Portions of Fresno, Tulare and Kern Counties continued to be classified as being in an extreme drought for consecutive months due to a long term precipitation deficit. As of April 30, 2021, most of the impacted area has received less than 50% of normal precipitation since July 1, 2020.
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.
Portions of Fresno, Tulare and Kern Counties continued to be classified as being in an extreme drought for consecutive months due to a long term precipitation deficit. As of April 30, 2021, most of the impacted area has received less than 50% of normal precipitation since July 1, 2020.
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 31, 3:51 PM PST, 8 hours 9 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 451 PM PDT Wed Mar 31 2021 .UPDATE... Update for air quality section. && .SYNOPSIS...Well above average high temperatures across the forecast area for the next few days with near record heat possible Friday. An approaching storm system will lower high temperatures over the weekend as onshore flow increases. By early next week, light precipitation over the Sierra Nevada will be possible with much cooler afternoon highs. Dry weather may resume by Wednesday. && .DISCUSSION... Latest GOES17 imagery reveals not a cloud in a sky this afternoon due to the influence of the high pressure ridge aloft. This ridge of high pressure has lead to a prolonged period of dry, warm weather over the forecast area for the last several days and will continue into Friday. Afternoon highs today are forecast to reach into the lower to mid 80's across the San Joaquin Valley today, with the mid to upper 80s possible on Thursday. By Friday, record heat will be possible in a few locations. For Fresno, the record high Friday (April 2nd) is 87 degrees. NBM probabilistic data are showing a 73% chance of this record being tied, with a 62% chance of it hitting 88 degrees. Bakersfield on Friday could also see record highs. The current record for Bakersfield on April 2nd is 90 degrees. NBM probabilities are showing a 53 % chance of BFL hitting 90 on Friday and a 38% chance of hitting 91 degrees fahrenheit. Temperatures into the upper 80s to 90 degrees for early April is about 16-18 degrees above average. This is an opportunity to remind people in the area that local rivers are very cold. Despite the warmth we will get across the area this Thursday and Friday, the water is swift and cold in area rivers and is a dangerous place to go to seek heat relief. By this weekend, a slow moving trough will approach the forecast area. Southwesterly/onshore flow will slightly cooler air into the area. Max temperatures Saturday will drop a couple degrees from Friday, and a few more degrees cooler on Sunday. As the trough approaches the region Sunday night, gradients may tighten a bit and breezy winds could materialize in the Mojave Desert. By Monday, the trough of low pressure will move into the area, bringing a slight chance of precipitation into the Sierra Nevada and much cooler temperatures throughout the area. Unsettled weather may persist through Wednesday before exiting the area. && .AVIATION...VFR conditions will prevail across the Central CA interior thru 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 an/or to provide feedback. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && public...Bollenbacher aviation....Bollenbacher weather.gov/hanford
12 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Much of the Tulare County portion of the San Joaquin Valley was classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
Much of the eastern San Joaquin Valley in Kern County was classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
Much of the Bakersfield area was classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The southern Sierra foothills was classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
Much of the central Sierra was classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The north Kings River portion of the Sierra Nevada was classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Sequoia Kings area of the Sierra Nevada was classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Lake Isabella area was classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Tehachapi area was classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Fort Tejon area was classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Indian Wells Valley was classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Kern County Desert was classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2021
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: 949150, 949151, 949152, 949153, 949154, 949155, 949156, 949157, 949159, 949160, 949161, 949162.