While the remnants of Tropical Storm Kay took a westward turn off of the northern Baja coast and away from our area, enough moisture from the surge that moved over central California during the previous day remained in place; and with daytime heating resulting in widespread instability over the area; another round of showers and thunderstorms broke out during the afternoon of September 11. While…
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
While the remnants of Tropical Storm Kay took a westward turn off of the northern Baja coast and away from our area, enough moisture from the surge that moved over central California during the previous day remained in place; and with daytime heating resulting in widespread instability over the area; another round of showers and thunderstorms broke out during the afternoon of September 11. While rainfall amounts were generally light, one slow moving thunderstorm produced heavy rainfall in the Sierra Nevada over the 2021 KNP Fire burn scar which resulted in a mudslide over Generals Highway in Sequoia National Park and closed the highway for several hours until the following morning.
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 Sep 11, 1:00 PM PST, 2 hours 15 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 200 PM PDT Sun Sep 11 2022 .SYNOPSIS... Moisture from Post-Tropical Cyclone Kay will continue to bring a chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. Chances remain but decrease across the mountains and desert on Monday and then just across the Sierra on Tuesday. Temperatures will be a little above average today and Monday then cool to a little below average by Wednesday through at least Friday. && .DISCUSSION... Clearing observed today as Kay turns further west and draws some of its moisture more offshore. Yet, enough moisture pushed into the region will allow for afternoon convection – especially over the Tehachapi and Sierra Nevada. While ensemble mean and deterministic Surface-Based CAPE showing rather weak values as upper range closer to around 500 J/kg, very high precip-water values may result in pulse thunderstorm d pulse thunderstorms which could result in heavy precipitation events. Otherwise, clearing today has allowed temperatures to reach well into the 90s as humidity has made the valley a bit muggy. Surface pressure gradients from KSFO to KLAS has been almost non-existent and leaning offshore. Therefore, will expect humidity to remain across the area as the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Kay influences the weather over Central California. Still dealing with Kay in the short term as afternoon convection will be common for at least two or three days. Ensemble upper air analysis continues to show in increase in the westerly during the early week with whats left of Kay being drawn toward the Desert Southwest. Confidence is high that cooler and drier conditions will move into the region closer to the mid-week period as the moist tropical air-mass is pushed eastward – along with what monsoonal moisture was able surge into the area. Therefore, will have to deal with convection for at least two or three more days. The pattern becoming a bit more uncertain toward the end of the forecast period as Cluster Analysis shows a possible continuation of the trof pattern toward the end of the period. Yet, with the pattern toward a trof solution, the overall pattern does not lend itself toward another heat-wave. Central California could enter a cooling trend and stay in a steady-state environment where temperatures see little change from day to day. Therefore, will expect afternoon highs during the extended to remain closer to their seasonal normal values with precipitation only expected through the early part of the week. && .AVIATION... IFR or lower conditions are likely in and near thunderstorms in the Kern County mountains and desert and Sierra Nevada through this evening. Local MVFR conditions are possible in and near showers across the San Joaquin Valley this afternoon and evening. && .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/Aviation/Fire Wx...Molina IDSS/PIO/Social Media.....Bollenbacher weather.gov/hanford
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley CA
408 PM PDT Sun Sep 11 2022
CAZ319-320-329-112345-
Fresno-Tulare Foothills CA-Grant Grove Area CA-Fresno-
Tulare Lower Sierra CA-
408 PM PDT Sun Sep 11 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northern Tulare and
east central Fresno Counties through 445 PM PDT...
At 408 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 19
miles northeast of Orange Cove, or 33 miles northeast of Visalia,
moving west at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Grant Grove, Crystal Springs Campground, Pinehurst, Park Ridge,
Azalea Campground, Sunset Campground, Grant Grove Visitor Center and
Squaw Valley.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3677 11889 3668 11893 3667 11912 3684 11910
TIME...MOT...LOC 2308Z 102DEG 7KT 3674 11900
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
abThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A mudslide occurred on the Generals Highway between Quail Flat and the intersection with SR 180. This resulted in a lengthy road closure as Generals Highway remained closed until the following morning for clean-up.
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: 1045791.