Wildfire, S Sierra Foothills
- When
- July 26, 5:00 PM PST to July 31, 11:59 PM PST
- Where
- S Sierra Foothills forecast zone
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
Wildfire in California, July 26 to 31, 2014
The El Portal wildfire began July 26, 2014 and was contained on August 4, 2014, 1 mile east of El Portal in Mariposa County. The fire burned 4689 acres, of which 1092 acres were in Yosemite National Park and 3597 acres in Stanislaus National Forest.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- 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.
The El Portal wildfire began July 26, 2014 and was contained on August 4, 2014, 1 mile east of El Portal in Mariposa County. The fire burned 4689 acres, of which 1092 acres were in Yosemite National Park and 3597 acres in Stanislaus National Forest. The cause is under investigation. There were 2 structures lost and no fatalities. Cost of containment was $10.6 million.
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 Jul 26, 3:05 PM PST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 26, 3:05 PM PST, 1 hour 55 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
405 PM PDT SAT JUL 26 2014
.UPDATE...
UPDATED AIR QUALITY SECTION.
&&
.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN ANCHORED OVER THE DESERT SOUTHWEST THROUGH
THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL RESULT IN CONTINUED WARM
TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE AREA. SOUTHERLY FLOW AROUND THE HIGH
PRESSURE WILL BRING MONSOON MOISTURE...INCREASING THE THREAT OF
SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA STARTING
SUNDAY THEN ALSO POSSIBLY SPREADING INTO THE SIERRA FOOTHILLS AND
EASTERN AND SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY BY MONDAY.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
TEMPERATURES IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ARE WARMING RAPIDLY THIS
AFTERNOON...AND MANY OF TODAY/S FORECASTED HIGHS HAD BEEN
SURPASSED AS OF 21Z /1400 PDT/. AT 21Z...FRESNO HAD A TEMPERATURE
OF 105 DEGREES...AND BAKERSFIELD AND THE HANFORD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
WERE AT 101. DID A QUICK UPDATE TO RAISE HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS
THE WFO HANFORD COUNTY WARNING/FORECAST AREA AND RERAN THE HOURLY
GRIDS AND FORECAST PRODUCTS.
&&
.AVIATION...
VFR CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
INTERIOR DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
&&
.PREV DISC... /ISSUED 200 PM PDT SAT JUL 26 2014/
DISCUSSION...
SATELLITE LOOPS SHOW HIGH CLOUDS PUSHING NORTH OVER KERN AND TULARE
COUNTIES. OTHERWISE...CLEAR SKIES PREVAIL ACROSS INTERIOR CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA. THIS HAS ALLOWED TEMPERATURES TO WARM A COUPLE OF DEGREES
OVER FRIDAY...WITH THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ON
TRACK FOR ANOTHER DAY WITH HIGHS IN THE TRIPLE DIGITS.
THE 12Z MODELS FORECAST THE UPPER-LEVEL FOUR-CORNERS RIDGE TO EXPAND
WESTWARD INTO CALIFORNIA OVER THE NEXT 24-36 HOURS. THIS WILL CHANGE
THE FLOW ALOFT OVER THE STATE FROM SOUTHWESTERLY TO MORE SOUTHEAST
TO SOUTH AND ALLOW THE NEXT SURGE OF MONSOONAL MOISTURE TO PUSH INTO
THE REGION. HAVE INCREASED POPS OVER THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS
BEGINNING SUNDAY AFTERNOON...AND EXPANDED COVERAGE INTO THE INDIAN
WELLS VALLEY AND THE KERN COUNTY DESERT BY MONDAY MORNING AS THE
MODELS INDICATE MONDAY WILL SEE THE HIGHEST INSTABILITIES.
THE 12/18Z NAM-12 HAVE A PUSH OF MID-LEVEL MOISTURE MOVING OVER THE
TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS AND ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY INTO
THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA MONDAY MORNING. 850-700-MB RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES OVER YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK INCREASE TO 90 PERCENT BY 18Z
/1100 PDT/ MONDAY MORNING...WITH NEAR-SATURATION CONDITIONS PUSHING
SOUTH ALONG THE CREST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. SURFACE-COMPUTED LIFTED
INDICES DROP TO -1 OVER FRAZIER PARK AND PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB BY 21Z
/1400 PDT/ MONDAY AFTERNOON...TO -2 OVER THE PIUTES...-3 OVER THE
TULARE COUNTY TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS...AND -4 OVER YOSEMITE PARK.
SURFACE-COMPUTED CAPES REACH 200 JOULES/KG ALONG THE KERN-VENTURE
COUNTY LINE BY 21Z MONDAY AND 1000+ JOULES/KG OVER THE SOUTHERN
SIERRA NEVADA HIGH COUNTRY.
HAVE ALSO ADDED POPS TO THE EAST SIDE AND SOUTH END OF THE SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY FOR ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT MIGHT DRIFT OFF THE
SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA OR TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS INTO THE FOOTHILLS OR
VALLEY FLOOR.
THE INCREASED CLOUD COVER MAY CAP THE DAYTIME HEATING...BUT OVERNIGHT
LOWS WILL REMAIN HIGH AND THE HIGHER HUMIDITIES MAY RESULT IN MUGGY
CONDITIONS. HOWEVER...HEAT INDICIES IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY ARE FORECAST TO ONLY BRIEFLY HIT 105 IN THE HOTTEST
LOCATIONS MONDAY AFTERNOON.
AFTER MONDAY...THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO BE CONFINED TO THE
HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA THROUGH THE END OF
THE WEEK. THE MODELS FORECAST LITTLE CHANGE IN 850-MB TEMPERATURES
OVER THE CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THROUGH MID-WEEK...THEN A SLIGHT
COOLING TREND AS AN UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHES THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST AND WEAKENS THE RIDGE. EVEN SO...THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY LIKELY SEE TEMPERATURES RUNNING A FEW DEGREES
ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH.
&&
.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
ON SUNDAY JULY 27 2014... UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS IN FRESNO
AND MADERA COUNTIES.
FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT VALLEYAIR.ORG
&&
.CERTAINTY...
THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 1 AND 2 IS HIGH.
THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 3 THROUGH 7 IS MEDIUM.
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 07-26 113:1931 84:1965 80:1931 56:1955
KFAT 07-27 114:1933 83:1941 79:1933 52:1897
KFAT 07-28 110:1980 89:1941 82:1980 55:1892
KBFL 07-26 117:1931 84:1965 83:1974 55:1903
KBFL 07-27 117:1933 85:1965 83:1980 52:1914
KBFL 07-28 118:1908 85:1941 84:1931 50:1914
&&
.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&
PUBLIC...SANGER
AVN/FW...DURFEE
PREV DISCUSSION...SANGER
SYNOPSIS...ANDERSEN
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORDHazardous weather outlook, Jul 26, 2:56 PM PST, 2 hours 4 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 356 PM PDT SAT JUL 26 2014 CAZ091>094-271200- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY- MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS- TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS- 356 PM PDT SAT JUL 26 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND THE FOOTHILLS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA. ...SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR MONDAY... .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY * TIMING: MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: BAKERSFIELD...PORTERVILLE...LINDSAY...WOODLAKE...SQUAW VALLEY...AND AUBERRY. * IMPACTS: CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. * 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. CAZ096-097-271200- SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON- TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- 356 PM PDT SAT JUL 26 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA. ...CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY... .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY * TIMING: MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK...SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK AND FOREST...KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK...SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST...JOHNSONDALE...BLACKROCK...LODGEPOLE...YOSEMITE VALLEY...TUOLUMNE MEADOWS. * IMPACTS: CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. * 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/ANDERSEN WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
Event by event
2 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
Wildfire, S Sierra Mtns
- When
- July 26, 5:00 PM PST to July 31, 11:59 PM PST
- Where
- S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
What these are
- Wildfire
- A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Rip Current in Washington, July 26, 2014
- Hail in Nebraska, July 26, 2014
- Flash Flood and Flood in Kentucky, July 26 to 27, 2014
- Damaging Winds in Illinois, July 26, 2014
- Dust Storm and Damaging Winds in Arizona, July 26 to 27, 2014
- Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, July 26, 2014
- Excessive Heat in Missouri, July 26, 2014
- Flash Flood and Hail in Arizona, July 26 to 27, 2014
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Wisconsin, July 26 to 27, 2014
- Hail in Ohio, July 26, 2014
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Minnesota, July 26, 2014
- Flash Flooding in California, July 26 to 28, 2014
More
Every storm in California in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in California, July 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: 529089, 529091.