An upper level trough dropped into the Great Basin from the Pacific Northwest on April 3. This resulted in a period of strong winds across the ridge tops and downslope prone areas over the Sierra Nevada south of Sequoia Park and the Tehachapi Mountains.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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 trough dropped into the Great Basin from the Pacific Northwest on April 3. This resulted in a period of strong winds across the ridge tops and downslope prone areas over the Sierra Nevada south of Sequoia Park and the Tehachapi Mountains. Several stations measured wind gusts exceeding 60 mph while a few low impact indicator stations measured gusts above 70 mph. This system also produced light precipitation over the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Mountains with several SNOTEL stations above 6000 feet picking up between 2 and 5 inches of estimated new snowfall. Some light snowfall was also observed near the Tejon Pass along Interstate 5 during the morning of April 3. The trough moved east of the area by the morning of April 4 giving way to a warming and drying trend across the 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 3, 12:20 AM PST, 1 hour 12 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 120 AM PDT Mon Apr 3 2023 .SYNOPSIS... Inside slider trough to bring light high elevation snow, strong winds, and cold conditions across the forecast area today. A ridge of high pressure is forecast to build through the week, leading to a significant warming trend through early next week. && .DISCUSSION... Inside slider trough is currently moving into the CWA, which is bringing light showers to the valley and the Sierra Nevada and foothills. Snow in the mountains will likely continue through the evening for elevations above 3,000 feet. This could also impact Kern County as well; NBM guidance is showing light snow over Tejon Pass this morning. Currently, NBM probabilistic data show about a 10% chance of a trace of snow over Fork Tejon. Strong winds continue at higher elevations this morning and will spread into the valley later today. A wind advisory will be in effect today through the valley with wind gusts up to 40 mph. Wind gusts through the Kern County Mountains and desert could be over 60 mph, which posses a threat to high profile vehicles and could knock over trees and power lines. The inside slider trough should exit the region by tomorrow morning, which will relax pressure gradients leading to a sharp reduction in wind and an end to the mountain snow. Tuesday through next Monday look to be dominated by a warming trend due to high pressure aloft building over the district. Well below normal afternoon highs in the mid to upper 50s are forecast for Tuesday, however, each day thereafter through Monday will see a gradual increase upwards of 3-5 degrees. NBM guidance is taking the valley into the low 80s by next Monday with dry weather generally favored across the entire forecast area. Here are the latest NBM v4.1 probabilities for afternoon highs meeting or exceeding 80 degrees Sunday/Easter for select locations across the San Joaquin Valley - Fresno - 61% Madera - 56% Hanford - 51% Delano - 51% Reedley - 51% Lemoore - 56% Visalia - 46% Merced - 46% Bakersfield- 41% Porterville - 41% && .AVIATION... VFR conditions will prevail in the San Joaquin Valley through at least the next 24 hours. MVFR or lower conditions, along with mountain obscurations, are expected in the Sierra Nevada through Monday. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ISSUED: 04/02/2023 13:01 EXPIRES: 04/03/2023 23:59 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... High Wind Warning until 5 AM PDT Tuesday for CAZ322-331>339. Wind Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 11 PM PDT this evening for CAZ300>316. Winter Weather Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening for CAZ327>330. && ab weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 high wind, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
The Indian Wells Valley RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 94 mph.
The Walker Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 69 mph.
California Highway Patrol paced traffic along Interstate 5 between Lebec and Gorman during a portion of the morning of April 3 due to light snowfall and blowing snow.
The Bear Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 78 mph.
The Tehachapi Mountain Base Station measured a peak wind gust of 61 mph.
The Bird Springs Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 85 mph.
The China Lake NWTC ASOS measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph.
The Jawbone Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 71 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Tehachapi East Valley measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Cottonwood Creek West measured a peak wind gust of 58 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Walker Basin 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 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: 1080487, 1080491, 1080497, 1080490, 1080495, 1080489, 1080496, 1080492, 1080493, 1080488, 1080494.