Cold frontal passage associated with low pressure system located over the Great Basin in southern Nevada moved southeastward through central California producing severe thunderstorms due to large hail.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS HNX wrote it up.
Cold frontal passage associated with low pressure system located over the Great Basin in southern Nevada moved southeastward through central California producing severe thunderstorms due to large hail.
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 24, 4:10 PM PST, 4 hours 33 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 510 PM PDT SUN APR 24 2016 ...UPDATED FOR SHOWERS IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THIS EVENING... .SYNOPSIS... SOME SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE MOUNTAINS TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. OTHERWISE...EXPECT GUSTY WINDS THROUGH THE FAVORED PASSES AND CANYONS...WITH THE STRONGEST GUSTS ON MONDAY. A STORM SYSTEM COULD BRING WET WEATHER TO MUCH OF THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR BY WEDNESDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN COOLER THAN AVERAGE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. && .UPDATE... UPDATE FORECAST TO INCLUDE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS ACROSS THE VALLEY FLOOR. CONVECTIVE SHOWERS FROM THE COASTAL RANGE ABLE TO MOVE EAST AND INTO THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. CURRENTLY...SHOWERS WITH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION HAVE MOVED THROUGH GUSTINE AND COALINGA WITH MORE SHOWERS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE EAST SIDE OF THE VALLEY. DAYLIGHT WILL CONTINUE FOR A FEW MORE HOURS KEEPING THE INSTABILITY FOR ADDITIONAL SHOWERS. DUE TO THE NATURE OF TODAY/S SHOWERS BEING DRIVEN BY AFTERNOON HEATING...WILL EXPECT CONVECTIVE SHOWERS TO DIMINISH AFTER SUNSET. WIND SPEEDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH THIS EVENING AS WIND ADVISORY ARE NOW IN PLACE FOR THE FAVORED AREAS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 326 PM PDT SUN APR 24 2016/ SOME SCATTERED AFTERNOON CUMULUS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AS THE MORNING MID AND HIGH CLOUDS HAVE PUSHED TO THE SOUTH AND EAST. FOR THE REST OF TODAY...A FEW SCATTERED SHOWERS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED OVER THE HIGH SIERRA NEAR YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. WITH SOME MARGINAL INSTABILITY...CAN'T RULE OUT THE CHANCE OF A FEW THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN THE SIERRA FROM YOSEMITE TO SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARKS. FOR THE SHORT-TERM...OUR MAIN CONCERN IS THE POTENTIAL FOR GUSTY WINDS IN PORTIONS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...AND HIGH WINDS IN THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERT. A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE WESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY BEGINNING NOON PDT MONDAY THROUGH 8 PM PDT MONDAY...AND FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERT BEGINNING 5 PM PDT SUNDAY THROUGH NOON PDT MONDAY IS IN EFFECT. IN ADDITION A HIGH WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERT BEGINNING NOON PDT MONDAY THOUGH 11 PM PDT MONDAY. THE STORM SYSTEM THAT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING GUSTY WINDS TO THE REGION IS CURRENTLY OFF THE COAST OF OREGON AND WILL MOVE INLAND OVERNIGHT. THE SYSTEM'S TRAJECTORY INTO THE GREAT BASIN WILL BRING: 1) INCREASED SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENTS...2) A NW TO SE-ORIENTED 300 MB JET OVER THE COUNTY WARNING AREA...AND 3) A COUPLED ATMOSPHERIC COLUMN. THIS SYNOPTIC SETUP IS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THE CURRENT WIND PRODUCTS. BLOWING DUST WILL ALSO BE AN ISSUE WITH THESE GUSTY WINDS. UNFORTUNATELY IT APPEARS THE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE THE MAIN IMPACT WITH THIS SYSTEM...SOME RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED IN THE SIERRA AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS. AS THE INSIDE SLIDER SYSTEM PUSHES INTO THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT ON TUESDAY...SHORT-WAVE RIDGING WILL BRING A QUIET WEATHER DAY TO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. BY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...A POTENTIALLY WETTER STORM SYSTEM WILL TAKE AIM ON THE REGION. AS MODELS ARE SUGGESTING SOME MARGINAL INSTABILITY OVER THE SIERRA AND FOOTHILLS...WE'VE INTRODUCED THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDER FOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON. GFS AND ECWMF HAVE THE SYSTEM SLOWLY MOVING OUT OF THE GREAT BASIN BY FRIDAY. BEYOND FRIDAY...A RIDGE WILL REBUILD ACROSS THE WEST COAST AND WILL HELP TO BOOST TEMPERATURES ABOVE NORMAL BY THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. && AVIATION... AREAS OF MVFR CONDITIONS AND LOCAL MOUNTAIN OBSCURING IFR CONDITIONS WITH SHOWERS POSSIBLE OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AFTER 18Z TODAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA BETWEEN 20Z TODAY AND 06Z MONDAY. AREAS OF MVFR CONDITIONS AND LOCAL MOUNTAIN OBSCURING IFR CONDITIONS WITH SHOWERS POSSIBLE OVER THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS AFTER 06Z MONDAY. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS 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. CERTAINTY LEVELS INCLUDE LOW...MEDIUM...AND HIGH. PLEASE VISIT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HNX/CERTAINTY.PHP FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AN/OR TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL NOON PDT MONDAY CAZ095-098-099. HIGH WIND WATCH FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY EVENING CAZ095-098-099. WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON TO 8 PM PDT MONDAY CAZ089-091. && PUBLIC...MOLINA AVN/FW...JDB PREV DISCUSSION...ROWE SYNOPSIS...BSO WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA 829 PM PDT SUN APR 24 2016 CAZ091-092-250415- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA- SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA- 829 PM PDT SUN APR 24 2016 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD CA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... EAST CENTRAL KINGS AND WEST CENTRAL TULARE COUNTIES UNTIL 915 PM PDT... AT 828 PM PDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES EAST OF STRATFORD...OR 10 MILES SOUTH OF HANFORD...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... TULARE...HANFORD AND CORCORAN. LAT...LON 3611 11981 3629 11975 3623 11933 3597 11942 TIME...MOT...LOC 0328Z 286DEG 14KT 3618 11970 JDB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA 836 PM PDT SUN APR 24 2016 CAZ091-092-250415- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA- SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA- 836 PM PDT SUN APR 24 2016 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD CA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... NORTHWESTERN KERN COUNTY UNTIL 915 PM PDT... AT 835 PM PDT...THE PUBLIC REPORTED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR WASCO... OR 16 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DELANO...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... BAKERSFIELD...DELANO...WASCO...SHAFTER...MCFARLAND...ROSEDALE...HARRIS RANCH...FAMOSO...BUTTONWILLOW AND OILDALE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. && LAT...LON 3539 11966 3578 11946 3577 11894 3526 11908 TIME...MOT...LOC 0335Z 293DEG 29KT 3559 11945 JDB
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA
857 PM PDT SUN APR 24 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0842 PM HAIL 3 WNW OILDALE 35.44N 119.08W
04/24/2016 E0.75 INCH KERN CA TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTS 0.75 INCH HAIL AT THE
INTERSECTION OF CALIFORNIA 99 AND 7TH STANDARD ROAD.
&&
SROWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA
924 PM PDT SUN APR 24 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0855 PM HAIL 5 WSW OILDALE 35.40N 119.12W
04/24/2016 E1.00 INCH KERN CA PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORTS 1 INCH HAIL NEAR HAGEMAN RD AND VERDUGO LN
IN BAKERSFIELD. RELAYED VIA FACEBOOK.
&&
SROWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA 941 PM PDT SUN APR 24 2016 CAZ091-092-250515- SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA- SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA- 941 PM PDT SUN APR 24 2016 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD CA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... NORTH CENTRAL KERN COUNTY UNTIL 1015 PM PDT... AT 940 PM PDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER WASCO...OR 14 MILES SOUTH OF DELANO...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... BAKERSFIELD...WASCO...SHAFTER...ROSEDALE AND FAMOSO. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. && LAT...LON 3550 11945 3567 11937 3561 11902 3536 11913 TIME...MOT...LOC 0440Z 289DEG 14KT 3556 11933 JDB
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA
943 PM PDT SUN APR 24 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0942 PM HAIL 1 NE TULARE 36.21N 119.33W
04/24/2016 M0.75 INCH TULARE CA NWS EMPLOYEE
0.75 INCH HAIL IN NORTHEAST TULARE...REPORTED BY NWS
EMPLOYEE.
&&
SROWThe San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 22 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:42 UTC.
3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Public report of 1.00 inch hail from thunderstorm in Stratford California in Kings County was received via Twitter.
Public report of 1.00 inch hail from thunderstorm 5 miles west-southwest of Oildale California in Kern County was received via Facebook.
Public report of 1.25 inch hail from thunderstorm in Tulare California in Tulare County was received via Facebook.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2016
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: 633219, 633223, 633226.