California, 2016

Dense Fog in California, November 22, 2016

November 22, 2016 · NWS HNX · 7 events in 3 counties and zones

High pressure moving into the central California region which was recently dampened by a previous storm system allowed for ideal radiational cooling conditions and dense fog in the San Joaquin Valley.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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.

High pressure moving into the central California region which was recently dampened by a previous storm system allowed for ideal radiational cooling conditions and dense fog in the San Joaquin Valley.

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 Nov 21, 2:08 PM PST, 11 hours 7 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 21, 2:08 PM PST, 11 hours 7 minutes before
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Event by event

7 dense fog. Local standard time, as filed.

Dense Fog, E Central S.J. Valley

When
November 22, 1:15 AM PST to 11:05 AM PST
Where
E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS

Between 0115 PST and 1105 PST the Merced Castle Airport (KMER) AWOS reported visibility less than 1/4 mile.

Dense Fog, E Central S.J. Valley

When
November 22, 1:35 AM PST to 8:45 AM PST
Where
E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS

Between 0135 PST and 0845 PST the Merced Castle Airport (KMER) AWOS reported visibility less than 1/4 mile.

Dense Fog, Sw S.J. Valley

When
November 22, 2:35 AM PST to 10:35 AM PST
Where
Sw S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS

Between 0235 PST and 1035 PST the Hanford Airport (KHJO) ASOS reported visibility less than 1/4 mile.

Dense Fog, E Central S.J. Valley

When
November 22, 3:19 AM PST to 11:00 AM PST
Where
E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement

Between 0319 PST and 1100 PST the California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported level 1 fog on State Route 99 from Atwater to Turlock.

Dense Fog, Se S.J. Valley

When
November 22, 3:30 AM PST to 10:00 AM PST
Where
Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS

Between 0330 PST and 1000 PST the Visalia Airport (KVIS) AWOS reported visibility less than 1/4 mile.

Dense Fog, E Central S.J. Valley

When
November 22, 4:35 AM PST to 10:35 AM PST
Where
E Central S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS

Between 0435 PST and 1035 PST the Fresno Chandler Airport (KFCH) AWOS reported visibility less than 1/4 mile.

Dense Fog, Se S.J. Valley

When
November 22, 5:01 AM PST to 10:00 AM PST
Where
Se S.J. Valley forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement

Between 0501 PST and 1000 PST the California Highway Patrol reported Level 2 fog on State Route 198 in Visalia and pacing was occurring on State Route 99 west of Visalia.

What these are

Dense Fog
Fog reducing visibility to a quarter mile or less, filed where it caused accidents or disruption.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in California, November 2016

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 668531, 668529, 668527, 668530, 668532, 668528, 668533.