The last major storm of the month arrived on March 24th. This storm brought gusts to 45 mph to the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, and gusts to 65 mph in the Kern County mountains and deserts.
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.
The last major storm of the month arrived on March 24th. This storm brought gusts to 45 mph to the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, and gusts to 65 mph in the Kern County mountains and deserts. Convective activity was limited to near Merced, with several reports of road flooding due to the already saturated ground. Thunderstorms and showers moved east into the foothills of Madera and Mariposa Counties, where the heavy rains triggered rock and mud slides. Mainly light showers occurred southward. The trough moved east of the region on the 25th, with residual light showers in its wake. Additional light snow fell in the Southern Sierra Nevada measuring around 5 inches or less. Local media reported that the roof of a vacant store at Shaver Lake collapsed on March 26th due to 6 feet of snow accumulation on the roof.
A weak frontal system reached the area on the 26th-27th, bringing cooler temperatures but only light precipitation and a few gusty winds. This storm moved east of the central California interior on the 28th, with an upper-level ridge building into the state behind it to bring a strong warming trend.
High temperatures in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley warmed into the lower 80s on the last day of the month. This was the first day of 2011 that either Bakersfield or Fresno reached 80 degrees, with highs of 82 and 81 degrees, respectively. The last day Fresno had reached 80 degrees was November 5th, 2010, when Fresno had a high of 90 degrees. Bakersfield last saw an 80-degree day on November 6th, 2010, with a high of 85 degrees.
In summary, March was mainly dry during the first half of the month, followed by wet weather from the 15th until around the 27th. Temperatures generally remained near or below average until the last day of the month.
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 24, 8:20 PM PST, 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 920 PM PDT THU MAR 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT WITH SCATTERED VALLEY RAIN...AND SOME MOUNTAIN SNOW. GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AS THIS SYSTEM APPROACHES. AT LEAST TWO MORE SYSTEMS WILL BRING MORE WET WEATHER TO THE AREA ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. FLOODING IS ALSO A CONCERN DUE TO ALREADY SATURATED GROUND. && .DISCUSSION... THE LATEST STORM IN THE CURRENT SERIES IS MOVING THROUGH THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...BUT MEASURABLE RAIN HAS STAYED MOSTLY NORTH OF FRESNO COUNTY. AHEAD OF THE STORM...WINDS GUSTED OVER 40 MPH AT SOME LOCATIONS...BUT THESE WINDS HAVE MOSTLY SUBSIDED AND ALLOWED THE WIND ADVISORY FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY TO EXPIRE AT 04Z FRIDAY /2100 PDT TODAY/. THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED OVER MERCED COUNTY THIS EVENING...WITH THE FIRST LIGHTNING DETECTED AT 0243Z FRIDAY /1943 PDT TODAY/. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST INTO MARIPOSA AND MADERA COUNTIES. HAVE ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THESE STORMS AS THEY ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REPORTS OF STREET FLOODING THIS EVENING... MAINLY IN MERCED AND MADERA COUNTIES WHERE RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL ON SATURATED GROUND. SATELLITE LOOPS SHOW A JET STREAK ROUNDING THE BASE OF THE TROUGH...AND THESE STREAK COULD ENHANCE PRECIPITATION OVER THE REGION. IN ADDITION...RADAR INDICATES PRECIPITATION DEVELOPING OVER SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY THIS EVENING...MOVING EAST- NORTHEAST TOWARD THE SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. THIS PRECIPITATION COULD REACH THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND BRING A FEW INCHES OF NEW SNOW. WILL LEAVE THE FLOOD WATCH IN PLACE OVERNIGHT. LIKEWISE...WILL KEEP THE WINTER STORM WARNING IN PLACE FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO THE KERN COUNTY LINE...BUT DROP THE WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AS LITTLE NEW SNOW IS FALLING THERE. SATELLITE LOOPS SHOW THE UPPER-LEVEL LOW COMING ONSHORE INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA JUST SOUTH OF THE OREGON BORDER. THE TROUGH WILL MOVE THROUGH CALIFORNIA OVERNIGHT...WITH THE TROUGH AXIS EAST OF THE HANFORD WARNING/FORECAST AREA AROUND 06Z FRIDAY AND INTO THE GREAT BASIN BY 12Z FRIDAY. BEHIND THIS TROUGH...THE MODELS HAVE WEAK TROUGHINESS OVER THE REGION FRIDAY...FLATTENING TO A NEAR ZONAL FLOW FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING BEFORE THE NEXT TROUGH REACHES NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SATURDAY AFTERNOON. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 248 PM PDT THU MAR 24 2011/ LATEST STORM IS HAVING A HARD TIME SPREADING PRECIP INTO THE REGION. THE UPPER TROF IS ALONG 130W...AND THE SFC LOW IS WEST OF THE NORCAL/OR BORDER. THE SFC LOW WILL GRADUALLY FILL AND LIFT TO THE ENE TONITE...WITH THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT TRAILING ACROSS CENTRAL CA OVERNITE. UPPER DYNAMICS SHOULD STILL BE FAVORABLE FOR SOME HEAVY SNOW IN THE MTNS OVERNITE. HOWEVER THE OCCLUDED SFC FRONT IS RATHER DIFFICULT TO FIND ON SAT PIX. IT IS BECOMING LESS LIKELY FOR HEAVY RAIN IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AT THIS POINT. CANCELLED THE FLOOD WATCH FOR THE SOUTH VALLEY AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS. LEFT THE CENTRAL VALLEY ALONE AT THIS TIME...MORE FOR FLOOD CONCERNS COMING OUT OF THE FOOTHILLS OF MADERA AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES. GUSTY WINDS AT TIMES AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL CONT ACROSS PARTS OF MERCED COUNTY...AND GRADUALLY SPREAD DOWN THE I-5 CORRIDOR PRIOR TO THE FRONT MOVING THRU THIS EVE. THE WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL DECREASE AND THE WIND ADZY TILL 9PM LOOKS GOOD. A BREAK IN THE PRECIP...AT LEAST A CHANGE TO SHOWERY TYPE PRECIP WILL OCCUR FRI AND FRI NITE. THE NEXT SHORTWAVE TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION WILL ARRIVE SAT. THIS WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW TO THE SIERRA...BUT AT THIS POINT DOESNT LOOK LIKE A MAJOR WINTER STORM. AND...IT MAY NOT PRODUCE MUCH IN THE WAY OF QPF IN KERN COUNTY AT ALL. HIGH POPS BUT NOT A LOT OF PRECIP LOOK BEST FOR NOW. MODELS A LITTLE BE OFF IN WHETHER ANOTHER WEAK SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION SUN...BUT FOR NOW LEFT SOME SMALL POPS NORTH HALF OF THE FCST AREA. OTHERWISE A DRYING AND WARMING TREND BEGINS MON...AND CONTINUES THRU THE NEW WORK-WEEK. && .AVIATION... MAINLY IFR IN MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION ACROSS THE SIERRA NEVADA AND TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS IN CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION. THESE CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY. IN THE CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...GENERALLY VFR/MVFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... NONE. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 AM PDT FRIDAY FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA...FROM YOSEMITE TO THE KERN COUNTY LINE /CAZ096-097/. FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 AM PDT FRIDAY FOR THE CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS /CAZ089-090-093/. && PUBLIC...SANGER AVN/FW...MOLINA SYNOPSIS...PJ PREV DISCUSSION...BINGHAM WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 848 AM PDT THU MAR 24 2011 CAZ095>097-251200- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 848 AM PDT THU MAR 24 2011 ...WINTER WEATHER TODAY AND TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA NORTH OF KERN COUNTY TODAY AND TONIGHT...AND FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE SEE SFOWSWHNX /WMO HEADER WWUS46 KHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WINTER STORM WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGH MID-MORNING FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RELAY ANY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THROUGH THE AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK OR BY TELEPHONE. CAZ089>094-251200- 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- 848 AM PDT THU MAR 24 2011 ...POSSIBLE FLOODING AND WINDY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. PLEASE SEE SFOFFAHNX /WMO HEADER WGUS66 KHNX FOR DETAILS. A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN PARTS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ARE IN EFFECT AS WELL WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE. THE HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE WESTCENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RELAY ANY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THROUGH THE AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK OR BY TELEPHONE. BINGHAM
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA
420 PM PDT THU MAR 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0515 PM FUNNEL CLOUD KERMAN 36.72N 120.06W
03/23/2011 FRESNO CA BROADCAST MEDIA
KFSN TV-30 RELAYED A REPORT OF A FUNNEL CLOUD OBSERVED
FROM KERMAN.
0650 PM TSTM WND GST KETTLEMAN CITY 36.01N 119.96W
03/23/2011 M45.00 MPH KINGS CA MESONET
MEASURED BY THE KETTLEMAN HILLS RAWS.
0913 PM NON-TSTM WND GST TWISSELMAN 35.36N 119.82W
03/23/2011 M48.00 MPH KERN CA MESONET
MEASURED BY THE TWISSELMAN RAWS.
1232 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 WNW INDIAN WELLS CANY 35.71N 117.95W
03/24/2011 M77.00 MPH KERN CA MESONET
MEASURED BY THE BLUE MAX RAWS.
0114 AM NON-TSTM WND GST JAWBONE CANYON 35.29N 118.23W
03/24/2011 M47.00 MPH KERN CA MESONET
MEASURED BY THE JAWBONE CANYON RAWS.
0126 AM NON-TSTM WND GST INDIAN WELLS CANYON 35.69N 117.89W
03/24/2011 M52.00 MPH KERN CA MESONET
MEASURED BY THE INDIAN WELLS CANYON RAWS.
1155 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 ENE ATWATER 37.38N 120.53W
03/24/2011 M46.00 MPH MERCED CA AWOS
MEASURED AT CASTLE AIRPORT.
1231 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 W SAN LUIS DAM 37.05N 121.11W
03/24/2011 M37.00 MPH MERCED CA MESONET
MEASURED BY NWS-OWNED INSTRUMENTATION AT PACHECO PASS.
1253 PM NON-TSTM WND GST MERCED 37.30N 120.48W
03/24/2011 M40.00 MPH MERCED CA ASOS
MEASURED AT MERCED REGIONAL AIRPORT.
0131 PM NON-TSTM WND GST SAN LUIS NATIONAL WILDL 37.18N 120.79W
03/24/2011 M40.00 MPH MERCED CA MESONET
MEASURED BY THE SAN LUIS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE RAWS.
0153 PM NON-TSTM WND GST MADERA 36.97N 120.08W
03/24/2011 M36.00 MPH MADERA CA ASOS
MEASURED AT MADERA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.
0211 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 9 NE EDWARDS AFB 35.00N 117.82W
03/24/2011 M63.00 MPH KERN CA MESONET
MEASURED BY EDWARDS AFB WIND TOWER 150.
0213 PM NON-TSTM WND GST TWISSELMAN 35.36N 119.82W
03/24/2011 M45.00 MPH KERN CA MESONET
MEASURED BY THE TWISSELMAN RAWS.
0227 PM NON-TSTM WND GST PANOCHE ROAD 36.73N 120.48W
03/24/2011 M40.00 MPH FRESNO CA MESONET
MEASURED BY THE PANOCHE ROAD RAWS.
0235 PM NON-TSTM WND GST ROSAMOND 34.86N 118.20W
03/24/2011 M40.00 MPH KERN CA MESONET
MEASURED BY THE ROSAMOND KC0IGH APRS.
0300 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 E MOJAVE 35.05N 118.14W
03/24/2011 M48.00 MPH KERN CA MESONET
MEASURED BY EDWARDS AFB WIND TOWER 391.
0302 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 17 E EDWARDS AFB 34.91N 117.64W
03/24/2011 M48.00 MPH KERN CA MESONET
MEASURED BY EDWARDS AFB WIND TOWER 390.
&&
SANGERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA
658 PM PDT THU MAR 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0344 PM NON-TSTM WND GST MADERA 36.97N 120.08W
03/24/2011 M41.00 MPH MADERA CA ASOS
MEASURED AT MADERA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.
0427 PM NON-TSTM WND GST PANOCHE ROAD 36.73N 120.48W
03/24/2011 M44.00 MPH FRESNO CA MESONET
MEASURED BY THE PANOCHE ROAD RAWS.
0550 PM NON-TSTM WND GST KETTLEMAN HILLS 36.03N 120.06W
03/24/2011 M41.00 MPH KINGS CA MESONET
MEASURED BY THE KETTLEMAN HILLS RAWS.
0613 PM NON-TSTM WND GST TWISSELMAN 35.36N 119.82W
03/24/2011 M53.00 MPH KERN CA MESONET
MEASURED BY THE TWISSELMAN RAWS.
0617 PM FLOOD 2 S MERCED 37.27N 120.48W
03/24/2011 MERCED CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED FLOODING ON STATE
ROUTE 59 JUST SOUTH OF MISSION AVENUE.
0625 PM FLOOD 5 SSW ATWATER 37.29N 120.63W
03/24/2011 MERCED CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED FLOODING ON STATE
ROUTE 140 JUST EAST OF NORTH APPLEGATE ROAD.
0628 PM NON-TSTM WND GST AVENAL 36.03N 120.11W
03/24/2011 M38.00 MPH KINGS CA MESONET
MEASURED BY NWS-OWNED INSTRUMENTATION AT AVENAL.
0647 PM FLOOD 14 SSW COARSEGOLD 37.07N 119.80W
03/24/2011 MADERA CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED FLOODING ON STATE
ROUTE 41 JUST NORTH OF ONEALS TURNOFF.
&&
SANGERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA
743 PM PDT THU MAR 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0714 PM FLOOD MERCED 37.30N 120.48W
03/24/2011 MERCED CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED FLOODING ON STATE
ROUTE 99 AT R STREET.
0734 PM FLOOD 11 N MARIPOSA 37.66N 119.99W
03/24/2011 MARIPOSA CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED A MUD/DIRT/ROCK SLIDE
ON STATE ROUTE 140 AT FORESTA ROAD...JUST EAST OF
BRICCEBURG.
&&
SANGERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA 804 PM PDT THU MAR 24 2011 CAZ089-090-093-250345- EAST-CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA-MARIPOSA, MADERA, AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS CA-WEST-CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA- 804 PM PDT THU MAR 24 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN MADERA... SOUTHWESTERN MARIPOSA...EASTERN MERCED AND WESTERN FRESNO COUNTIES UNTIL 845 PM PDT... AT 757 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES SOUTH OF MERCED...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. ACCUMULATING SMALL HAIL IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... MERCED... PLANADA AND LE GRAND... IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. LAT...LON 3768 12018 3734 11965 3682 12044 3720 12078 TIME...MOT...LOC 0303Z 227DEG 26KT 3720 12049 SANGER WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA
857 PM PDT THU MAR 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0753 PM FLOOD 10 N OAKHURST 37.48N 119.65W
03/24/2011 MARIPOSA CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED MUD/DIRT/ROCK SLIDE ON
STATE ROUTE 41 JUST NORTH OF BROKEN BIT.
0811 PM FLOOD 15 E LIVINGSTON 37.39N 120.45W
03/24/2011 MERCED CA ASOS
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED FLOODING ON STATE
ROUTE 59 JUST SOUTH OF OAKDALE ROAD.
0829 PM FLOOD 3 SE MERCED 37.27N 120.45W
03/24/2011 MERCED CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED FLOODING ON EAST
CHILDS AVENUE.
0840 PM FLOOD MERCED 37.30N 120.48W
03/24/2011 MERCED CA NWS EMPLOYEE
OFF-DUTY NWS EMPLOYEE RELAYED A REPORT OF FLOODING NEAR
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA MERCED CAMPUS.
0848 PM FLOOD 19 SSW COARSEGOLD 37.01N 119.83W
03/24/2011 MADERA CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED FLOODING ON STATE
ROUTE 41 AT ROAD 416.
&&
SANGERThe San Francisco radar (KMUX), 124 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:32 UTC.
2 flood, 1 flash flood, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
The CHP reported flash flooding at Highway 59 just north of the Trout Farm. One foot of water was flowing across the roadway.
The CHP reported roadway flooding on Sate highway 145 at Bonnie Way.
During the frequently stormy period that began on the 18th and ended on the 28th, as much as 7 inches of rain fell in the San Joaquin Valley and up to 10 inches of rain drenched the adjacent foothills while the higher elevations of the Sierra (above 7000 feet) received snow accumulations of up to 15 feet. Excessive runoff, combined with an increase in reservoir releases at the major dams caused higher than normal flows along rivers and streams through the end of the month. The Merced River at Stevinson peaked a half of a foot below flood stage at 4:30 pm on the 21st but otherwise remained well above monitor stage during the last two weeks of the month. Water levels along the San Joaquin River approached levels that had not been observed since January, 1997. At Newman, the river first rose above monitor stage on the morning of the 23rd and remained above monitor stage for the remainder of the month. Water flowed into the Fisherman’s Bend trailer park along the San Joaquin River near Newman by the 28th where voluntary evacuations were conducted. In Merced County, several water swollen creeks briefly flowed out of their banks on the morning of the 20th and caused minor flooding.
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, March 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: 294594, 294595, 294597, 294601.