Winter Storm and Flooding in California, February 26 to 28, 2014

Name: Winter Storm and Flooding in California, February 26 to 28, 2014
Start: 2014-02-26T02:00
End: 2014-02-28T23:59
Location: California

February 26 to 28, 2014 · NWS HNX · 13 events in 8 counties and zones

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $2.6 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 13

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.

A dry storm system moved through the central California interior on February 18th, bringing a push of cold air that lowered temperatures briefly to near normal. Behind the cold front, gusty winds developed over the mountains and deserts on the 19th. The winds began during the early morning hours, with a gust to 60 mph at Bear Peak in Tulare County, and a gust to 53 mph at Mojave, during the pre-dawn hours. Winds gusted over 45 mph in the eastern Kern County desert during the morning and early afternoon of the 19th, and gusts to 50 mph were recorded in the Piutes.

An upper-level ridge of high pressure returned to California on the 19th behind the departing low-pressure system. High temperatures warmed to above normal for the next several days before the next storm arrived during the afternoon of February 26th. This warming trend peaked with Bakersfield hitting 81 degrees on the 25th, and Fresno reaching 80 degrees. This was the first time either city had seen 80 degrees since November 10th, 2013.

The storm that reached the central California interior on February 26th was the first of two closely-spaced systems. Together, the two storms brought as much as 4 inches of rain to the Southern Sierra Nevada foothills, and over an inch of rain to the Kern County deserts. Fresno had a three-day storm total of 1.11 inch, bringing the total rainfall for February to 2.11 inch. This was 0.08 inch greater than the normal of 2.03 inches and was the first time since December 2012 that Fresno had above-normal rainfall for a month.

The south end of the San Joaquin Valley was rain-shadowed, with Bakersfield receiving only 0.28 inch of rain, almost all of which fell from the second storm on February 28th. The second storm was located off the central California coast, and was impressive on satellite pictures with a tightly-wound structure and a clear center much like the eye of a tropical system. The circulation around the storm produced a southerly wind over the Tehachapi Mountains which funneled through Tejon Pass and down the Grapevine into the south end of the San Joaquin Valley. Winds gusted as high as 89 mph at Grapevine Peak, and to 50 mph at Sunflower Valley on the west side of the Valley. At Buck Rock, in the Sierra Nevada in Tulare County, winds gusted to 66 mph.|Several thunderstorms were spawned by the storms, with the second system being the most potent. Numerous trees were toppled in both the San Joaquin Valley and the Sierra foothills by winds, in many cases pulling down power lines. One thunderstorm at Squaw Valley in the foothills produced a gust estimated at 65 mph, which toppled trees and damaged the roof of a garage. On the Valley floor, there were reports of houses and parked vehicles damaged by falling trees or large limbs. Near Fresno, a tree 3 feet in diameter was toppled.

Street flooding was reported at several locations, not only in the San Joaquin Valley but also in eastern Kern County where the Garlock Road flooded. (Garlock Road is prone to flooding from runoff from the El Paso Mountains.). In Dinuba, water covering the road was estimated at 8 to 12 inches deep.

In the Southern Sierra Nevada, estimates of new snowfalls were as high as four feet. (These were Snotel observations; a post-storm snow survey had not been conducted at the time of this summary.)

February 2014 was much warmer than normal, and was Fresno’s warmest February on record. Bakersfield tied for its 6th warmest February on record.

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 Feb 25, 8:12 PM PST, 5 hours 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 25, 8:12 PM PST, 5 hours 48 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
812 PM PST TUE FEB 25 2014

.UPDATE...HIGH WIND WATCH WAS LAUNCHED EARLY THIS EVENING FOR
THE GRAPEVINE FOR THE THURSDAY EVENING AND FRIDAY PERIODS. WIND
FORECASTS AND QPF WERE UPDATED IN THE SHORT TERM PERIODS.

&&

.SYNOPSIS...
BY WEDNESDAY...AN UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN WILL COMMENCE...RAIN
AND HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW IS EXPECTED AT TIMES THROUGH AT LEAST THE
WEEKEND. THE NEXT SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA ON FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY WITH BETTER CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE REGION AND
EVEN A FEW THUNDERSTORMS. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OTHER STORM
SYSTEMS OR IMPULSES MAY KEEP THE WEATHER UNSETTLED SUNDAY AND MONDAY.

&&

.DISCUSSION...WELL...GOES SATELLITE IMAGERY OVER THE PACIFIC
FORTELLS WHAT IS COMING DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS. AT LEAST TWO
STORM SYSTEMS ARE LINED UP OVER THE PACIFIC THIS EVENING. THE
FIRST ONE IS CENTERED NEAR 40N 135W AND WILL BE THE DOOR OPENER
TO WET WEATHER ACROSS THE CENTRAL CA INTERIOR. THE SECOND STORM
SYSTEM IS POSITIONED AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME LATITUDE BUT
SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES WEST OF THE FIRST STORM AND THIS ONE WILL
BE THE BIG KAHUNA FOR CENTRAL CA...DEFINITELY A WETTER AND COLDER
STORM WHEN IT PUNCHES INTO THE CWA FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT.
UNFORTUNATELY...THE FIRST SYSTEM WILL PROBABLY ONLY GRAZE KERN
COUNTY WITH RELATIVELY LIGHT PRECIP WED NIGHT. FARTHER NORTH...
MOISTURE AND DYNAMICS WILL BE MORE SIGNIFICANT WEDNESDAY NIGHT
AND A BRISK SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL BRING HEAVY PRECIP
TOTALS TO THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE SIERNEV...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF
KINGS CANYON. EVEN BEFORE THIS FIRST STORM ARRIVES...SOUTHERLY
WINDS WILL BECOME GUSTY IN THE NORTHERN SJ VLY WED AFTERNOON.

SHORT WAVE RIDGING ALOFT WILL OCCUR OVER CA BEHIND STORM NUMBER
ONE THURSDAY AND PROVIDE US A BREAK FROM WET WEATHER. THE
APPROACH OF THE SECOND AND STRONGER PACIFIC STORM WILL BRING
AN INCREASE IN SOUTHERLY WINDS ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA THURSDAY
EVENING INTO FRIDAY. WINDS OVER THE GRAPEVINE WILL BE QUITE
STRONG DURING THIS TIME AND MAY GUST TO 70 MPH ALONG I-5 THROUGH
TEJON PASS. EVEN THE SOUTH END OF THE SJ VLY MAY EXPERIENCE
WINDS GUSTING TO 50 MPH DURING THE WEE HOURS FRIDAY MORNING.
ADDITIONALLY...TEMPS WILL BE UNSEASONABLY MILD AHEAD OF STORM
NUMBER TWO...POSSIBLY STAYING ABOVE 60 DEGREES IN THE SJ VLY...
ESPECIALLY AT THE SOUTH END.

STORM NUMBER TWO MAY HAVE A BRIEF SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE TAP
FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE IT MOVES ONSHORE LATER IN THE DAY. WHEN
THE COLDEST PART OF THE STORM MOVES INLAND LATER FRIDAY...IT
IS LIABLE TO PRODUCE ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SJ VLY AND
ADJACENT FOOTHILLS. MORE IMPORTANTLY...OROGRAPHICS AND COOLING
ALOFT WILL PRODUCE GENEROUS SNOWFALL OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS
OF THE SIERRA...UPWARDS OF 2 FEET OR MORE ABOVE 7K FEET.

OKAY...THAT IS THE GOOD NEWS. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT IT WILL TAKE
MANY MORE STORMS TO BRING CALIFORNIA OUT OF A DROUGHT.

&&

.AVIATION...
INCREASING CLOUDS WITH GRADUALLY LOWERING CEILINGS...AREAS OF MVFR
AND LOCAL IFR CONDITIONS DEVELOPING IN PRECIPITATION SPREADING IN
FROM THE WEST AFTER 18Z WEDNESDAY. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS WILL
PREVAIL ACROSS THE CENTRAL CA INTERIOR FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

&&

.PREV DISC... /ISSUED 245 PM PST TUE FEB 25 2014/

DISCUSSION...
A COMPLEX WEATHER PATTERN SHAPING UP AS ADVERTISED...WITH THE FIRST
STORM ON TRACK TO REACH THE NORTHERN PART OF THE HANFORD WARNING/
FORECAST AREA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. AHEAD OF THE STORM...THE UPPER-
LEVEL RIDGE CONTINUES TO BRING WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES TO THE
REGION. AT 22Z /1400 PST/...FRESNO HAD TIED ITS RECORD HIGH FOR
TODAY OF 78 DEGREES...IN 1991...AND BAKERSFIELD WAS APPROACHING ITS
RECORD HIGH FOR TODAY /SEE TABLE BELOW/ ALSO...AND SEVERAL
FORECASTED HIGHS HAD ALREADY BEEN SURPASSED.

CONCERNING THE FIRST STORM...
SATELLITE LOOPS SHOW THE UPPER-LEVEL LOW NEAR 46N/147W...WITH THE
ASSOCIATED TROUGH BECOMING NEGATIVELY TILTED. OVERRUNNING HIGH
CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR
TONIGHT...AND PRECIPITATION IS FORECAST TO REACH MERCED COUNTY EARLY
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND SPREADING SOUTH THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. AHEAD OF THE SURFACE COLD FRONT...SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE
FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. THE WINDS COULD BE
GUSTY AT TIMES ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY AND AREAS OF
BLOWING DUST ARE POSSIBLE.

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACED THE NORTHERN PART OF THE
HANFORD WARNING/FORECAST AREA UNDER A GENERAL RISK OF THUNDERSTORMS
WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE COLD FRONT. PER DISCUSSION WITH WFO
SACRAMENTO...HAVE ADDED A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TO MERCED
AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES FOR 06-18Z THURSDAY /2200 PST WEDNESDAY TO
1000 PST THURSDAY/.

THE SHORT-RANGE MODELS HAVE TRENDED WETTER WITH SUCCESSIVE RUNS...
AND QPF FOR THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY FLOOR IS ESTIMATED AT A HALF TO
THREE-QUARTERS OF AN INCH WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS IN HEAVIER
CONVECTION. IN THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA...THE SNOW LEVEL WILL
START OUT AROUND 7000-7500 FEET WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...LOWERING TO
AROUND 5500 FEET BY THURSDAY MORNING. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 5-11
INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ABOVE 7000 FEET AS FAR SOUTH AS AT LEAST
SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK. HAVE EXPANDED THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
SOUTHWARD TO INCLUDE THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS. THERE WILL BE A
SHORT BREAK IN THE PRECIPITATION FROM LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING BEFORE THE SECOND STORM ARRIVES.

CONCERNING THE SECOND STORM...
SATELLITE LOOPS SHOW THE NEXT UPPER-LEVEL LOW NEAR 43N/166W...SOUTH
OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS. THIS STORM IS FORECAST TO REACH THE CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA INTERIOR THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH PRECIPITATION CONTINUING
OVER THE REGION THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. THE MEDIUM-RANGE MODELS
CONTINUE TO FORECAST THIS TO BE A WETTER STORM THAN THE FIRST
SYSTEM...WITH TWO-DAY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1-2 FEET LIKELY OVER THE
SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND SEVERAL INCHES OVER THE HIGHEST PEAKS OF
THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS. HAVE ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE
SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA ABOVE 6000 FEET FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT
THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT.

ANOTHER CONCERN IS THE POTENTIAL FOR GUSTY WINDS IN THE SOUTH END OF
THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY FRIDAY AS A LOW-LEVEL SOUTHERLY JET FUNNELS
THROUGH THE TEJON PASS AND OVER THE BASE OF THE GRAPEVINE. THESE
WINDS COULD BRING ADIABATIC WARMING TO THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SOUTH
OF KERN COUNTY AS WELL AS DRYING THAT COULD REDUCE RAINFALL INITIALLY
IN THAT AREA.

A COLD...UNSTABLE AIRMASS IS FORECAST TO MOVE OVER THE HANFORD
WARNING/FORECAST AREA WITH THIS SYSTEM. 500-MB TEMPERATURES ARE
FORECAST TO FALL TO -22C OR COLDER...WITH OMEGAS OF -4 TO -6. THE
AMOUNT OF INSTABILITY FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY OVER THE REGION HAS
VARIED BY BOTH MODEL AND RUN...BUT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE BOTH
DAYS AND ARE IN THE FORECAST.

AN UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE IS FORECAST TO BUILD INTO CALIFORNIA BEGINNING
SUNDAY AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...THE IMPACT OF THIS RIDGE WILL BE SHORT-
LIVED AS YET ANOTHER STORM...LOCATED NEAR 36N/157E OR SOUTH OF
KAMCHATKA...IS FORECAST BY THE GFS TO TRAVERSE THE NORTHERN PACIFIC
AND REACH CALIFORNIA NEXT TUESDAY. AT THIS TIME...STORM NUMBER THREE
IS FORECAST TO BE A WEAKER SYSTEM BUT THIS COULD CHANGE AS THE GFS
AND ECMWF GET A BETTER HANDLE ON IT.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
NONE.

&&

.CERTAINTY...

THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 1 AND 2 IS HIGH.
THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 3 THROUGH 7 IS MEDIUM.

THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS PART OF A TRIAL PROJECT CONDUCTED
BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD.
CERTAINTY LEVELS INCLUDE LOW...MEDIUM...AND HIGH. PLEASE VISIT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HNX/CERTAINTY.PHP /ALL LOWER CASE/ FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND/OR TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.

&&

.CLIMATE...
             RECORDS
SITE DATE    HI_MAX:YEAR LO_MAX:YEAR HI_MIN:YEAR LO_MIN:YEAR

KFAT 02-25       78:1991     49:1913     53:1995     30:1912
KFAT 02-26       83:1888     44:1962     53:1995     25:1971
KFAT 02-27       79:1992     45:1996     54:2006     26:1962

KBFL 02-25       82:1991     45:1919     53:1968     30:1908
KBFL 02-26       80:1992     43:1962     56:1968     30:1971
KBFL 02-27       83:1980     46:1962     58:1988     24:1893
&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON WEDNESDAY TO 4 PM PST THURSDAY
ABOVE 7000 FEET FOR THE CAZ096-097.

WINTER STORM WATCH FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE
SATURDAY NIGHT ABOVE 6000 FEET FOR THE CAZ096-097.

HIGH WIND WATCH FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON
CAZ095.

&&

PUBLIC...DUDLEY
AVN/FW...MOLINA
PREV DISCUSSION...SANGER
SYNOPSIS...DURFEE

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 25, 2:21 PM PST, 11 hours 39 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
221 PM PST TUE FEB 25 2014

CAZ096-097-262230-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
221 PM PST TUE FEB 25 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF
THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON WEDNESDAY TO 4 PM PST
THURSDAY.
WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH
LATE SATURDAY NIGHT.

...WINTER WEATHER...

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON WEDNESDAY TO 4 PM
PST THURSDAY ABOVE 7000 FEET.

A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM EARLY FRIDAY MORNING
THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING ABOVE 6000 FEET.

* STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS
  SOURCE...FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

.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>094-262230-
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-
221 PM PST TUE FEB 25 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS.

...STRONG WINDS AND THUNDERSTORMS...

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

* TIMING: STRONG GUSTY WINDS MAY DEVELOP AHEAD OF A STORM SYSTEM
  ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND AGAIN ON FRIDAY ALONG THE WEST SIDE
  AND SOUTH END OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. IN ADDITION...THUNDERSTORMS
  WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND AGAIN ON SATURDAY.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND SIERRA FOOTHILLS IN
  TERMS OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOUTH END AND WEST SIDE OF THE SAN
  JOAQUIN VALLEY IN TERMS OF GUSTY WINDS.

* IMPACTS: STRONG GUSTY WINDS CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT. BLOWING
  DUST IS POSSIBLE IN THE SOUTH END OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ON
  WEDNESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND BRIEF GUSTY
  WINDS AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS. MINOR FLOODING ON ROADWAYS IS
  POSSIBLE IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO PRODUCE
  DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

* STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS
  SOURCE...FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

.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.

CAZ095-262230-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
221 PM PST TUE FEB 25 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

...STRONG WINDS...

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

* TIMING: STRONG SOUTH WINDS MAY DEVELOP AHEAD OF A STORM SYSTEM
  EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB...FRAZIER PARK...
  INTERSTATE 5 OVER THE GRAPEVINE.

* IMPACTS: STRONG GUSTY WINDS CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT
  ESPECIALLY HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

* STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS
  SOURCE...FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

.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.

CAZ098-099-262230-
INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT-
221 PM PST TUE FEB 25 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY DESERTS.

...THUNDERSTORMS...

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

* TIMING: THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: RIDGECREST...ROSAMOND...MOJAVE...BORON

* IMPACTS: THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND BRIEF GUSTY
  WINDS AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS. MINOR FLOODING ON ROADWAYS IS
  POSSIBLE IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO PRODUCE
  DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

* STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS
  SOURCE...FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

.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.

The radar

The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 54 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:05 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 3 flood, 2 strong wind, 2 winter storm, 1 high wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, W Central S.J. Valley

When: February 26, 2:00 AM PST to 12:00 PM PST
Where: W Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Sw S.J. Valley

When: February 26, 2:00 AM PST to 12:00 PM PST
Where: Sw S.J. Valley forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Storm, S Sierra Mtns

When: February 27, 10:00 PM PST to February 28, 11:59 PM PST
Where: S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

Winter Storm, Tulare Cty Mtns

When: February 27, 10:00 PM PST to February 28, 11:59 PM PST
Where: Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

High Wind, Kern Cty Mtns

When: February 27, 10:00 PM PST to February 28, 4:00 PM PST
Where: Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Measured: 77 kt (89 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Lightning, Fresno

When: February 28, 11:05 AM PST
Where: Fresno County, 0.89 mi NW of Hammond
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 36.780, -119.790

Lightning caused an injury to a man who was in an oil field near Fresno.

Flood, Tulare

When: February 28, 12:51 PM PST
Where: Tulare County, 1.49 mi NNW of Dinuba to 2.04 mi ENE of Dinuba
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.550, -119.390

Small hail, frequent cloud to ground lightning, wind gusts to 50 mph, and flooded roads along Road 80 just south of Dinuba. This weather was caused by a cluster of thunderstorms moving through the area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kern

When: February 28, 1:00 PM PST
Where: Kern County, 0.69 mi S of Bakersfield
Measured: 39 kt (45 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $35,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 35.360, -119.000

A large tree was uprooted and totaled a car due to thunderstorm winds. Location was at Jenkins and Rosedale.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tulare

When: February 28, 1:00 PM PST
Where: Tulare County, 0.89 mi SW of Porterville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2.0 million
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 36.060, -119.030

Trees down across Porterville. Damages reported to several houses due to fallen trees and limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fresno

When: February 28, 1:10 PM PST
Where: Fresno County, 4.4 mi WSW of Dunlap
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.700, -119.190

Wind damage caused by thunderstorms near Squaw Valley, reported by the public and trained spotters. Roof damage and several downed trees.

Flood, Tulare

When: February 28, 1:20 PM PST to 2:20 PM PST
Where: Tulare County, 0.56 mi E of Cinowths Corner to 1.31 mi E of Visalia
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 36.330, -119.320

An off duty NWS meteorologist reported flooded streets in downtown Visalia.

Flood, Kern

When: February 28, 2:00 PM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where: Kern County, 1.78 mi NW of Rand to 2.81 mi NNE of Rand
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.420, -117.720

Mud and debris on the road along Garlock Rd just west of US 395.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fresno

When: February 28, 3:33 PM PST
Where: Fresno County, 1.3 mi ESE of Figarden
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.810, -119.850

A 2-3 foot tree was blown down in Fresno.

What these are

Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2014 Every state in 2014 This day in weather history Warnings in California, February 2014

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: 510011, 510012, 510008, 510009, 510010, 510003, 510000, 510004, 510005, 510006, 510001, 510002, 510007.