Slow moving upper level low pressure system just west of the coast of California allowed for a large influx of moisture to move into central California which set the stage for heavy rain bands and embedded thunderstorms to develop for two days in a row. Flooding was observed in many locations.
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.
Slow moving upper level low pressure system just west of the coast of California allowed for a large influx of moisture to move into central California which set the stage for heavy rain bands and embedded thunderstorms to develop for two days in a row. Flooding was observed in many locations.
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 May 5, 1:00 PM PST, 2 hours 14 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 200 PM PDT THU MAY 5 2016 .SYNOPSIS...AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL BRING UNSETTLED WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING THE THREAT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO MUCH OF THE REGION ALONG WITH COOLER TEMPERATURES. && .DISCUSSION...LARGE UPPER LOW CURRENTLY SITUATED OFF THE SOCAL COAST NEAR 34N/134W IS CONTINUING TO SPREAD MID/HIGH CLOUDS INTO OUR AREA. THIS HAS RESULTED IN NOTICABLE COOLING TREND WITH TEMPERATURES CURRENTLY RUNNING 8-16 DEG F BELOW YDAY AT MOST LOCATIONS. SOME THUNDERSTORMS HAVE POPPED UP ALONG THE CREST OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA...BUT THE MORE SIGNIFICANT THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS REMAINED NORTH OF OUR CWFA IN A STRONG DIFLUENT ZONE OVER NORCAL. THE WRF AND THE HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS HAVE BEEN INDICATING BETTER THUNDERSTORM CHANCES THROUGHOUT OUR AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THE 12Z WRF INDICATED CAPES EXCEEDING 1000 J/KG ACROSS MUCH OF OUR AREA WITH LI/S BETWEEN -3 AND -6 DEG C. HOWEVER...THE 18Z WRF HAS BACKED OFF ON CAPE AND INSTABILITY WITH CAPES MAINLY BETWEEN 400 AND 800 J/KG AND LI/S BETWEEN -1 AND -4 DEG C. WHILE THERE IS STILL A GOOD CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS NEARLY ANYWHERE IN OUR CWFA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS BECOMING LESS LIKELY. THE LOW IS PROGGED TO MOVE VERY SLOWLY EASTWARD TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING THEN REMAIN NEARLY QUASI-STATIONARY OVER SOCAL THROUGH SATURDAY. THIS WILL KEEP CENTRAL CA UNDER A WRAP AROUND NORTHEAST FLOW WITH CONTINUED CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND MUCH COOLER THAN NORMAL TEMEPRATURES. ANTICIAPTED RAINFALL TOTALS THROUGH SATURDAY WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT BASED ON THE CONVECTIVE NATURE OF THE PRECIPITATION. SNOW LEVELS WILL RANGE BETWEEN 8000 AND 9000 FEET THROUGH THIS EVENING...BUT LOWER TO 7000 TO 7500 FEET BY FRIDAY NIGHT AS TEMPERATURES COOL ALOFT. SOME OF THE HIGHER PEAKS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA COULD PICK UP SEVERAL INCHES OF FRESH SNOWFALL. THE MODELS REMAIN CONSISTENT IN MOVING THE LARGE UPPER LOW EAST INTO THE DESERT SOUTHWEST SATRUDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY WHILE AN UPPER RIDGE AMPLIFIES OFF THE WESTERN CONUS COAST. AS A RESULT...TEMPERATURES SHOULD RECOVER SOME WHILE SHOWERS DECREASE IN COVERAGE WITH THE BEST CHANCES REMAINING OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA. THE RIDGE IS THEN PROGGED TO SLOWLY BUILD INLAND MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WHICH WILL BRING A NOTICABLE WARMING AND DRYING TREND ACROSS OUR AREA WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES EXPECTED BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION...INCREASING AREAS OF MVFR AND LOCAL MOUNTAIN OBSCURING IFR OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA THRU 00Z FRIDAY...THEN MAINLY IFR OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA THRU 00Z SATURDAY. INCREASING AREAS OF MVFR OVER THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS AFTER 00Z FRIDAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE CENTRAL CA INTERIOR. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES...NONE. && .CERTAINTY... THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 1 AND 2 IS MEDIUM. 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...NONE. && PUBLIC...DS AVN/FW...DCH SYNOPSIS...BSO WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
221 PM PDT THU MAY 5 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0219 PM HAIL TAFT 35.14N 119.45W
05/05/2016 E0.25 INCH KERN CA BROADCAST MEDIA
&&
BSOSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA
223 PM PDT THU MAY 5 2016
CAZ091-092-052215-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA-
SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CA-
223 PM PDT THU MAY 5 2016
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD CA HAS ISSUED A
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
WESTERN KERN COUNTY
UNTIL 315 PM PDT
AT 220 PM PDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7
MILES EAST OF MCKITTRICK...OR 27 MILES WEST OF BAKERSFIELD...MOVING
NORTH AT 25 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM. BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LOCALIZED STREET FLOODING IS
ALSO POSSIBLE.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WASCO...TAFT...DUSTIN ACRES...FORD CITY...DERBY ACRES...MCKITTRICK...
TUPMAN...VALLEY ACRES...SOUTH TAFT...HARRIS RANCH...BUTTONWILLOW AND LOST
HILLS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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 3515 11956 3518 11956 3518 11963 3563 11970
3560 11927 3513 11940
TIME...MOT...LOC 2120Z 190DEG 21KT 3533 11949
DCHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
300 PM PDT THU MAY 5 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0228 PM FLOOD 4 WNW TAFT 35.17N 119.52W
05/05/2016 KERN CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
CHP REPORTED ROADWAY FLOODING AT
INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 33 & HENRY ROAD
&&
BSOThe Los Angeles radar (KVTX), 91 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:14 UTC.
28 heavy rain, 5 debris flow, 1 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
California Highway Patrol reported water on roads at intersection of Cypress Street and Orange Street in Valley Acres at 1514 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding on SR166 between Soda Lake Road and Kern County line at 1616 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported hail covering road and causing vehicles to go off of the road on SR 166 between Soda Lake Road and the San Luis Obispo County line southwest of Maricopa at 1616 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding on SR46 between Blackwells Corner and Lost Hills at 1729 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding at the intersection of West Nees Avenue and North Russel Avenue at 1745 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding at West Shields Avenue and North Russel Avenue northwest of Wood Ranch at 1757 PST.
NWS employee reported road flooding in southeast Lemoore at 1810 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding at West Nees Avenue and Poleline Road south of Hamburg Farms at 1810 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding due to blocked storm drains on SR 198 and 18th Avenue off-ramp in Lemoore at 1810 PST.
Twitter report received of flooding in Mendota with report of 1 inch rainfall around 1815 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding on SR152 at Rock Bridge west of Los Banos at 1822 PST.
Received several social media reports of nuisance flooding in Los Banos area around 1834 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported vehicle struck by lightning on SR 152 west of Los Banos at 1834 PST. Vehicle was disabled and no injuries were reported.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on SR 152 west of Los Banos at 1835 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding at SR33 and Clarkson Avenue near Three Rocks.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding at SR33 and Harlan Avenue south of Three Rocks.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding at West Eagle Field Road and South Bennett Road intersection at 1953 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding of lane #3 of SR 99 on the Jensen off-ramp at 2250 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road closure due to road flooding south of Panoche Junction on Kamm Road just east of Interstate 5 to San Diego Road at 2259 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported mud and debris flow covering SR198 about 10 miles west southwest of Coalinga at 1354 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported mud and debris flow covering SR198 about 2 miles south southwest of Coalinga at 1355 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported mud and debris flow across SR198 about 8 miles west southwest of Coalinga at 1408 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding on Manning Avenue on-ramp to southbound Interstate 5 southwest of Chaney Ranch at 1436 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding on Derrick Avenue off-ramp of Interstate 5 near Three Rocks at 1441 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding 1 mile east of of Tranquility at West Lincoln Avenue and South Denver Avenue at 1510 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported water on the road and a rockslide 5 miles northeast of Bakersfield at 1445 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported mud and debris flow across northbound Interstate 5 about 4 miles south southeast of Grapevine about 1.5 miles north of Fort Tejon Road at 1546 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding 16 miles southwest of San Joaquin on SR33 and Harlan Avenue at 1615 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding in Tranquility at Anthony Avenue and Tuttle Avenue at 1631 PST.
ABC 30 television media reported water covering intersection of East Divisadero Street and Fulton Street in Fresno at 1635 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway ponding at the Interstate 5 and SR33 intersection about 16 miles west of Five Points at 1640 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported water covering roads at SR 99 and SR 180 interchange in Fresno at 1656 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported water covering northbound SR99 at the Belmont off-ramp in Fresno at 1710 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported flooded creek near SR46 and Kecks Road near Kecks Corner at 1713 PST.
California Highway Patrol reported water covering SR 99 at the Olive Avenue off-ramp in Fresno at 1729 PST.
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, May 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: 639604, 638187, 639608, 638193, 638222, 638223, 638197, 638241, 639617, 638244, 638214, 638217, 639621, 639625, 638207, 638208, 638221, 639655, 639641, 638280, 638281, 638283, 638291, 638294, 638322, 639590, 638287, 638323, 638324, 639592, 638327, 639593, 639596, 638286, 639598.