A series of systems fed by a continued influx of very moist air was pushed into the central California interior through an atmospheric river set-up for several days. This created high snow levels between 9,000-10,000 feet and heavy rainfall for a majority of the San Joaquin Valley County Warning Area which in turn created flooding and flash flooding of area rivers, streams, and water supply…
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.
A series of systems fed by a continued influx of very moist air was pushed into the central California interior through an atmospheric river set-up for several days. This created high snow levels between 9,000-10,000 feet and heavy rainfall for a majority of the San Joaquin Valley County Warning Area which in turn created flooding and flash flooding of area rivers, streams, and water supply canals. Also debris flows, rock slides, and road ponding/flooding was reported.
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 7, 4:45 AM PST, 6 hours 29 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley - Hanford CA 445 AM PST Sat Jan 7 2017 .SYNOPSIS...Periods of heavy rain and high Sierra snow will continue over the central California interior through Sunday night. Much of next week will be mild and wet as storm systems track inland from the Pacific. && .DISCUSSION... Short Term(Today through Tuesday night)...An abundance of tropical moisture aloft is streaming eastward into central California this morning, and it will continue to do so for the next 12 to 18 hours as a strong moisture laden jet resides over the CWA. The orographic regions perpendicular to this jet (generally the west slope of the Sierra) will receive heavy precipitation totals during this time. The advection of warm air aloft will raise snow levels to 9,000 feet or higher by late this afternoon. Above this elevation, snow will fall by the foot over the high Sierra through tonight. Rain in the lower elevations above the San Joaquin Valley floor will be heavy at times through at least this evening. Folks living near small streams and rivers and near wildfire burn scars should remain alert for rising waters, possible mud and debris flows and road flooding through tonight. This not only includes the Sierra foothills but also the Kern County mountains. The Kern county desert and much of the San Joaquin Valley, particularly the west side and south end, will be somewhat rain shadowed. Winds will be gusty in these regions through this evening. The presence of a barrier jet on the east side of the San Joaquin Valley today will also support gusty southeast winds mainly north of Fresno County. The atmospheric river will shift northward into northern California later tonight and Sunday as the upper level trough deepens over the Pacific and an upper level ridge amplifies over the central and southern part of the state. During this time, much of the San Joaquin Valley in addition to Kern County will get a break from wet weather. Precip will likely continue in the orographic regions of the Sierra and possible across the extreme northern parts of the San Joaquin valley. A cold front approaching from the northwest will bring a southward shift of the atmospheric river Sunday evening. Precip should return to Kern county late Sunday night and continue into Monday as the cold front exits south and east of the CWA. A slow drying, clearing trend should take place Monday afternoon in the wake of the cold front except in the foothills and higher elevations of the Sierra where showers will likely continue. Snow levels will lower to about 5500 feet in the Sierra Monday afternoon, then fluctuate little through Tuesday night. Otherwise, a zonal flow aloft will reside over central California through Tuesday night. Weak upper level disturbances embedded in this flow could generate additional showers along the west slopes of the Sierra during this time. Extended Periods(Wednesday through next Saturday)... Unsettled pattern continuing through Friday night as a series of disturbances are forecast to move through the Central Ca Interior. Models are different in their solution with timing, however none of these systems appear to be a "major" system. The ensemble guidance is not budging to much from keeping a chance of precip in the area Guidance is trying to clear things out by Saturday as a ridge of high pressure builds on over the CWA. && .AVIATION... MVFR conditions developing over the Sierra Nevada and foothills in clouds and precipitation after 09z Saturday...then widespread MVFR and areas of IFR conditions after 18z Saturday. Areas MVFR in theTehachapi Mountains after 15z Saturday. Otherwise VFR conditions will prevail with local MVFR visibilities in precipitation over 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... Flash Flood Watch through Monday afternoon CAZ093>097. Flood Watch through Monday afternoon CAZ089>092. && Short term/Public...Durfee Extended Public/avn/fw...JDB Synopsis...Durfee weather.gov/hanford
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
824 AM PST SAT JAN 7 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0823 AM DEBRIS FLOW 1 SSW LEBEC 34.83N 118.88W
01/07/2017 KERN CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
REPORTED AT 34.825534 -118.877750. ROCKS AND
DEBRIS IN THE ROADWAY.
&&
WPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
825 AM PST SAT JAN 7 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0825 AM DEBRIS FLOW 8 W FRAZIER PARK 34.84N 119.09W
01/07/2017 KERN CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
REPORTED AT 34.836897 -119.087576. ROCKS AND
DEBRIS IN THE ROADWAY.
&&
WPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
831 AM PST SAT JAN 7 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0830 AM DEBRIS FLOW 1 NNE OAKHURST 37.35N 119.64W
01/07/2017 MADERA CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
REPORTED AT 37.347837 -119.642229.
MUD/DIRT/ROCK REPORTED BY CHP.
&&
WPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
837 AM PST SAT JAN 7 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0837 AM DEBRIS FLOW 1 NE LAKE ISABELLA 35.64N 118.47W
01/07/2017 KERN CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
REPORTED AT 35.639262 -118.465743. SLIGHT
ROCKSLIDE / ROCKS AND MUD IN RD.
&&
WPThe Edwards AFB radar (KEYX), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:14 UTC.
37 flood, 5 flash flood, 1 debris flow. Local standard time, as filed.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding at Highway 58 and State Route 202 near Tehachapi.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding at Highway 14 and Redrock Randsburg Road near Cantil.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding and debris on Hot Springs Road and Road M-52 about 20 miles west of California Hot Springs.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding at Harding Road and Cortez Road near Cortez.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Highway 198 and Craig Ranch Road northeast of Three Rivers.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Highway 198 and Craig Ranch Road northeast of Three Rivers.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding southeast of Raisin City on Dinuba Avenue near Henderson Road.
California Highway Patrol report of mud, dirt, and rock partially blocking Mineral King Road and Highway 198 intersection near Hammond. Traffic was able to move around the obstruction.
California Highway Patrol report of mud, dirt, and rock partially blocking Mineral King Road and Highway 198 intersection near Hammond. Traffic was able to move around the obstruction.
California Highway Patrol reported a boulder in the road near the intersection of George Smith Road and Bronco Lane south of Squaw Valley.
California Highway Patrol reported large boulder in westbound lane of State Route 180 at Hopewell Road northeast of Squaw Valley.
California Highway Patrol reported large boulder on Road 274 near Central Camp Road east of Wishon.
California Highway Patrol reports mud slide and boulders blocking Mineral King Road near Three Rivers.
California Highway Patrol reports that Highway 198 at Long Road is closed due to a mudslide just southwest of Kaweah Lake.
CalTrans reported accelerated pavement failure areas of Highway 41 across Kings County due to flood waters.
California Highway Patrol reported that Highway 168 westbound was closed due to boulder and rock slide west of Humphreys Station.
California Highway Patrol reported road completely flooded over on Highway 33 at Lost Hills Road southeast of Coalinga.
California Highway Patrol reported Highway 198 was closed due to road flooding from Firestone Avenue to the Fresno/Monterey County line west of Coalinga.
California Highway Patrol reported southbound lane of Highway 41 was blocked due to debris flow near Road 632 north of Yosemite Forks.
Utility company reported that the mobile home park near Willow Creek and downstream from Crane Valley Dam was to be evacuated due to flood threat from planned Crane Valley Dam releases.
Utility company reported that the mobile home park near Willow Creek and downstream from Crane Valley Dam was to be evacuated due to flood threat from planned Crane Valley Dam releases.
Broadcast Media reported Highway 198 near Road 248 was closed due to flooding near Citro.
California Highway Patrol reported rocks and boulders blocking part of southbound lane on Highway 168 near Tollhouse south of Prather.
Tulare County Official reported that the bridge at Kaweah River Drive was closed due to flooding northeast of Three Rivers.
California Highway Patrol reported dirt and rocks on roadway due to small landslide from heavy rain on Burrough Valley Road near Sycamore Road east of Humphreys Station.
California Highway Patrol reported rocks and dirt on Road 200 at Ralston Way just west of Fine Gold Creek north of Millerton Lake.
Californa Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Balch Park Road near Yokohl Valley Drive north of Springville.
California Highway Patrol reported closure of Highway 59 at Reilly Road due to road flooding south of Merced.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding at intersection of Minnewawa Avenue and Norwich Road in Clovis.
California Highway Patrol reported mud covering most of southbound lane of Highway 49 near Mt. Bullion Cutoff Road in Mt. Bullion.
California Highway Patrol reported flooding on Highway 198 and water flowing over Airport Drive and Upper North Fork bridges in Three Rivers.
California Highway Patrol reported small rockslides on Tollhouse Road near Lodge Road south of Tollhouse due to heavy rain.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Highway 269 near Highway 198 north of Huron.
California Highway Patrol reported flooded roadway at Di Giorgio Road and Comanche Drive and vehicles blocking roadway due to flooding east of Lamont.
Broadcast Media reported through twitter a picture of Kern River Overflowing near Kernville.
Caltrans District 6 reported that Weedpatch Highway between Redbank Road and Panama Lane southeast of Bakersfield was closed due to flooding.
Broadcast Media reported through Twitter a video showing road flooding on Lassen Avenue between Mitchell Avenue and Marmon Avenue north of Huron.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding on Garces Highway near Corcoran Road/Dairy Avenue just east of Kern Wildlife Refuge northeast of Lost Hills.
California Highway Patrol reported road flooding on Usfs Road near Acorn Road north of Meadow Lakes.
California Highway Patrol reported road closure of Highway 269 near Highway 198 north of Huron.
Merced Emergency Manager reports numerous road closures between Gustine and Newman due to broken levee along Garza Creek.
California Highway Patrol reported mud covering southbound lanes of Road 200 near House Ranch Road southwest of Fine Gold.
California Highway Patrol reported large boulders blocking westbound lane of Highway 140 near El Portel just west of Yosemite National Park entrance.
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: 675299, 675300, 675303, 675305, 675306, 681833, 675308, 675311, 681834, 675314, 675315, 675319, 675296, 675298, 677961, 675326, 675327, 675329, 675331, 675333, 681835, 675334, 675336, 675338, 675339, 675340, 675341, 675342, 675343, 675344, 675345, 675346, 675347, 675348, 675349, 675350, 675351, 675352, 675353, 675361, and more.