A nearly stationary cold low pressure system from the Pacific Northwest moved into central California and tropical moisture being fed from the Pacific with a continued atmospheric river set-up, brought thunderstorms and heavy rainfall to the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Foothills and parts of the San Joaquin Valley over several days. Small pea-sized hail was also reported with some of the…
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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.
A nearly stationary cold low pressure system from the Pacific Northwest moved into central California and tropical moisture being fed from the Pacific with a continued atmospheric river set-up, brought thunderstorms and heavy rainfall to the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Foothills and parts of the San Joaquin Valley over several days. Small pea-sized hail was also reported with some of the thunderstorms.
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 Jan 18, 2:25 PM PST, 3 hours 43 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley - Hanford CA 225 PM PST Wed Jan 18 2017 .SYNOPSIS...A series of Pacific storm systems will track eastward across the state through Monday, bringing periods of rain and mountain snow to the region. && .DISCUSSION...The first storm of at least three storms is making inroads into the central California interior this afternoon and bringing a return of wet weather as expected. In the southern Sierra, snow levels have generally been above 7,000 feet but will lower to about 5,000 feet by daybreak as the storm system moves inland. Before then, southerly winds will become locally strong and gusty over the Grapevine and at the south end, west side and the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley. A Wind Advisory is in effect accordingly for these areas into early Thursday morning. Steady precipitation will become showery during the midday hours Thursday behind the cold front associated with this storm system. It will also become cold enough aloft for increased atmospheric instability over the San Joaquin Valley and much of Kern County Thursday where isolated afternoon and early evening thunderstorms with small hail are possible. Moderately high CAPE and lifted indices near -2 support this idea and is also in good agreement with the latest forecast from SPC. Although this storm will make steady eastward progression across central California and snow levels will be relatively low compared to storms earlier this month, a few locations could experience minor flooding during the next 24 hours. Additionally, notable rises are possible along small streams and creeks where flooding has recently occurred. What break there is between this storm and storm #2 will be brief. A few showers may linger over mostly the higher terrain Thursday evening through the wee hours Friday morning. Precipitation from storm #2 will likely overspread the central California interior later Friday morning. By late Friday afternoon, the cold front associated with this second storm will be exiting south and east of our CWA. The air will again be cold enough in the post frontal environment for isolated thunderstorms in the San Joaquin Valley Friday afternoon. This concurs with the latest forecast from SPC. Otherwise, we can expect scattered to numerous showers over the central California interior Friday afternoon and evening. Snow levels may fall as low as 3,000 feet Friday night with an accompanying threat of a little snow and/or ice over the Kern County mountain passes and the Sierra foothills. After storm #2 departs and before storm #3 arrives, much of the central California interior will get a respite from wet weather Saturday through Saturday evening. This is a period when the models forecast a transitory short wave ridge aloft to move across the CWA. If skies clear for any length of time underneath this ridge Saturday night, patchy dense fog could form in the San Joaquin Valley. Right now it appears there may be too much mid level moisture present for that to happen, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. Storm #3 will be the wettest and coldest storm in this series of storms and will probably bring with it more significant weather impacts such as heightened threat of localized highway, urban and stream flooding in the San Joaquin Valley and foothills and potentially hazardous winter travel over the higher terrain. Snow levels could fall as low as 2,000 feet as this storm moves inland over central California Monday morning. The combined effects from all three storms will bring a substantial increase in the Sierra snowpack above 7,000 feet by late Monday. Otherwise, Monday will be chilly and unsettled with additional showers and perhaps isolated afternoon thunderstorms. A drying but cold northerly flow can be expected in the wake of storm #3 Monday night and Tuesday. Northerly breezes might become pretty gusty on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley and across Merced County Tuesday afternoon. Despite a return of sunshine in most areas Tuesday, temperatures will remain slightly cooler than normal. An EPAC ridge will build over central California during the mid to later part of next week and bring a warming trend along with dry weather. && .AVIATION... In the San Joaquin Valley, areas of MVFR in mist and rain with local IFR between after 06Z Thursday. In the southern Sierra Nevada, widespread mountain obscuring IFR in low clouds and precipitation. VFR conditions will prevail over the Central CA Interior for the next 24 hours. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... On Wednesday January 18 2017... Firepalce/Wood Stove Burning Status is: No Burning Unless Registered in Fresno... Kern... Kings... Madera... Merced and Tulare 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 for additional information an/or to provide feedback. && .HNX Watches/Warnings/Advisories... Winter Storm Warning until 2 PM PST Thursday ABOVE 5000 FEET FOR THE CAZ096-097. Wind Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 4 AM PST Thursday CAZ089>091-095. && public...Durfee avn/fw...Molina synopsis...Durfee weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
19 flood, 5 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
California Highway Patrol reported a road closure due to roadway flooding on State Route 33.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Mercedes Avenue and Shafer Road northeast of Winton.
Trained Spotter reported a 24 hour rainfall report of 1.14 inches near Ponderosa Basin in Mariposa County.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on La Grange Road near Fields Road north of Snelling.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Tehachapi Willow Springs Road near Oak Creek Road southeast of Tehachapi.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Bealville Road near Highway 58 south of Bealville.
California Highway Patrol reported Highway 14 was closed near Redrock Randsburg Road due to flooding near Cantil.
California Highway Patrol reported State Route 99 offramp at Lerdo Road was flooded in Bakersfield.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Mountain View Road near Comanche Drive northeast of Lamont Road.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Hudson Avenue near Manning Road southeast of Chaney Ranch.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Edison Highway near Comanche Road east of Edison.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Chamberlain Avenue near Harold Way east of Bakersfield.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Kimber Avenue near Highway 58 southeast of Algoso.
California Highway Patrol reported Mt Whitney Avenue closed near Sonoma Avenue due to flooding west of Five Points.
California Highway Patrol reported half of Henry Miller Avenue was flooded west of State Route 165 north of Los Banos.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Lokern Road near Highway 58 west of Buttonwillow.
California Highway Patrol reported 6 to 8 inches of water on Westside Boulevard near Robin Avenue southwest of Livingston.
Trained Spotter reported a 24 hour rainfall total of 0.25 inches near Clovis in Fresno County.
Trained Spotter reported a 24 hour rainfall total of 2.04 inches near Ponderosa Basin in Mariposa County.
Trained Spotter reported a 24 hour rainfall total of 0.45 inches near Lemoore in Kings County.
Public report of a 24 hour rainfall total of 0.11 inches near Chowchilla in Madera County.
California Highway Patrol reported Lynch Canyon Road with 1 to 2 inches of roadway flooding near State Route 178 in Mountain Mesa.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding on Crest Point Lane near Ockenden Ranch Road in Ockenden.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Johns Road near Williams Road south of Havilah.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2017
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: 675398, 675399, 675414, 675400, 675401, 675402, 675403, 675404, 675405, 675406, 675407, 675408, 675409, 675410, 675411, 675412, 675413, 675415, 675417, 675416, 675418, 675419, 675420, 675421.