An upper level low stalled off the coast of southern California on March 10. Moisture associated with this system pushed inland into the area during the day and combined with instability over Kern County to produce periods of heavy rainfall during the afternoon.
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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 HNX wrote it up.
An upper level low stalled off the coast of southern California on March 10. Moisture associated with this system pushed inland into the area during the day and combined with instability over Kern County to produce periods of heavy rainfall during the afternoon. Several stations in the Kern County Mountains and Deserts measured over an inch of rainfall while the Frazier Park area was hit hard by slow moving thunderstorms, and picked up over two inches of rainfall which produced debris flows in the area closing several roads. Meanwhile, law enforcement reported widespread flooding in Kern County during the afternoon and early evening hours. Further north precipitation amounts were significantly lower with Fresno County southward to northern Kern County picking up a tenth to half an inch of rain while areas north of Fresno County generally picked up a tenth of an inch or less of rainfall.
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 Mar 10, 2:38 AM PST, 10 hours 12 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 338 AM PDT Tue Mar 10 2020 .SYNOPSIS... An Eastern Pacific storm system will approach the coast of California through Wednesday. Significant rainfall is likely in the Kern County mountains and desert Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night. This storm system should stall just offshore of California Wednesday, before shifting southward Wednesday night and Thursday. && .DISCUSSION... Lots of cloud cover across central CA due to the next weather system off the central CA coast. Weather radars indicated rain bands have already pushed over the Los Angeles basin. The weather system is a closed mid level trough which may move slowly affecting the central CA weather for the next two days. Satellite images show the tropical atmospheric river remains well south of the trough towards Baja. However precipitable water estimates off the S CA coast are relative high around 150 percent of normal. Models prog for the trough moving east towards point conception through Wednesday. The Southern half of the district will be the favorable quadrant for dynamic lift. This will bring a threat of rain especially over the Kern county mountains and desert. In addition low level flow from E-SE will enhance the orographic lift over Tehachapi mountains through this afternoon resulting in an increase threat for heavy rain. Wind flow weakens and turns more south in the evening decreasing the threat of heavy rain overnight. Thunder will be possible this afternoon with strong dynamics and models indicating some instability towards the south valley. However CAPE values are fairly low less the 100J/Kg. Instability values are greater and more widespread on Wednesday due to cooler air aloft, thus thunder will possible again Wednesday afternoon. Rain totals will vary considerably from north to south, with less than one tenth of an inch expected in Merced County to as much as around one and one half of an inch to two inches in the Kern County mountains. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for the Kern County mountains and desert Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night due to the potential for rockslides and mudslides. A foot of snow is likely along the Sierra Nevada crest of Tulare County, mainly Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Tulare County portion of the Southern Sierra Nevada above 7000 feet Tuesday through Wednesday. The storm system approaches point conception Wednesday afternoon, before shifting southward Wednesday night and Thursday. Precipitation chances will decrease Wednesday night and Thursday as the storm system moves farther away from Central California. The storm system moves onshore over the Baja Peninsula Thursday night. A ridge of high pressure over the E Pac will build E over CA Friday and into the upcoming weekend. A colder weather system may impact Central California late this weekend or early next week. Forecast confidence is low regarding the timing and strength of this weather maker. && .AVIATION... Areas of mountain obscuration over the Tehachapis and S Sierra Nevada after after 15Z. VFR conditions will prevail at MCE, MER, FAT, VIS, and BFL through 20Z Tuesday. Rain will overspread the San Joaquin Valley from south to north Tuesday afternoon, increasing the chances of sub-VFR conditions. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... None. && .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... Flash Flood Watch from noon PDT today through late tonight for CAZ195>199. Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM PDT Wednesday for CAZ194. && public...MV aviation....BSO weather.gov/hanford
The Los Angeles radar (KVTX), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:48 UTC.
4 flood, 2 debris flow, 1 heavy rain, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter in Frazier Park measured 1.40 inches of rainfall in two hours. 2.40 inches in total fell on March 10. Two other stations in Frazier Park measured 2.88 inches and 1.95 inches of rain on March 10.
California Highway Patrol reported mud covering the road on Mount Pinos Way near Johnson Rd. in the eastern portion of Frazier Park.
California Highway Patrol reported mud, dirt and rock on the intersection of Frazier Mountain Park Road and Mount Pinos Way.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on Buttonwillow Dr. at the intersection of Interstate 5.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on State Rd. near Olive Dr. in Oildale.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding along northbound SR 99 near California Ave. in Bakersfield.
California Highway Patrol reported water, debris and tree branches covering Redrock Randsburg Road.
California Highway Patrol reported flooding at the intersection of Airport Dr. and Roberts Ln. in Oildale.
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, March 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: 871853, 871846, 871847, 871849, 871850, 871851, 871848, 871852.