With a second consecutive month of abundant precipitation taking place across the area, drought conditions improved across much of the area into the moderate category. Much of the mountain and desert areas in Kern County; however, remained in a severe drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
Every event with a place to put it; 9 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.
With a second consecutive month of abundant precipitation taking place across the area, drought conditions improved across much of the area into the moderate category. Much of the mountain and desert areas in Kern County; however, remained in a severe drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
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 Dec 31, 3:04 PM PST, 8 hours 56 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 304 PM PST Sat Dec 31 2022 .UPDATE...Updated air quality issue section. && .SYNOPSIS... Atmospheric river continues to slowly push southward today bringing significant precipitation to central California and causing some flooding incidents. Additional mainly light precipitation is expected Sunday through Tuesday, before another atmospheric river may impact Central California Wednesday and Thursday. && .DISCUSSION... Our anticipated atmospheric river event is underway and steady moderate to heavy rain continues to sag southward into central California. Areas of mainly nuisance flooding have been reported in Merced and Mariposa Counties this morning, but some incidents of more significant flooding have also occurred. Several Flood Advisories have been issued and the Flood Watch remains in effect through 4 am Sunday for most of our area below the snow line. High resolution short term models push the rain band southward through the day and into the evening, and the heaviest rain is progged to move south beyond Kern County by around midnight, with some lingering activity over the mountains into Sunday morning. Continued runoff is also pushing rivers and streams higher but representative forecast points are forecast to remain below flood stage. Snow levels currently running at or above 8000 ft will lower through the evening as the frontal band pushes southward. 2 to 4 feet of total snowfall accumulation is expected over the high Sierra and A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect there through early Sunday morning. A few inches of snow will accumulate in the highest elevations of the Kern County mountains but snow levels are not likely to reach pass levels there, as guidance shows a zero percent probability for one tenth of an inch of snow at Fort Tejon. Winds will continue to blow over the west side mountains and the Wind Advisory there has been extended through 10 PM. Gusty winds ahead of the approaching frontal system will also impact the desert areas and a Wind Advisory is in effect there through midnight tonight. The Mojave slopes will also experience significant wind gusts as the trough pushes through and a Wind Advisory will be in effect there this evening through Sunday afternoon. We will see a break from the precipitation Sunday but ensembles bring a less potent system through our area Monday followed by another stronger system Wednesday and Thursday which will be more similar to this current atmospheric river event. && .AVIATION...VFR/MVFR conditions will prevail for the next 24 hours. Areas of IFR/LIFR conditions in heavier showers and higher terrain possible through 12Z Sunday, with some lingering upslope clouds and showers through 18Z. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... On Sunday January 1 2023, Fireplace/Wood Stove Burning Status is: Burning Discouraged in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, and Tulare Counties, and Kern (Greater Frazier Park Area) 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 medium. 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 10 PM this evening to 5 PM PST Sunday for CAZ338. Flood Watch through late tonight for CAZ300>322-324-325. Wind Advisory until 10 PM PST this evening for CAZ300-308-313. Winter Storm Warning until 4 AM PST Sunday for CAZ323-326>331. Wind Advisory until midnight PST tonight for CAZ337-339. && public...JEB aviation....AS weather.gov/hanford
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1018 PM PST SAT DEC 31 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1018 PM FLOOD 3 SW SPRINGVILLE 36.10N 118.86W
12/31/2022 TULARE CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
LARGE ROCK ON THE ROADWAY.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1026 PM PST SAT DEC 31 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1024 PM FLOOD 6 WSW FISH CAMP 37.43N 119.73W
12/31/2022 MARIPOSA CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES BLOCKING BOTH LATES.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1030 PM PST SAT DEC 31 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1027 PM FLOOD 9 ENE CLOVIS 36.87N 119.56W
12/31/2022 FRESNO CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
BOTH LANES ARE FLOODED ON SR 168.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1103 PM PST SAT DEC 31 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1057 PM FLOOD 5 E AUBERRY 37.07N 119.40W
12/31/2022 FRESNO CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
ROCKS ON AUBERRY RD AT ALTER SPRINGS RD
INTERSECTION. ROAD STILL PASSABLE.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1116 PM PST SAT DEC 31 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1109 PM DEBRIS FLOW 5 WNW SQUAW VALLEY 36.73N 119.27W
12/31/2022 FRESNO CA LAW ENFORCEMENT
MUD AND ROCKS COVERING 75 % OF RDWY.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1119 PM PST SAT DEC 31 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1116 PM DEBRIS FLOW 1 S MIDPINES 37.52N 119.92W
12/31/2022 MARIPOSA CA PUBLIC
LARGE MUDSLIDE BLOCKING HALF OF WB LANES ON
SR 140.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
A portion of the South End of the Lower Sierra was classified as being in an severe drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
A portion of the South End of the Upper Sierra was classified as being in a severe drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Kern River Valley was classified as being in an severe drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Piute and Walker Pass areas were classified as being in an severe drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Tehachapi area was classified as being in an severe drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Grapevine area was classified as being in an severe drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Indian Wells Valley was classified as being in a severe drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Mojave Desert Slopes were classified as being in an severe drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Mojave Desert was classified as being in an severe 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 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 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: 1068225, 1068226, 1068227, 1068228, 1068229, 1068230, 1068231, 1068232, 1068233.