Central California remained abnormally dry in September 2022. A record setting heat wave on the first nine days of the month made the ongoing drought conditions worse as the intense heat continued to dry out the soil.
Every event with a place to put it; 40 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.
Central California remained abnormally dry in September 2022. A record setting heat wave on the first nine days of the month made the ongoing drought conditions worse as the intense heat continued to dry out the soil. The heat wave was followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms between the 10th and the 12th as moisture from Hurricane Kay surged into the area. A winter like storm brought some light precipitation to the area on September 18 and 19. However, these events did little to improve the long term drought conditions. By the end of the month, nearly all of our area remained in an extreme or exceptional drought as most of our area has received less than a third 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 Aug 31, 11:46 PM PST, 14 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 1246 AM PDT Thu Sep 1 2022 .SYNOPSIS... Dangerous heat wave to persist through the next week across the area as a strong ridge of high pressure builds. Extremely hot temperatures as much as 15 degrees above normal will be possible by late weekend and into early next week. Some record high temperatures will likely be broken across the valley. Dry weather is expected across the region for the next 7 days. && .DISCUSSION... Wednesday saw temperatures generally in the 101-104 degree range as high pressure began to really heat up the San Joaquin Valley. We are expecting to see highs jump up a few more degrees today as the warming process continues. NBM guidance is showing highs in the 104-107 degree range across the valley. NBM guidance has also been trending more aggressive across the foothills for this heat event. Areas such as Oakhurst could see highs up to 105 today. The upper foothills have been included in the Excessive Heat Warning that is currently sent to expire on Wednesday Evening. Highs trend up even higher on Friday; NBM guidance shows highs ranging from 105-109 in the valley, with highs only a couple degrees less in the foothill regions. Highs on Friday in the Kern County Desert could approach 115. Temperatures may fluctuate a couple of degrees from these levels on Saturday and Sunday. Along with blazing hot afternoon highs will be warm overnight lows this weekend. Overnight lows in rural areas in the low 70's will be possible, and into the upper 70's in urban areas. Monday and Tuesday are now currently being advertised as the hottest days of the heat wave in the SJV. Both afternoon highs and overnight lows are forecast to increase a couple degrees. Widespread high temperatures of 110 will be possible in the valley Monday and Tuesday, with lows in the mid 70's to lower 80's possible in the hottest parts of the valley. Several record high temperatures across the valley are likely to fall over the weekend and early next week. Ensemble guidance shows the heat lingering into Wednesday as the high pressure pattern tries to weaken ahead of trough passing through the Pacific Northwest. Ensemble guidance is suggesting the ridge to flatten a bit more by Thursday, which may take highs back to the 100-103 degree range in the valley. To recap the situation, this late season heat wave may lead to some of the hottest temperatures of the year. Do what you can to protect yourself from the heat. Stay hydrated. Limit time outdoors. If you need to be outdoors, wear light and loose fitting clothing. Stay indoors in an air conditioned building, possibly a cooling center if needed. Hopefully this is the last major hot spell of the summer as the summer has been very hot and dry for the entire region. && .AVIATION...VFR conditions will prevail across the Central CA interior through at least the next 24 hours. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ISSUED: 08/31/2022 14:32 EXPIRES: 09/01/2022 23:59 On Thursday September 1 2022... Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups in Fresno... Kern... Madera and Tulare Counties... and Sequoia National Park and Forest. && .CERTAINTY... The level of certainty for days 1 and 2 is high. The level of certainty for days 3 through 7 is high. 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... Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM PDT Wednesday for CAZ300>322- 324-332-336>339. && ab weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
40 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
The West Side Mountains north of Highway 198 were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Los Banos and Dos Palos areas were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Merced, Madera and Mendota areas were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Planada, Legrand and Snelling areas were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Coalinga and Avenal areas were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The West Side of Fresno and Kings Counties were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Caruthers, San Joaquin and Selma areas were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Fresno and Clovis areas were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The West Side Mountains south of Highway 198 were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Buttonwillow and Lost Hills areas were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Delano, Wasco and Shafter areas were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Hanford, Corcoran and Lemoore areas were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Visalia, Porterville and Reedley areas were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Buena Vista area was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Bakersfield area was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Southeast San Joaquin Valley was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The South End of the San Joaquin Valley was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Mariposa and Madera County Foothills were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Mariposa and Madera County Lower Sierra were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Fresno and Tulare County Foothills were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Fresno and Tulare County Lower Sierra were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The South End Sierra Foothills were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The South End of the Lower Sierra was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
Yosemite National Park outside of the valley was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Yosemite Valley was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The San Joaquin River Canyon was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Upper San Joaquin River area was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Kaiser to Rodgers Ridge area was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
Kings Canyon National Park was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Grant Grove area was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Sequoia National Park was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The South End of the Upper Sierra was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Kern River Valley was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Piute and Walker Pass areas were classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Tehachapi area was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Grapevine area was classified as being in an exceptional drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Frazier Mountain Communities were classified as being in an exceptional 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 Mojave Desert Slopes were classified as being in an extreme drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Mojave 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 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in California, September 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: 1051458, 1051459, 1051460, 1051461, 1051462, 1051463, 1051464, 1051465, 1051466, 1051467, 1051468, 1051469, 1051470, 1051471, 1051472, 1051473, 1051474, 1051475, 1051476, 1051477, 1051478, 1051479, 1051480, 1051481, 1051482, 1051483, 1051484, 1051485, 1051486, 1051487, 1051488, 1051489, 1051490, 1051491, 1051492, 1051493, 1051494, 1051495, 1051496, 1051497.