN OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND NORTHERN CA. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR TEMPERATURES TO MODERATE A LITTLE WITH DRY CONDITIONS RETURNING. MODELS ARE IN FAIR AGREEMENT WITH THIS FEATURE...HOWEVER THE EURO CONTINUES TO KEEP IT QUITE A BIT STRONGER THAN GFS. HAVE KEPT TEMPS DURING EXTENDED PERIOD SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE FOR NOW. && .AVIATION... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA NEVADA...TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS AND THE KERN COUNTY DESERTS TODAY. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ON SATURDAY JULY 30 2011... UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS IN FRESNO... KERN AND TULARE COUNTIES. FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT VALLEYAIR.ORG && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT CAZ095>099. && PUBLIC...DCH/BSO AVN/FW...DUDLEY SYNOPSIS...DCH WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 353 AM PDT SAT JUL 30 2011 CAZ095>099-311230- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-INDIAN WELLS VALLEY- SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT- 353 AM PDT SAT JUL 30 2011 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO LATE SUNDAY NIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA...AND THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAIN AND DESERT AREAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE AREA. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO MOVE SLOWLY AND PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL LATE SUNDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. CAZ093-094-311230- MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS- TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS- 353 AM PDT SAT JUL 30 2011 ...CHANCE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS THIS WEEKEND... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE FOOTHILLS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...MAINLY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. CAZ089>092-311230- WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- 353 AM PDT SAT JUL 30 2011 ...SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MAINLY IN THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. BSO
The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:50 UTC.
4 heavy rain, 2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Two-hour rainfall total was 0.89 inches. The thunderstorm dropped 0.87 inches from 1251 PDT to 1351 PDT.
Trained spotter and Edwards mesonet observations indicated wind gusts to around 60 mph from a thunderstorm outflow. No damage was reported.
One hour rainfall amount, from a heavy thunderstorm, was 1.06 inches.
In only 33 minutes, a heavy thunderstorm dropped 0.56 inches of rain.
One hour rainfall from a heavy thunderstorm was 1.44 inches at Whiterock Creek.
The highway patrol reported a mudlisde on Kelso Creek Road in the Kern County Mountains.
The California Highway Patrol reported a mudslide which caused damage to Salmon Creek Highway and Mountain Highway 99 near Johnsondale.
A 21- Year old woman was struck in the ankle while inside her home by lightning. She was standing near a sliding glass door.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in California, July 2011
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: 338806, 338810, 338807, 338808, 338809, 338802, 338803, 338804.