A low pressure system moved into northern California during the morning of April 16 spreading precipitation southward into central California. This system brought a brief period of significant precipitation north of Fresno County with several stations in the Sierra Nevada picking up between a half inch and an inch of liquid precipitation.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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 low pressure system moved into northern California during the morning of April 16 spreading precipitation southward into central California. This system brought a brief period of significant precipitation north of Fresno County with several stations in the Sierra Nevada picking up between a half inch and an inch of liquid precipitation. Several SNOTEL stations above 7000 feet in Madera and Mariposa Counties picked up between 3 and 7 inches of new snowfall. Between a quarter and a half inch of rain fell in the San Joaquin valley north of Fresno County. Further south, precipitation was much less significant with most stations in the Sierra Nevada picking up between one to two tenths of an inch of liquid precipitation and stations in the valley measuring less than a tenth of an inch of rainfall. This system also produced some strong wind gusts over the mountains and deserts of Kern County between the late morning and late afternoon hours as the cold front that was associated with this system pushed through the area. Several stations measured gusts exceeding 45 mph with a some low impact indicator sites measured gusts exceeding 60 mph.
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 16, 2:48 AM PST, 1 hour 12 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 348 AM PDT Sat Apr 16 2022 .SYNOPSIS... A storm system will bring light valley rain and some high elevation snow today, along with strong winds in the Mojave Desert. Dry and warmer for Sunday and Monday then a couple of disturbances possible next week, with a chance of precip by the end of next week. && .DISCUSSION... We are tracking a weather maker that will bring light precip to the CENCAL interior today. Snow levels will drop to around 6000 feet with up to a foot of snow expected. Not much in the way of any wetting rain is expected across the SJV today because most areas will get below 0.10". Little or no rain is expected in Kern county. We are expecting some gusty winds across the desert area of Kern county through this evening. Once this system moves out of the area by later tonight, weak ridging will build in over the area Easter Sunday and on Monday, which will lead to highs warming back up into the upper 70s. This trend will be short lived as a system by the middle of next week knocks afternoon highs down a couple of degrees. A stronger system may be in store for Central California by the end of next week, which could bring more valley rain and high elevation snow. && .AVIATION... Wind gusts up to 50 kts over the Kern County mountains after 12z Saturday through 04z sunday. Mountain obscuration in snow and rain across the Sierra through 06z sunday. Otherwise, VFR conditions will prevail over the Central California Interior for 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... High Wind Warning until 8 PM PDT this evening for CAZ337-338. Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM PDT this afternoon for CAZ323- 326>330. Wind Advisory until 8 PM PDT this evening for CAZ339. && JDB weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 high wind, 2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Several SNOTEL reports of 3 to 7 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTEL reports of 3 to 7 inches of new snowfall.
The Bear Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph.
The Jawbone Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 79 mph.
The Bird Springs Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 70 mph.
The Blue Max RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 69 mph.
The Walker Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 63 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: 1008490, 1008491, 1008327, 1008325, 1008329, 1008326, 1008330, 1008328.