An upper level low pressure system dropped into the Great Basin from the Pacific Northwest on April 24 resulting in an increased surface pressure gradient which produced gusty winds across the mountains and deserts of Kern County. Several stations measured wind gusts exceeding 45 mph while a few stations along the Mojave Desert slopes briefly had gusts near 60 mph.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
An upper level low pressure system dropped into the Great Basin from the Pacific Northwest on April 24 resulting in an increased surface pressure gradient which produced gusty winds across the mountains and deserts of Kern County. Several stations measured wind gusts exceeding 45 mph while a few stations along the Mojave Desert slopes briefly had gusts near 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 23, 2:43 PM PST, 3 hours 17 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated National Weather Service Hanford CA 343 PM PDT Sun Apr 23 2023 Updated Air Quality Issues section .SYNOPSIS... Slight cooling trend with breezy conditions in the wind prone portions of Central California can be expected the next two days due to a weak disturbance passing through the Great Basin. A significant warming trend will occur Tuesday through Friday of next week as high pressure builds, taking afternoon highs well above normal. && .DISCUSSION... Afternoon highs in the mid to low 80s are expected to continue today and again tomorrow as a feeble shortwave passes through the Great Basin. Onshore gradients will remain on the strong side through the next couple of days, resulting in periods of high winds through and below pass level in Kern County. A Wind Advisory remains in effect from 5 PM this evening through 5 AM tomorrow morning. Another Wind Advisory may be required tomorrow evening as well as the gradient persists. Gradients will weaken as a ridge of high pressure will lead to a significant warming trend. This ridge is being advertised by global ensembles and cluster analysis, so confidence is high that we will see warming starting Tuesday. The ridge looks build significantly Wednesday and Thursday. Afternoon highs around 90 are forecast on Wednesday, with highs as hot as 95*F on Thursday and Friday. This ridge looks to remain intact through the weekend as well, so highs in the low 90s are being forecast by the NBM Saturday and Sunday. This warm spell is forecast to increase some of the runoff from our large snowpack. Area rivers that are already running high and swift are likely to see increased flows later this week and next weekend. This may worsen some of the flooding that is already occuring across Central California. Of course, whatever you do, don't seek relief from the heat in rivers. Cold water safety must be observed especially with how high flows are right now. Brief exposure to area rivers could quickly turn dangerous or even deadly due to hypothermia and strong currents. && .AVIATION... Surface winds gusting to 40 knots possible across the Eastern Kern County Mountains and Desert near Mojave from 00Z today through 12Z on Monday. VFR conditions will prevail across the Central CA 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 high. 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... Wind Advisory from 5 PM this afternoon to 5 AM PDT Monday for CAZ338. && ab weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Mojave Airport AWOS measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Cottonwood Creek West measured a peak wind gust of 68 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2023
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: 1083024, 1083022.