Hail in California, April 7, 2015

Name: Hail in California, April 7, 2015
Start: 2015-04-07T13:25
End: 2015-04-07T16:15
Location: California

April 7, 2015 · NWS HNX · 4 events in 1 county or zone

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: 0
Property damage: None recorded
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.

An upper level low pressure system moved onshore across Northern California the morning of the 7th. The associated cold front moved through the area during the day resulting in a tightening of the surface pressure gradient, which brought gusty winds of up to 49 MPH to the area. This system brought ample amounts of moisture with it which allowed for thunderstorm development during the afternoon and evening hours.

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 Apr 7, 2:53 AM PST, 10 hours 32 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 7, 2:53 AM PST, 10 hours 32 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
353 AM PDT TUE APR 7 2015

.SYNOPSIS...
THE SECOND OF TWO STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE OVER THE REGION ON TODAY
THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH INCREASED CHANCES FOR RAIN AND MOUNTAIN
SNOW AS WELL AS A FEW THUNDERSTORMS. DRY AND WARMER WEATHER
RETURNS FOR THE LATTER PART OF THE WEEK.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATE THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM PUSHING
ONSHORE OVER NCAL THIS MORNING. DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR SHOWS A
BAND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN ALONG A FRONT EXTENDING FROM THE
BAY AREA SOUTH TO THE CENTRAL COAST. ONSHORE WINDS SHOULD PICK UP
EARLY THIS MORNING AS THE SURFACE LOW SHIFTS INLAND. WINDS HAVE
GUSTED TO 35 MPH AT PANOCHE RAWS...THUS EXPECT STRONG GUSTY WINDS
TO DEVELOP THIS MORNING ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE SJV TOWARDS THE
MOUNTAIN COASTAL PASSES. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES 100-120 PERCENT
OF NORMAL ALONG COLD FRONT. NOT IMPRESSIVE MOISTURE WITH THIS
WEATHER SYSTEM. HOWEVER MUCH COLDER AIR BEHIND THE SYSTEM WILL
BRING STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOW SNOW LEVELS. FAVORABLE OROGRAPHIC
LIFT FROM SW WIND AT MID LEVEL WILL ENHANCE THE PRECIPITATION
AMOUNTS OVER THE SIERRA NEVADA.

MODELS REMAIN IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN PUSHING THE TROUGH ONSHORE EARLY
THIS MORNING AND TRACKING IT OVER THE GREAT BASIN AREA BY
WEDNESDAY MORNING. ASSOCIATED PRECIPITATION SHOULD REACH MERCED
AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES BY THE PRE-DAWN HOURS TODAY AND SPREAD
SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY...WITH LINGERING
MOUNTAIN SHOWERS WEDNESDAY.

THIS SYSTEM IS PROGGED TO HAVE A MODERATE MOISTURE FETCH AND IS
ON TRACK TO BRING AROUND 1/2-3/4 OF AN INCH OF RAIN TO CENTRAL
VALLEY LOCATIONS...TAPERING TO A COUPLE OF TENTHS DOWN SOUTH. A
FEW INCHES OF SNOW ARE POSSIBLE AS LOW AS 4000 FEET IN THE SIERRA
ZONES WITH UP TO AROUND A FOOT NEAR THE CREST. SNOW LEVELS WILL
LOWER TO AROUND 4KFT TONIGHT. HIGH RESOLUTIONS MODELS INDICATE
ENOUGH QPF WITH UPSLOPE WIND FLOW OVER THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS.
CONCERN THERE WILL BE SOME SNOWFALL OR A DUSTING OF SNOW OVER THE
KERN COUNTY PASSES BY EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH A COUPLE OF
INCHES OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAINS. THUS A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
HAS BEEN POSTED FOR THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS TONIGHT AS WELL AS
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE SIERRA ZONES
TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT.

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY FOR
TODAY AND FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERT AREAS THIS EVENING
AND OVERNIGHT.

THE MAIN COLD POOL ALOFT WILL TRACK MOSTLY NORTH OF OUR AREA...BUT
THERE WILL BE SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY FOR A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE MAIN WEATHER THREAT MAY BE
HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WITH MODERATE WIND SHEAR AND LOW FREEZING
LEVEL.

DRY AND WARMING CONDITIONS ARE THEN IN STORE THROUGH THE
END OF THE WEEK UNDER WEAK RIDGING AS THE SYSTEM EXITS AND ANOTHER
WEAK UPPER LOW DROPS SOUTHEAST OFFSHORE THE CALIFORNIA COAST.
MODEL AGREEMENT IS BETTER ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAJECTORY OF
THIS SYSTEM AND DRY AND WARMING CONDITIONS LOOK ON TRACK TO
CONTINUE INTO THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK.

&&

.AVIATION...
LOCAL GUSTY WINDS +30KT DEVELOPING BELOW THE COASTAL MOUNTAIN
PASSES OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. MVFR WITH LOCAL IFR DUE TO
MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS AND RA/SN SHOWERS AFTER 12Z TUESDAY OVER THE
SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA. MVFR CIGS/VSBY WITH LOCAL IFR IN HEAVIER
SHOWERS OVER SJV AND SIERRA NEVADA FOOTHILLS AFTER 12Z TUE...WITH
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE AFTER 18Z TUESDAY. OTHERWISE VFR
CONDITIONS EXPECTED IN THE REMAINDER OF THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
INTERIOR DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

&&

.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 04-07       94:1989     49:1999     58:1939     32:1982
KFAT 04-08       95:1989     51:1965     60:1939     35:2001
KFAT 04-09       95:1989     52:1965     58:1989     32:1953

KBFL 04-07       96:1989     50:1919     64:1909     30:1929
KBFL 04-08       96:1989     50:1919     65:1909     28:1893
KBFL 04-09       97:1989     55:1999     63:1909     33:1908
&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 AM PDT
WEDNESDAY ABOVE 6000 FEET FOR THE CAZ096-097.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM PDT WEDNESDAY CAZ095.

WIND ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 AM PDT WEDNESDAY
CAZ095-098-099.

WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM PDT THIS EVENING CAZ089-091.

&&

PUBLIC...MV
AVN/FW...DURFEE
PREV DISCUSSION...JEB
SYNOPSIS...DURFEE

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 7, 4:51 AM PST, 8 hours 34 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
551 AM PDT TUE APR 7 2015

CAZ095-080100-
KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
551 AM PDT TUE APR 7 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 AM PDT
WEDNESDAY...
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM PDT
WEDNESDAY...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

* HAZARD TYPES...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS...A LIGHT DUSTING TO AN INCH OF SNOW AND THE
  POSSIBILITY OF BLACK ICE.

* TIMING...PRECIPITATION WILL FALL AS SNOW DOWN TO PASS LEVEL
  PRIOR TO DAYBREAK WEDNESDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING
  COMMUTE PERIOD.

* IMPACTS...INTERSTATE 5 THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE INCLUDING TEJON
  PASS AND HIGHWAY 58 THROUGH TEHACHAPI PASS MAY BE SNOW-COVERED
  AND SLICK WITH WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS AND POSSIBLE DELAYS.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE LOW TO MID 30S.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

CAZ090-093-080100-
EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
551 AM PDT TUE APR 7 2015

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

...VALLEY AND FOOTHILL RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH
EARLY EVENING...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

* TIMING: RAIN SHOWERS DEVELOPING IN THE MORNING AND CONTINUING
  THROUGH THE EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE MAINLY THIS
  AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND ADJACENT
  FOOTHILLS

* IMPACTS: LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND ACCUMULATING HAIL POSSIBLE IN
  THUNDERSTORMS CAUSING TRAVEL DELAYS

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

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.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.

CAZ089-080100-
WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
551 AM PDT TUE APR 7 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE WEST CENTRAL SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY.

...VALLEY AND FOOTHILL RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH
EARLY EVENING...
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PDT THIS EVENING...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

* TIMING: RAIN SHOWERS DEVELOPING IN THE MORNING AND CONTINUING
  THROUGH THE EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE MAINLY THIS
  AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND ADJACENT
  FOOTHILLS

* IMPACTS: LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND ACCUMULATING HAIL POSSIBLE IN
  THUNDERSTORMS CAUSING TRAVEL DELAYS

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

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.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.

CAZ096-080100-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
551 AM PDT TUE APR 7 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA
FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON.

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM PDT WEDNESDAY...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

UPGRADED TO A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. PLEASE SEE SFOWSWHNX FOR
DETAILS

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

CAZ097-080100-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
551 AM PDT TUE APR 7 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TULARE COUNTY
MOUNTAINS.

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO
5 AM PDT WEDNESDAY...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

UPGRADED TO A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. PLEASE SEE SFOWSWHNX FOR
DETAILS

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

CAZ091-080100-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
551 AM PDT TUE APR 7 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTHWESTERN SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY.

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PDT THIS EVENING...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

UPGRADED TO A WIND ADVISORY. PLEASE SEE SFONPWHNX FOR DETAILS

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

CAZ098-099-080100-
INDIAN WELLS VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT-
551 AM PDT TUE APR 7 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE KERN COUNTY DESERT.

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 AM PDT
WEDNESDAY...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

UPGRADED TO A WIND ADVISORY. PLEASE SEE SFONPWHNX FOR DETAILS

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

The radar

The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 95 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:25 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Madera

When: April 7, 1:25 PM PST to 1:30 PM PST
Where: Madera County, 7 mi SSE of Chowchilla
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.026, -120.221

Spotter reported one inch hail near Chowchilla, CA.

Funnel Cloud, Madera

When: April 7, 2:30 PM PST to 3:15 PM PST
Where: Madera County, 4 mi N of Madera
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.028, -120.070

Public report of a funnel cloud near Madera, CA.

Hail, Madera

When: April 7, 3:22 PM PST to 4:15 PM PST
Where: Madera County, 5 mi NW of Madera
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.021, -120.134

Spotter reported three quarter inch hail near Madera, CA.

Hail, Madera

When: April 7, 3:40 PM PST to 3:45 PM PST
Where: Madera County, 5 mi NW of Madera
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.021, -120.134

Public report of three quarter inch hail near Madera, CA.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in California, April 2015

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: 571517, 571512, 571513, 571516.