A strong low pressure system moved east across the Pacific Northwest on April 11. This system spread precipitation southward into the area between midday on April 11 through the early morning of April 12 as a cold front dropped through the region.
Every event with a place to put it; 16 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
A strong low pressure system moved east across the Pacific Northwest on April 11. This system spread precipitation southward into the area between midday on April 11 through the early morning of April 12 as a cold front dropped through the region. The system also produced very strong wind gusts across Kern County with several stations measuring gusts exceeding 60 mph with a few low impact indicator sites measuring gusts exceeding 100 mph. North of Kern County widespread gusts above 30 mph were observed, mainly during the cold frontal passage. Precipitation was most significant over the Sierra Nevada and adjacent foothills north of Kings Canyon with several stations measuring between a quarter and three quarters of an inch of liquid precipitation with elevations above 6000 feet picking up between 3 and 8 inches of new snowfall. Further south the precipitation was less significant with only a tenth to a quarter inch of liquid precipitation in the Sierra Nevada and rainfall in the San Joaquin Valley was minimal due to rain shadowing as areas north of Fresno generally picked up a tenth of an inch or less with little to no rainfall from Fresno southward. The precipitation moved out of the area by late morning on April 12 and winds diminished during the evening as the system moved to the east of our area.
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 Apr 10, 11:50 PM PST, 10 hours 10 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 1250 AM PDT Mon Apr 11 2022 .SYNOPSIS... Precipitation is likely in most of Central California today and tonight ahead of and along a cold front. Very strong winds are expected in the Sierra Nevada and Kern County mountains and desert today into at least Tuesday morning. Temperatures will slowly moderate Tuesday and Wednesday. Precipitation is possible from Fresno County northward Wednesday night through Thursday evening. && .DISCUSSION... A cold front will approach Central California this afternoon. This cold front will swing through the service area this evening into early tonight. Precipitation is probable in the majority of Central California today and tonight ahead of and along this cold front. Snow levels will start at around 5,000 feet today, before falling to about 3,000 feet tonight. The probability of four inches of snow or more in Yosemite Valley is 54% today and tonight. The probability of six inches of snow or more in Yosemite Valley is 43% today and tonight. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Sierra Nevada today and tonight. Rain amounts in most of the San Joaquin Valley will be one tenth of an inch or less today and tonight. Rain amounts in the northeastern portion of the San Joaquin Valley will be one tenth of an inch to one quarter of an inch today and tonight. Rain amounts in the Sierra Nevada foothills will generally be one quarter of an inch to one half of an inch. There is a slight chance of snow showers along Interstate 5 over Tejon Pass and along Highway 58 over Tehachapi Pass tonight. Snow amounts, if any, will be less than an inch. Intense wind gusts are expected along the Sierra Nevada crest, in the higher elevations of Yosemite National Park, and in the Mojave Desert Slopes this afternoon. These wind gusts could persist into at least Tuesday morning in the Mojave Desert Slopes, making travel very difficult to nearly impossible along Highway 14 and below Tehachapi and Walker Pass. The probability of wind gusts of 55 mph or higher in Tuolumne Meadows is 74 percent this afternoon. The probability of wind gusts of 60 mph or higher in Tuolumne Meadows is 41 percent this afternoon. Wind gusts as high as 65 mph are likely along the Sierra Nevada crest and on exposed ridgetops. Zonal flow aloft will prevail Tuesday through Thursday night. Although an upward temperature trend is expected Tuesday and Wednesday, temperatures will remain below seasonal values. An atmospheric impulse embedded in zonal flow aloft will be responsible for the possibility of precipitation from Fresno County northward Wednesday night through Thursday evening. A trough of low pressure will move eastward over the Eastern Pacific Ocean Friday. This trough of low pressure should move inland over the west coast of the United States Friday night, before passing through Central California Saturday. This trough of low pressure will be responsible for the possibility of precipitation in the majority of the service area Saturday. A warming and drying trend should begin Sunday. && .AVIATION... Strong winds are expected in the Kern mountains, desert, and higher Sierra today. IFR/MVFR conditions in precipitation and low clouds, as well as mountain obscurations are anticipated in parts of Central California today into at least early tonight. && .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 from noon today to 5 AM PDT Tuesday for CAZ338. Wind Advisory until 5 AM PDT Tuesday for CAZ332>334-337-339. Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM early this morning to 5 AM PDT Tuesday for CAZ323-325>331. Wind Advisory until noon PDT today for CAZ338. && Public/Aviation/Fire Weather...BS PIO/DSS........................Molina weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
12 high wind, 4 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Several SNOTEL reports of 4 to 8 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTEL reports of 3 to 6 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTEL reports of 3 to 6 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTEL reports of 3 to 6 inches of new snowfall.
The Walker Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 69 mph.
The China Lake NWTC ASOS measured a peak wind gust of 71 mph.
The Bear Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 75 mph.
The Jawbone Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 85 mph.
The Southern California Edison Station at Grapevine Canyon Rd measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph.
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 110 mph.
The Bird Springs Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 102 mph.
The Blue Max RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 86 mph.
The PG&E Station at Pampa Peak measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph.
The Southern California Edison Station at Tehachapi East Valley measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph.
The Southern California Edison Station at Monolith measured a peak wind gust of 58 mph.
The Southern California Edison Station at the KTPI tower measured a peak wind gust of 58 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2022
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: 1008163, 1008164, 1008165, 1008166, 1008157, 1008156, 1008167, 1008155, 1008158, 1008152, 1008153, 1008154, 1008159, 1008160, 1008162, 1008161.