Heavy Snow, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- January 14, 4:00 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
Broadcast media report of 10.0 inch snow measurement at Frazier Park.
Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in California, January 14, 2019
A low pressure system approached the central California coast during the early morning of January 14 then dropped southeast and moved into southern California during the afternoon. As the low dropped southeastward along the coast it spread deep moisture inland producing heavy snow in the Kern County Mountains above 4000 feet.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $150,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 6
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.
A low pressure system approached the central California coast during the early morning of January 14 then dropped southeast and moved into southern California during the afternoon. As the low dropped southeastward along the coast it spread deep moisture inland producing heavy snow in the Kern County Mountains above 4000 feet. Interstate 5 was closed for 7.5 hours as numerous accidents resulted in hundreds of stranded and overturned vehicles. In addition to the heavy snow, strong winds produced local whiteout conditions in the Kern County Mountains and gusts above 60 mph were reported in the Bear Valley Springs area, and several other locations in the Kern County Mountains and south end of the San Joaquin Valley measured wind gusts above 50 mph.
Event by event
3 high wind, 2 heavy snow, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- January 14, 4:00 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
California Highway Patrol reported several hundred vehicles stranded along Interstate 5 near 4000 feet near Lebec with numerous accidents and overturned vehicles in the area. Interstate 5 was closed for 7.5 hours in both directions. An estimated 2 to 4 inches of snow was reported by stranded motorists.
Heavy Snow, Tulare Cty Mtns
- When
- January 14, 4:00 AM PST to 4:00 PM PST
- Where
- Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
Tulare County Emergency manager reported Kennedy Meadows measured 10.0 inches on new snow.
High Wind, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- January 14, 9:40 AM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Measured
- 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Bear Mountain reported a peak wind gust of 67 mph.
High Wind, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- January 14, 10:20 AM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Measured
- 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
Bear Valley reported a peak wind gust of 66 mph.
High Wind, Kern Cty Mtns
- When
- January 14, 10:46 AM PST
- Where
- Kern Cty Mtns forecast zone
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $150,000
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
Three semi trucks were blown over along State Route 58 and General Beale Road. Kern County Emergency Manager estimated wind gusts at 65 mph in the area.
What these are
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
More
Every storm in California in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2019
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: 793124, 793125, 793126, 793121, 793122, 793123.