A low pressure system moved through central California during the morning of December 4 producing widespread precipitation across the area. Several stations in the San Joaquin Valley measured between a third of an inch and two thirds of an inch of rainfall with a few locations picking up higher amounts in heavier showers.
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The episode as NWS HNX wrote it up.
A low pressure system moved through central California during the morning of December 4 producing widespread precipitation across the area. Several stations in the San Joaquin Valley measured between a third of an inch and two thirds of an inch of rainfall with a few locations picking up higher amounts in heavier showers. Several stations in the mountains foothills picked up between a half inch and an inch of liquid precipitation with the precipitation mainly falling as snow above 7000 feet. A few higher elevation SNOTEL stations picked up as much as a foot of new snow although most locations above 7000 feet picked up between 3 and 6 inches of new snow. In the San Joaquin Valley and Kern County Deserts, several reports of nuisance flooding were received and a few roads were briefly closed as a result of ponding of water on the roadway.
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 Dec 4, 4:50 AM PST, 4 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 450 AM PST Wed Dec 4 2019 .SYNOPSIS... A storm system moving through central California through tonight will bring rain and higher elevation snow across the region, with the Sierra from Kings Canyon southward getting the most precipitation. A few thunderstorms will also be possible this afternoon. A ridge of high pressure will then move through the area on Thursday, bringing the threat of valley fog. Another weather system will affect the district over the weekend. && .DISCUSSION... An incoming low pressure system is spreading rain and higher elevation snow across central CA this morning. snow levels are currently running generally around 7 to 8 thousand feet. The system is progged to swing inland by this afternoon and as the cooler air aloft moves overhead the atmosphere will be destabilized sufficiently for the possibility of thunderstorms over much of our area. Precipitation will taper off this evening, lingering over the mountains into tonight. Latest QPF guidance suggests around 1/4 to 1/2 inch in the SJ Valley with 1/2 to 3/4 in the desert and foothill areas. Amounts climb to over an inch in the higher terrain, and with snow levels expected around 7000 feet, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the mountains above 7000 feet from Kings Canyon to the Lake Isabella region. Local snowfall amounts up to 18 inches are possible before the storm winds down by 10 PM tonight. Southerly winds picking up as the storm system approaches this morning will gust around 40 to 50 mph in the Kern County mountains with a few locations in the Tehachapi's gusting as high as 55-60 mph. A High Wind Warning is in effect there through 11 AM this morning. By Thursday, an amplifying ridge will move inland across our area in advance of another developing system approaching from the northeast Pacific. This could bring some more SJ Valley fog before the incoming low pressure system begins to impact our area Friday. Model guidance spreads precipitation southward across our area through the weekend as the system tracks inland. Snowfall amounts look to be higher with this next system, especially in the mountains north of Kings Canyon. High pressure is progged to rebuild behind the exiting storm system for early next week, bringing drier conditions across our area but potentially producing m.ore episodes of San Joaquin Valley Tule fog. Temperatures are expected to fluctuate just a few degrees either side of seasonal averages throughout the forecast period. && .AVIATION... Areas of rain and isolated thunderstorms across central California will create widespread MVFR and local IFR/LIFR conditions along with mountain obscurations through 00.Z Thursday. Showers will linger over the mountains through 06z Thursday. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... On Wednesday December 4 2019... Fireplace/Wood Stove Burning Status is: No Burning Unless Registered in Kern County. 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.html for additional information an/or to provide feedback. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 10 PM PST this evening for CAZ193>195. High Wind Warning until 11 AM PST this morning for CAZ196-197. && public...JEB aviation....JEB weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
California Highway Patrol reported ponding of water on the Gateway Drive off ramp of northbound SR 99 in Madera slowing traffic.
Kern County officials closed Redrock-Randsburg Road between SR 14 and US 395 due to roadway flooding being reported at the intersection of Garlock Road.
California Highway Patrol reported approximately a foot of water across Monroe St. and onto the sidewalk near the intersection of Cedar St. in Taft.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2019
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: 858860, 858861, 858862.