A broad trough and associated cold front brought dry and gusty winds to the region. North to northwesterly wind gusts of 30 to 35 mph were forecast for much of the valley and lower foothills these days, which combined with primed fine fuels and warmer weather led to fire weather concerns.
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.
The episode as NWS STO wrote it up.
A broad trough and associated cold front brought dry and gusty winds to the region. North to northwesterly wind gusts of 30 to 35 mph were forecast for much of the valley and lower foothills these days, which combined with primed fine fuels and warmer weather led to fire weather concerns.
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 Jun 16, 2:32 PM PST, 1 hour 9 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sacramento CA 332 PM PDT Tue Jun 16 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Cool today with the start of a warm up tomorrow. Lower humidity and breezy north winds will bring elevated fire weather concerns beginning later this evening into early Thursday afternoon. Hot weather settles in for the end of the week and weekend. && .DISCUSSION... Upper level trough is currently making its way over the northeast part of the state. This is bringing some flat CU over the Sierra especially from Lassen Park north into eastern Shasta County. These clouds will clear quickly once we loose daytime heating and clear skies are expected overnight. Currently we are seeing a MFR-SAC gradient of 4 mb and that is resulting in wind gusts 20-25 mph with some isolated gusts up to 25 mph. The upper level trough will be pushing into the Great Basin tonight into tomorrow and that will continue to tighten the pressure gradient over CA with a MFR-SAC gradient increasing to 9-12 mbs. Downslope winds pick up in the Sierra overnight tonight with increased northerly winds in the Valley. Northerly valley winds will be strong from mid-morning into the afternoon Wednesday with the strongest wind gusts in the early afternoon when gusts up to 35 mph will be possible. The strongest winds subside in the evening but will stay on the breezy side into the early afternoon Thursday. The combination of the breezy north winds and lowering humidity will result in elevated fire weather conditions, and a red flag warning has been posted for the valley where fine fuels (seasonal grasses) have mostly cured. A quick warmup is forecast beginning Wednesday behind the departing trough as high pressure builds into NorCal from the eastern Pacific. High temperatures will be around 15-20 degrees warmer by Thursday and Friday compared to today. -CJM && .EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Saturday THROUGH Tuesday)... Upper level ridging will be in place for the extended forecast and that is going to keep hot temperatures in place along with moderate heat risk. Highs will be in the mid 90s to lower 100s across the valley and 70s to 80s in the mountains. Some ensembles are pushing monsoon moisture north on Sunday and Monday but it looks weak and if we do see the push north it will remain on the east side of the crest. -CJM && .AVIATION... VFR conditions over interior NorCal next 24 hours. Local northerly wind gusts to 20-25 kts over portions of the Sacramento Valley through about 01Z-03Z Wednesday. Northerly wind gusts 20-30 kts will become more widedspread after 06z Wednesday. && .STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Red Flag Warning from 11 PM this evening to 1 PM PDT Thursday for Carquinez Strait and Delta-Central Sacramento Valley in Glenn, Colusa, Yuba, Northern Sutter, and Butte County Below 1000 Ft-Eastern Mendocino NF-Northern Sacramento Valley to Southern Tehama County Line Below 1000 Ft-Northern San Joaquin Valley in San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties Below 1000 ft- Northern Sierra Foothills from 1000 to 3000 Ft. Includes portions of Shasta-Trinity and Butte Units-Southeast Edge Shasta- Trinity NF and Western Portions of Tehama-Glenn Unit-Southern Sacramento Valley in Yolo-Sacramento Far Western Placer, southern Sutter and Solano County Below 1000 Ft. Wind Advisory from 8 AM to 8 PM PDT Wednesday for Central Sacramento Valley-Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County-Northern Sacramento Valley-Southern Sacramento Valley. &&
2 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The Walker Fire broke out in Calaveras County on June 16 and burned for 4 days. Two structures were destroyed and the fire burned 1455 acres. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Calfire Butte County Unit reported on Twitter grass fire began around noon on June 17. Later that afternoon, Calfire reported forward progress stopped, and that the fire was at 75% containment and burned 95 acres. This fire destroyed 4 houses and caused road closures and evacuations while the fire was on going. Cause of fire is under investigation.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in California, June 2020
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: 898389, 898392.