California, 2019

High Wind in California, September 16, 2019

September 16, 2019 · NWS HNX · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

High pressure returned to the the regions between September 12 and 15 resulting in a return of above normal temperatures across the area. Another cool down took place between September 16 and 19 as two low pressure systems moved through the Pacific Northwest and Northern California.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

High pressure returned to the the regions between September 12 and 15 resulting in a return of above normal temperatures across the area. Another cool down took place between September 16 and 19 as two low pressure systems moved through the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. The first of these systems brought a period of increased winds to the Kern County Deserts and the Tehachapi and Lake Isabella areas on September 16. Wind Advisories were posted for these areas for the afternoon and evening hours and several stations reported wind gusts exceeding 45 mph while a few low impact indicator sites measured brief gusts above 60 mph.

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 Sep 16, 12:47 PM PST, 1 hour 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 16, 12:47 PM PST, 1 hour 45 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Hanford CA
147 PM PDT Mon Sep 16 2019

.SYNOPSIS...
A trough of low pressure aloft will be responsible for light
valley rain and high elevation snow showers in the northern
portion of our service area this afternoon into this evening.
Another atmospheric disturbance may impact the same area Wednesday
afternoon and Wednesday night. Temperatures will remain below
seasonal values through at least Thursday. A warming trend will
begin Friday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
An upper-level trough of low pressure will pass eastward across
Northern California this afternoon into tonight. Measurable
rain has been reported in Los Banos, Merced, and Atwater so far
today. The vast majority of rainfall will remain north of Fresno
County this afternoon into tonight. A rumble of thunder or two
cannot be ruled out in the Southern Sierra Nevada near Yosemite
National Park this afternoon into this evening. Snow showers are
likely in the highest elevations of Mariposa County this afternoon
into early tonight. Strong, gusty winds are expected in the
Southern Sierra Nevada, Kern County mountains, and Kern County
desert this afternoon into early tonight. A few showers may
develop in upslope flow overnight near the Grapevine.

Another atmospheric disturbance will pass through Northern
California Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night. The vast
majority of precipitation associated with this atmospheric
disturbance will be confined to areas from Madera County
northward. Strong, gusty winds are possible in the Southern Sierra
Nevada, Kern County mountains, and Kern County desert Wednesday
afternoon into Wednesday night.

High temperatures through at least Thursday will remain below
normal for this time of year. The coolest day looks to be Thursday
as maximum temperatures should be around ten degrees below
seasonal values. A warming trend will begin Friday. High
temperatures Saturday should be near normal for this time of year.
Maximum temperatures late this weekend into early next week should
be above seasonal values.

&&

.AVIATION...
Strong, gusty winds are likely in the Southern Sierra Nevada, Kern
County mountains, and Kern County desert this afternoon into
tonight. There will be mountain obscurations in the Sierra Nevada
near rain and snow showers. VFR conditions will prevail in the San
Joaquin Valley through at least the next 24 hours.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
None.

&&

.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
and/or to provide feedback.

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
High Wind Warning until 9 PM PDT this evening for CAZ192>194.

Wind Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening for CAZ195-196-198-
199.

&&

public...BS
aviation....BS

weather.gov/hanford

Event by event

3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Lake Isabella

When
September 16, 2:32 PM PST
Where
Lake Isabella forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS

The Blue Max RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 58 mph.

High Wind, Lake Isabella

When
September 16, 8:10 PM PST
Where
Lake Isabella forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS

The Bear Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.

High Wind, Tehachapi Area

When
September 16, 9:27 PM PST
Where
Tehachapi Area forecast zone
Measured
58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS

The Bird Springs Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 67 mph.

What these are

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, September 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: 845366, 845368, 845369.