California, 2019

Cold in California, July 13 to 17, 2019

July 13 to 17, 2019 · NWS STO · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Northern California experienced seasonably warm temperatures the weekend of July 12, 2019 due to high pressure sitting over the area. Rivers during this time were still fast and cold moving in the foothills and mountains with water temperatures spanning 48 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

The toll

Deaths
2
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 STO wrote it up.

Northern California experienced seasonably warm temperatures the weekend of July 12, 2019 due to high pressure sitting over the area. Rivers during this time were still fast and cold moving in the foothills and mountains with water temperatures spanning 48 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

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 Sacramento, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 13, 1:01 PM PST, 2 hours 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 13, 1:01 PM PST, 2 hours 59 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
201 PM PDT Sat Jul 13 2019

.SYNOPSIS...
Slightly above normal temperatures through the weekend, then
seasonal temperatures the first half of next week. Breezy winds
through the Delta and over the Sierra crest at times. Dry weather
continues.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
A trough of low pressure will deepen over the west coast the next
several days while high pressure in the desert southwest pushes
eastward. The miracle July continues with a cooling trend expected
into Tuesday along with continued dry conditions. Marine layer is
below 1000 feet but should be deepening over the next couple of
days as the trough deepens. Moderate Delta breezes will continue
becoming strongest during the nighttime hours.

&&
.EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Wednesday THROUGH Saturday)...

Weak troughing over the west coast continues mid week before the
dominant ridge of high pressure over the central US builds back
into the area Thursday through the weekend. Dry weather continues
with near normal temperatures expected for mid-July. A slight cool
down may be seen late week with Valley highs topping out in the
upper 80s. Minimum temperatures in the Valley will be in the 60s
with mountain locations down into the 40s.
&&

.AVIATION...

VFR conditions next 24 hours. Southwest wind gusts 15-25 kts
vicinity Delta, otherwise light winds except local southerly wind
gusts 10-15 kts after 22Z.
&&

.STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

Event by event

2 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Central Sacramento Valley

When
July 13, 4:00 PM PST to 4:40 PM PST
Where
Central Sacramento Valley forecast zone
Deaths
0 direct, 1 indirect
Reported by
Newspaper

On the evening on July 13, around 1700 PST, a young girl fell into the South Yuba River where it intersects with Highway 49. The father of the child jumped in after her and then went missing around 1740 PST. State park officials were able to rescue the daughter; however, they were not able to find the father as he was swept away down stream. Ultimately his body was recovered on July 21, 2019 at 1145 PST about a half mile downstream from the Highway 49 bridge. The news article noted that the Sheriff's office said that the South Yuba River was flowing at four to five times normal because of all the snow melt.

Cold/Wind Chill, Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County

When
July 17, 2:30 PM PST to 5:44 PM PST
Where
Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County forecast zone
Deaths
0 direct, 1 indirect
Reported by
Law Enforcement

On July 17, 2019 the Plumas County Sheriff's Office posted on their Facebook page about a cold water death that occurred near the Rock Creek Bridge on Highway 70 in the Feather River Canyon. The Sheriff's Office received the call at 1434PST that a victim had fallen into the water while hiking and at the time of call they were still submerged underwater. Efforts were made by the victim’s husband to pull her out of the rapids but the current was too strong. The victim's body was recovered at 1744PST.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Cold/Wind Chill, Central Sacramento Valley2019-07-1334MaleIn WaterIndirect
Cold/Wind Chill, Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County2019-07-1748FemaleIn WaterIndirect

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill
Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

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, July 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: 848346, 848407.