A strong fast-moving upper trough pushed into northern California on November 26 and spread precipitation southward into central California by late evening. The main cold front with this system dropped southward through the area on the morning of November 27 and produced widespread rain and higher elevation snow.
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 strong fast-moving upper trough pushed into northern California on November 26 and spread precipitation southward into central California by late evening. The main cold front with this system dropped southward through the area on the morning of November 27 and produced widespread rain and higher elevation snow. Widespread precipitation amounts of half and inch to an inch of rain fell over the Southern Sierra Nevada while portions of the San Joaquin Valley picked up a few tenths of an inch of rain. However, the snow level was above 10000 feet for much of the event although it lowered to around 4000 feet behind the cold front; and snowfall accumulations were only up to a few inches below 10000 feet. The most significant impact from this system was a period of strong winds over the southern Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Mountains as well as across the Kern County deserts from the evening of November 26 to the early afternoon of November 27.
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 26, 2:15 PM PST, 6 hours 15 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley - Hanford CA 215 PM PST Sun Nov 26 2017 .SYNOPSIS...A Pacific weather system will move across the area tonight and Monday bringing light precipitation to mainly the northern portions of Central California. Weak high pressure will return Monday night and Tuesday before a trough of low pressure moves across extreme Northern California on Tuesday night. High pressure returns for mid week. && .DISCUSSION...Radar, webcams and surface obs show first band of precipitation mainly aloft as it moves across Merced and Mariposa counties. Observations in the Bay area indicate that the second band of echoes is indeed reaching the ground and the Central California interior will have to wait for its arrival before things get wet. High resolution rapid refresh model drives a band of rain across Merced and western Fresno County in the 3-4 pm time frame reaching Fresno by 8 pm. Band finally reaches Bakersfield by midnight as instability showers form in the cooler air over areas north of Fresno. Before arrival of precipitation, another record setting warm day is occurring with lots of lower 80s in the SJV and many foothill and lower Sierra slopes in the 70s. This will be the last of the "heat" as things change quickly this afternoon. By around 4 am high resolution models drive the cold frontal band of precipitation into Kings and Tulare Counties. Models bring the center of low pressure into Central California around 0800 and then eject it quickly east into the Great Basin in the afternoon. Precipitaton threat comes to a quick end in response with the entire area dry by late afternoon. Snow levels are currently running above 12000 feet and will likely fall to around 10000 feet behind the first band of evaporating precipitation and then to around 7000 feet overnight as colder air advects into the region from the northwest. Current winter weather advisory is on track with emphasis on overnight and early morning snow in the Sierra. Latest projected snow amounts continue to target areas north of Kings Canyon in the advisory area with amounts generally in the 7-11 inch range below 8000 feet and some higher amounts along west facing slopes above 9000 feet. Winds with this system will be rather strong as a 120 kt jet pushes across the region. The right rear quadrant of the jet core will pass over the area overnight as the jet sags to the south and this will enhance upper level support for lift and the best threat for precipitation. By morning models really crank up speeds at 700 mb (around 9000 foot level) to 60-65 knots over Kern County Mountains and Desert and this will cause a spike in wind speeds in the morning and early afternoon hours. A wind advisory has been issued through much of the afternoon before speeds diminish around sunset. Over the Sierra Crest some strong gusts will likely occur too. By Monday night and Tuesday brief ridging returns before another weaker short wave trough moves quickly across the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. More substantial ridging is then projected to build over the region Wednesday through Friday with patchy fog in the San Joaquin Valley and clear skies elsewhere. A glimpse into next weekend suggests a complete change from very warm and dry to very cool and potentially wet. Much more to follow about this later. && .AVIATION... Precipitation spreading southward after 00Z with areas of mountain obscuring IFR conditions over the Sierra Nevada. Increasing winds with strong gusts developing over the Sierra crest. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... On Sunday November 26 2017... Fireplace/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 Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 1 PM PST Monday ABOVE 7000 FEET FOR THE CAZ096. Wind Advisory from 7 AM to 4 PM PST Monday CAZ095-098-099. && public...Dudley avn/fw...Meadows synopsis...Dudley weather.gov/hanford
9 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Public Report 3NNE Auberry of 11 dead pine trees being toppled ranging from 75 to 100 feet in height.
The Mount Tom RAWS reported a maximum wind gust of 65 mph.
The Blue Max RAWS reported a maximum wind gust of 84 mph.
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS reported a maximum wind gust of 78 mph.
The Bear Peak RAWS reported a maximum wind gust of 68 mph.
The Bird Springs Pass RAWS reported a maximum wind gust of 75 mph.
The Jawbone Canyon RAWS reported a maximum wind gust of 74 mph.
South Slope reported a maximum wind gust of 58 mph.
Cache Creek reported a maximum wind gust of 63 mph.
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, November 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: 723402, 723403, 723405, 723409, 723404, 723406, 723407, 723408, 723410.