California, 2019

Flood and Heavy Snow in California, January 5, 2019

January 5, 2019 · NWS HNX · 9 events in 3 counties and zones

A Pacific low pressure system pushed into northern California during the morning of January 5. This system pushed a precipitation band through central California during the afternoon and evening of January 5 which produced a quarter to half of an inch of rain across much of the San Joaquin Valley and the Kern County Mountains and half an inch to an inch of liquid precipitation across the…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

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 Pacific low pressure system pushed into northern California during the morning of January 5. This system pushed a precipitation band through central California during the afternoon and evening of January 5 which produced a quarter to half of an inch of rain across much of the San Joaquin Valley and the Kern County Mountains and half an inch to an inch of liquid precipitation across the southern Sierra Nevada and an estimated 12 to 18 inches of snow fell above 7000 feet from SNOTEL observations. The Kern County Deserts were rain shadowed for much of this event and most areas only picked up a few hundredths of an inch of rain.

What forecasters said that day

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 5, 4:53 AM PST, 5 hours 7 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 5, 4:53 AM PST, 5 hours 7 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley - Hanford CA
453 AM PST Sat Jan 5 2019

.SYNOPSIS...
A storm system will moving through the area this weekend
will result in periods of rain and mountain snow. Unsettled
conditions will prevail for much of next week with another
potential storm impacting the area by Wednesday. &&

.DISCUSSION...
Pacific low pressure system is lifting toward northern CA while
associated precipitation band approaches the west coast. Radar
loops and hi res models suggest precipitation should begin
encroaching on our area around 18Z as the system continues to move
toward the coast. Precipitation will spread across the area and
continue into Sunday as the trough swings inland. Instability with
the passing trough later this afternoon and evening could trigger
a few thunderstorms over northern portions of our area as well. The
system is on track to bring around 1 to 3 tenths of an inch of
rain through Sunday, with around 1/2 to 3/4 inch of rain into the
surrounding terrain below the snow line at about 4500 to 5000 ft.
Total snow accumulation around 8-12 inches is possible in the
higher elevations. The Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect
for the Sierra Nevada from 10 AM this morning through noon
Sunday. Expect gusty winds to develop through and below mountain
passes, as well as along the west side of the SJ Valley this
afternoon with the passing trough.

Another impulse in the near zonal flow behind the system will
bring another shot of moderate precipitation to the region later
Sunday into Monday. This will be followed by dry and mild
conditions Tuesday under brief shortwave ridging ahead of another
approaching system. Models suggest continued unsettled conditions
for the latter half of next week as additional systems track into
the region.

.AVIATION...
Areas of MVFR in mist across the San Joaquin Valley through 18Z
Sat. Increasing areas of mountain obscurations over the Southern
Sierra Nevada and Kern County Mountains and MVFR/IFR in low clouds
and precipitation for terminals after 18Z Sat. Otherwise, VFR
conditions will prevail across the central CA interior for the
next 24 hours.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
On Saturday January 5 2019... 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 medium.
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 from 10 AM this morning to noon PST
Sunday CAZ096-097.

&&

public...JEB
avn/fw...Andersen
synopsis...JEB

weather.gov/hanford

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 heavy snow, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, S Sierra Mtns

When
January 5, 10:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

The Green Mountain SNOTEL picked up an estimated 15 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, S Sierra Mtns

When
January 5, 10:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

The Tenaya Lake SNOTEL picked up an estimated 15 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, S Sierra Mtns

When
January 5, 10:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

The Chilkoot Meadow SNOTEL picked up an estimated 13 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, S Sierra Mtns

When
January 5, 10:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

The West Woodchuck Meadow SNOTEL picked up an estimated 15 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, S Sierra Mtns

When
January 5, 10:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

The Charlotte Lake SNOTEL picked up an estimated 15 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, S Sierra Mtns

When
January 5, 10:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

The Ostrander Lake SNOTEL picked up an estimated 13 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, S Sierra Mtns

When
January 5, 10:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
S Sierra Mtns forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Tuolumne Meadows measured 17 inches of new snow.

Heavy Snow, Tulare Cty Mtns

When
January 5, 10:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
Tulare Cty Mtns forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

The Big Meadows SNOTEL picked up an estimated 14 inches of new snow.

Flood, Mariposa

When
January 5, 4:31 PM PST to 5:31 PM PST
Where
Mariposa County, 0.55 mi S of Mormon Bar to 0.54 mi S of Mormon Bar
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
37.462, -119.950

California Highway Patrol reported a downed tree from runoff blocking the roadway on Old Highway at Mormon Bar crossing.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 792030, 792031, 792032, 792034, 792036, 792037, 792040, 792041, 792028.