Strong Wind in California, January 11 to 12, 2014

Name: Strong Wind in California, January 11 to 12, 2014
Start: 2014-01-11T20:00
End: 2014-01-12T10:00
Location: California

January 11 to 12, 2014 · NWS HNX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $8,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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 only break in the pattern was an upper-level short-wave that moved through California on January 11th. This disturbance brought isolated showers to the Sierra Nevada and foothills of Madera and Mariposa Counties, and Yosemite National Park. Rainfall amounts were light, generally only a few hundredths of an inch, and no station reported over a tenth of an inch.

Ahead of the system, clouds moved over the region and pushed into the Valley-facing passes and canyons of the Tehachapi Mountains. The visibility at Tehachapi Municipal Airport fell to less than a quarter mile during the morning of January 10th.

The system also brought gusty winds to the region, both with and behind the short-wave. Gusts to around 50 mph developed over the Kern desert during the evening of January 11th. Winds on the 12th gusted to 57 mph at Bear Peak, and to 46 mph at Cache Creek. A wind gauge at Bird Springs Pass recorded a gust to 64 mph early in the morning of January 12th.

The cold airmass knocked Fresno’s high temperature to near normal on January 12 54 degrees but temperatures quickly rebounded to 63 degrees the next day. The period January 16th through the 22nd saw record or near-record high temperatures in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley for six consecutive days.

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 Jan 11, 7:35 PM PST, 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 11, 7:35 PM PST, 25 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
735 PM PST SAT JAN 11 2014

.UPDATE...UPDATED FOR CANCELLED HIGH WIND WARNING.

&&

.SYNOPSIS...
MID AND HIGH CLOUDS CONTINUE TO STREAK OVER THE AREA DUE TO AN UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE. SKIES WILL CLEAR ON SUNDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE
RIDGING RETURNS. GUSTY WINDS IN THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERT
EXPECTED TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE PASSES AND CANYONS.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
LIGHT SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PASSING FRONTAL SYSTEM HAVE
MOSTLY DISSIPATED OVER OUR AREA AND WINDS ACROSS THE HIGH SIERRA
ARE SUBSIDING. THE HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE HIGH ELEVATIONS OF
THE SOUTHERN SIERRA HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

&&

.AVIATION...
GUSTY WINDS OVER THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS THRU 15Z SUNDAY. MVFR
VISBILITES POSSIBLE IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. OTHERWISE...VFR
CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE CENTRAL CA INTERIOR DURING
THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

&&

.PREV DISC... /ISSUED 550 PM PST SAT JAN 11 2014/

DISCUSSION...A WEAK AND RATHER DIFFUSE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE
SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE DISTRICT THIS EVENING. LIKE MOST COLD FRONTS
THAT HAVE SAILED THROUGH THIS PART OF CALIFORNIA DURING THE PAST
SEVERAL WEEKS...THIS ONE WILL BRING NO PRECIPITATION EXCEPT FOR
THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA MAINLY NORTH OF KINGS CANYON.
EVEN IN THIS REGION...PRECIPITATION WILL BE SCANTY AT BEST...
AMOUNTING TO GENERALLY A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH OR LESS IN A
FEW LOCALITIES. THE FRONT IS A QUICK MOVER...PROPELLED BY A STRONG
300 MB JET WHICH WILL SETTLE RIGHT OVER THE CWA EARLY TONIGHT AND
SUPPORT BRISK WINDS ALONG THE SIERRA CREST IN ADDITION TO THE KERN
COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERT. ASIDE FROM THAT...THIS MOISTURE
DEFICIENT FRONT WILL BRING LITTLE MORE THAN MID AND HIGH CLOUDS TO
THE CWA THROUGH THIS EVENING. IN THE POST FRONTAL ENVIRONMENT LATE
TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING...SOME LOWER CLOUDS MAY BANK UP ALONG
THE NORTH FACING SLOPES OF THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS AND AT THE
SOUTH END OF THE SJ VLY. OTHERWISE... A DRY NORTHWESTERLY FLOW
WILL RESIDE OVER CENTRAL CA THROUGH SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES SUNDAY
AFTERNOON WILL OF COURSE RUN SLIGHTLY COOLER THAN TODAY.

AN OFFSHORE FLOW WILL BECOME REESTABLISHED OVER THE DISTRICT MONDAY
AS A HIGH AMPLITUDE RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC BUILDS INTO CA.
THE MODELS FORECAST THIS RIDGE TO ANCHOR ITSELF RIGHT OVER CA FOR
MUCH OF NEXT WEEK AND BRING CLEAR SKIES AND ABOVE NORMAL AFTERNOON
TEMPERATURES TO THE CWA. THIS IS NOT GOOD NEWS FOR DROUGHT WEARY
CALIFORNIANS. HUMIDITIES WILL BE UNSEASONABLY LOW OVER THE MOUNTAINS
THANKS TO A LACK OF SNOW AND HUMIDITY RECOVERIES WILL BE POOR AT
BEST EACH NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. IN THE SJ VLY...AIR STAGNATION
BENEATH THE INVERSION WILL LEAD TO POORER AIR QUALITY AS THE WEEK
PROGRESSES. TEMPERATURES WILL EXPERIENCE LARGE DIURNAL FLUCTUATIONS
DURING THE PERIOD...STARTING OUT RELATIVELY CHILLY AROUND DAYBREAK
THEN WARMING TO WELL ABOVE NORMAL EACH AFTERNOON ESPECIALLY BY
MIDWEEK.

ON FRIDAY...THE MODELS NUDGE THE CENTER OF THIS RIDGE EASTWARD INTO
THE GREAT BASIN. AFTERWARD...THE GFS BRINGS ANOTHER WEAK COLD FRONT
SOUTHWARD INTO CENTRAL CA NEXT WEEKEND WHILE THE ECM FORMS A CLOSED
LOW WELL OFFSHORE THE CA COAST. ALTHOUGH BOTH MODELS ARE DECIDEDLY
VERY DIFFERENT...NEITHER OF THEM FORECASTS ANY CHANGE IN THE
PERSISTENT DRY PATTERN OVER CENTRAL CA. SUFFICE IT TO SAY WE ARE
RUNNING OUT OF ADJECTIVES TO DESCRIBE JUST HOW DRY IT IS. WE DO HAVE
A LONG LIST OF WET WORDS AT OUR DISPOSAL. THE LATEST ENSEMBLES HINT
THAT WE MIGHT GET A CHANCE TO UTILIZE THEM SOMETIME AFTER MARTIN
LUTHER KING JR DAY...MAYBE. IN THE MEANTIME...RESIDENTS OF THE CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA INTERIOR WILL HAVE TO ENDURE SEVERAL MORE DAYS OF DRY
WEATHER.

&&

.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 01-11       74:1990     37:1947     54:1979     19:1949
KFAT 01-12       67:2003     38:1926     56:1980     20:1902
KFAT 01-13       70:2000     38:1926     60:1980     19:1963

KBFL 01-11       80:1990     38:1972     56:1940     22:1902
KBFL 01-12       73:1914     39:1929     61:1980     21:1949
KBFL 01-13       74:2012     39:1929     62:1980     20:1963
&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM PST SUNDAY CAZ095-099.

&&

PUBLIC...JEB
AVN/FW...DS
PREV DISCUSSION...DURFEE
SYNOPSIS...WP

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 11, 4:05 AM PST, 15 hours 55 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
405 AM PST SAT JAN 11 2014

CAZ095-099-111315-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT-
405 AM PST SAT JAN 11 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS
AND THE SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT.

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 AM PST
SUNDAY...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

UPGRADED TO A WIND ADVISORY FOR LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

UPGRADED TO A WIND ADVISORY THROUGH 7 AM PST SUNDAY MORNING.

* 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.

SANGER

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Event by event

4 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Kern Cty Mtns

When: January 11, 8:00 PM PST to January 12, 10:00 AM PST
Where: Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
Measured: 49 kt (56 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Indian Wells Vly

When: January 11, 8:00 PM PST to January 12, 10:00 AM PST
Where: Indian Wells Vly forecast zone
Measured: 49 kt (56 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Se Kern Cty Desert

When: January 11, 8:00 PM PST to January 12, 10:00 AM PST
Where: Se Kern Cty Desert forecast zone
Measured: 49 kt (56 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind, Tulare Cty Mtns

When: January 11, 8:00 PM PST to January 12, 10:00 AM PST
Where: Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
Measured: 49 kt (56 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Mesonet

What these are

Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

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, January 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: 498436, 498437, 498438, 498440.