Winter Weather, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- April 1, 12:00 AM PST to 5:00 PM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
High Wind and Winter Weather in California, April 1, 2012
April began midway through the storm that arrived on the last day of March. As mentioned in the weather summary for March, two-day storm totals (March 31st-April 1st) were between a quarter and a half inch of rain for the central San Joaquin Valley, and between a tenth and a quarter of an inch for the south Valley.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $50,000
- 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.
April began midway through the storm that arrived on the last day of March. As mentioned in the weather summary for March, two-day storm totals (March 31st-April 1st) were between a quarter and a half inch of rain for the central San Joaquin Valley, and between a tenth and a quarter of an inch for the south Valley. The exception was the southwest part of the San Joaquin Valley, which was rain-shadowed and received only a few hundredths of an inch of rain. In the Southern Sierra Nevada, snowfall amounts over the high country generally were between 5 and 9 inches, although a couple of sites in Tulare County had around a foot of new snow. In the western Tehachapi Mountains, cars were stuck in the snow on the Mil Potrero Highway. Gusty southeast winds developed ahead of the cold front, with gusts of 35 to 45 mph in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley, and 58 to 62 mph in the Kern County deserts; a tree was blown down in Mojave.
As the storm moved east of California, an upper-level ridge moved into the state. High temperatures in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley on April 2nd were as much as 7 degrees warmer than on the 1st, and the desert saw even stronger warming in some locations. This warming continued on the 3rd, and then the ridge gave way to an approaching upper-level trough.
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 31, 8:14 PM PST, 3 hours 46 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 8:14 PM PST, 3 hours 46 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 914 PM PDT SAT MAR 31 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A FRONTAL SYSTEM IS MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA TONIGHT...PRODUCING VALLEY RAIN...MOUNTAIN SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS OVER THE FORECAST AREA. CLEARING SKIES EXPECTED TOMORROW AFTER FRONT MOVES OUT OF THE AREA. && .DISCUSSION... FRONTAL BAND IS MOVING THROUGH THE CWA ATTM. RAINFALL AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN LIGHT ACROSS THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. BACK EDGE OF PRECIPITATION HAS MOVED INTO THE SOUTHERN SIERRA. A SECONDARY LINE OF SHOWERS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE SJV OVERNIGHT. HAVE LEFT UP THE WINTER STORM WARNING UP FOR NOW...LAST CHANCE OF ANY SIGNIFICANT PRECIP WILL BE THE LINE OF SHOWERS MOVING INTO THE CWA AND WILL BE THROUGH THE REGION BY DAY BREAK. WINDS HAVE DIED DOWN OVER THE WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY. THE WINDS ARE STILL BLOWING IN THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERT AREAS...AND ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO ADV LEVELS LATER TONIGHT. HAVE LOWERED POPS ACROSS THE VALLEY AND OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NORTH OF KINGS CANYON. THE UPPER TROUGH WILL MOVE THROUGH OVERNIGHT WITH CLEARING EXPECTED ON SUNDAY. FOCUS TONIGHT WAS ON THE SHORT TERM AND HAVE NOT MADE ANY CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 241 PM PDT SAT MAR 31 2012/ DISCUSSION... RADAR LOOPS SHOW THE FRONTAL RAIN BAND EXTENDING NORTHEASTWARD FROM WESTERN FRESNO COUNTY THROUGH MERCED AND WESTERN MADERA COUNTIES INTO YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. A FEW SPOTS IN WESTERN MERCED COUNTY HAVE RECEIVED OVER A TENTH OF AN INCH OF RAIN SO FAR. OTHERWISE...RAIN HAS BEEN LIGHT. WINDS HAVE INCREASED AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...WITH RAWS IN THE TEMBLORS AND DIABLO RANGE REPORTING GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH. SATELLITE LOOPS SHOW A WELL DEVELOPED UPPER-LEVEL LOW WEST OF THE CALIFORNIA-OREGON BORDER. BEHIND THE FRONTAL CLOUD BAND IS A LARGE FIELD OF COLD-AIR CUMULUS. AT 21Z /1400 PDT/ THIS AFTERNOON...THE COLD FRONT WAS BETWEEN FRESNO /TEMPERATURE 68/ AND MADERA /14 DEGREES COOLER AT 54/. THIS COLD AIRMASS WILL MOVE INTO THE HANFORD WARNING/FORECAST AREA SUNDAY BEHIND THE FRONT...DROPPING TEMPERATURES TO BELOW NORMAL FOR THE START OF NEXT WEEK. THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS MOVING THROUGH THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR OVERNIGHT AND EAST OF THE HANFORD WARNING/FORECAST AREA BY 12Z /0500 PDT/ SUNDAY. THIS IS A SLOWER TIMING THAN ORIGINALLY FORECAST...AND MODEL MOS GUIDANCE CONTINUES STRONG WINDS OVER THE KERN COUNTY DESERT THROUGH 00Z MONDAY /1700 PDT SUNDAY/. CONSEQUENTLY...HAVE EXTENDED THE WIND ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT THROUGH 02Z MONDAY /1900 PDT SUNDAY/. BEHIND THE TROUGH...AN UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE IS FORECAST TO BUILD INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SUNDAY NIGHT AND INTO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA MONDAY. THIS WILL BRING WARMING TO THE REGION... WITH TEMPERATURES NEAR NORMAL TUESDAY. THE NEXT TROUGH IS FORECAST TO DROP OUT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA AND REACH THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR WEDNESDAY. THE LAST COUPLE OF RUNS HAVE TRENDED DEEPER WITH THIS TROUGH...SO HAVE INCREASED POPS OVER THE NORTHERN PARTS OF THE HANFORD WARNING/FORECAST AREA WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE MODELS BEGIN TO DIVERGE THURSDAY...AND THERE ARE STRONG DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MODELS BY FRIDAY. THE 12Z ECMWF IS MORE PROGRESSIVE WITH THE MIDWEEK TROUGH THAN THE 00Z RUN...AND IS CLOSER IN TIMING TO THE 12Z GFS. HOWEVER...THE ECMWF LIFTS THE TROUGH INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES THAN THE GFS..AND CONSEQUENTLY HAS HIGHER 500-MB HEIGHTS OVER THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR. FOR NEXT SATURDAY...THE ECMWF HAS ANOTHER CLOSED LOW DEVELOPING OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC...WHILE THE GFS HAS A ZONAL FLOW ALOFT OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC INTO CALIFORNIA. GIVEN THESE DIFFERENCES...HAVE NOT MADE ANY CHANGES TO THE LAST TWO DAYS OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD. && .AVIATION... IN THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS...WIDESPREAD IFR IN CLOUDS/PRECIP...BECOMING VFR 18Z SUN THRU 00Z MON. IN THE SAN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...VFR WITH CIGS AT OR BELOW 5000 FT AGL AND AREAS OF -RA. ISOLATED TSRA WITH SMALL HAIL POSSIBLE THROUGH 03Z SUN. PATCHY IFR CIGS/VIS IN AREAS OF -RABR THRU 12Z SUN...CONTINUING THRU 18Z IN THE SOUTH END. OTHERWISE VFR 12Z SUN THUR 00Z MON. IN THE DESERTS OF KERN COUNTY...VFR PREVAILING THRU 00Z MON. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... NONE. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM PDT SUNDAY ABOVE 7000 FEET FOR THE CAZ097. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 AM PDT SUNDAY ABOVE 5000 FEET FOR THE CAZ096. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM PDT SUNDAY ABOVE 5000 FEET FOR THE CAZ095. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING CAZ095. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM PDT SUNDAY CAZ099. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM PDT SUNDAY CAZ098. && PUBLIC...JDB AVN/FW...DUDLEY SYNOPSIS...WP WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 31, 11:32 PM PST, 28 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 1232 AM PDT SUN APR 1 2012 CAZ096-020745- SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- 1232 AM PDT SUN APR 1 2012 ...EARLY SPRING SNOW... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 7000 FEET IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM TODAY TO 5 AM PDT SUNDAY. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST /SFOWSWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE WINTER STORM WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM SUNDAY. OTHERWISE NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. CAZ095-020745- KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 1232 AM PDT SUN APR 1 2012 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ABOVE 5000 FEET IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM TODAY TO 11 AM PDT SUNDAY. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST /SFOWSWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM SUNDAY. OTHERWISE NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. CAZ097-020745- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 1232 AM PDT SUN APR 1 2012 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ABOVE 7000 FEET IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM TODAY TO 5 AM PDT SUNDAY. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST /SFOWSWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM SUNDAY. OTHERWISE NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. CAZ098-020745- INDIAN WELLS VALLEY- 1232 AM PDT SUN APR 1 2012 ...DESERT WINDS... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE INDIAN WELLS VALLEY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT SUNDAY. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST /SFONPWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE WIND ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM SUNDAY. OTHERWISE NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. CAZ099-020745- SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT- 1232 AM PDT SUN APR 1 2012 ...DESERT WINDS EXTENDED... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM PDT SUNDAY. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST /SFONPWHNX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE WIND ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM SUNDAY. OTHERWISE NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. CAZ089>092-020745- WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- 1232 AM PDT SUN APR 1 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. WP
Event by event
1 winter weather, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High Wind, Se Kern Cty Desert
- When
- April 1, 6:23 AM PST to 6:00 PM PST
- Where
- Se Kern Cty Desert forecast zone
- Measured
- 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Reported by
- Mesonet
What these are
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
- 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
- Drought in Texas, April 1 to 30, 2012
- Rip Current in Florida, April 1, 2012
- Strong Wind in Washington, April 1, 2012
- Wildfire in Colorado, April 1 to 2, 2012
- Flash Flood and Hail in Mississippi, April 1, 2012
- Flooding in Arkansas, April 1 to 21, 2012
- Drought in Georgia, April 1 to 30, 2012
- Drought in Florida, April 1 to 30, 2012
- Hail in Indiana, April 1, 2012
- Drought in New Mexico, April 1 to 30, 2012
- Drought in Colorado, April 1 to 30, 2012
- Flooding in Idaho, April 1 to 9, 2012
More
Every storm in California in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2012
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: 380284, 380283.