Wildfire in California, September 9 to 30, 2023

Name: Wildfire in California, September 9 to 30, 2023
Start: 2023-09-09T19:32
End: 2023-09-30T23:59
Location: California

September 9 to 30, 2023 · NWS STO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Monsoonal moisture brought thunderstorms over the Sierra the afternoon and evening of September 9th. The Quarry Fire started from a lightning strike on September 9th in Stanislaus National Forest.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS STO wrote it up.

Monsoonal moisture brought thunderstorms over the Sierra the afternoon and evening of September 9th. The Quarry Fire started from a lightning strike on September 9th in Stanislaus National Forest.

What forecasters said that day

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 Sacramento, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 9, 12:59 PM PST, 6 hours 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 9, 12:59 PM PST, 6 hours 33 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
159 PM PDT Sat Sep 9 2023

.SYNOPSIS...
Warm and dry weather expected for at least the next week. Showers
or isolated thunderstorms over the Sierra south of HWY 50 and the
northern San Joaquin Valley through this evening.

&&

.Discussion...
Afternoon GOES-West imagery depicts generally sunny skies across
interior NorCal, except for a band of clouds streaming into
portions of the northern San Joaquin Valley and the Sierra south
of Highway 50. A few thunderstorms have been detected across the
northern San Joaquin Valley and the Sierra south of Highway 50 this
afternoon as mid/upper level moisture/instability continues to
move up from the southwest across central California. Isolated
thunderstorm activity will persist into the evening hours as
indicated by HREF probabilities of reflectivity > 40 dBZ. Main
thunderstorm hazards are lightning and gusty winds. Ensembles
indicate that westerlies will push any moisture east of the area
Sunday and Monday with dry conditions prevailing.

Otherwise, dry and mild conditions will continue into next week
with high temperatures near to a little above average. Slightly
cooler temperatures are anticipated on Tuesday, with Valley highs
in the mid 80s to los 90s. Locally breezy winds will be possible
at times through the Delta and over higher terrain with gusts up
to 20 mph, mainly in the afternoon and evening.

&&

.EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Wednesday THROUGH Saturday)...
Weak upper level troughing expected over NorCal Wednesday will
help keep temperatures near climatological normal. On Thursday,
upper level ridging will replace the troughing pattern which will
bring drier air into the area. Ensembles depict an upper low
developing off the coast on Friday, however cluster analysis is
relatively uncertain on the development and movement of the low
eastward as the GEFS ensembles show. The NBM is highlighting a
non-zero (5-15%) chance of precipitation in the southern Sierra
Thursday and Friday afternoon, with higher PoP chances (10-20%) on
Saturday. Development of the aforementioned upper level low will
be monitored for any forecast adjustments. // Wood

&&

.AVIATION...
VFR conditions over interior NorCal next 24 hours. Surface wind
mainly below 12 kts except southwesterly wind up to 15 kts vicinity
of Delta.

&&

.STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada

When: September 9, 7:32 PM PST to September 30, 11:59 PM PST
Where: West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada forecast zone
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

The Quarry Fire started from a lightning strike on September 9th at 732 p.m. PDT in Stanislaus National Forest. It was located off Forest Road 3N01, east of Bourland Creek and near the Emigrant Wilderness west of Cherry Creek. This naturally started fire was allowed to burn within pre-determined boundaries. Winds were generally light over the area, around 1-5 mph with gusts to 10 mph. Humidity was around 100% with temperatures in the upper 50s. The fire reached 12,935 acres by 11/9/23, with an estimated containment date of 11/15/2023.

What these are

Wildfire: A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in California, September 2023

Sources

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: 1140115.