A large upper low pressure system approached the central California coast on April 13 spreading increased clouds and precipitation into the interior of central California during the afternoon while temperatures plummeted as a cooler airmass pushed into the area. The most noticeable impact rom this system was strong wind gusts which accompanied the main cold front.
Every event with a place to put it; 20 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.
A large upper low pressure system approached the central California coast on April 13 spreading increased clouds and precipitation into the interior of central California during the afternoon while temperatures plummeted as a cooler airmass pushed into the area. The most noticeable impact rom this system was strong wind gusts which accompanied the main cold front. Several reports of wind gusts exceeding 45 mph were reported during the early afternoon of April 13 while a few stations reported gusts above 60 mph. There were several law enforcement reports of trees downed in the San Joaquin Valley. This system also produced widespread precipitation across the area as the low moved across the area with several stations picking up between a half inch and an inch of liquid precipitation. The precipitation mainly fell as snow above 5000 feet and several higher elevation SNOTELs in the Sierra Nevada picked up an estimated 4 to 8 inches of new snowfall. The precipitation continued until the afternoon of April 14 when showers tapered off as the upper low moved to the east of 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 13, 12:11 PM PST, 19 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 111 PM PDT Sat Apr 13 2024 && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. A steep drop in temperatures this weekend before rebounding next week. 2. A disturbance will move through Central California this weekend, resulting in cooler temperatures, a chance for rain in the San Joaquin Valley, and snow above 6,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada and Kern County Mountains. 3. A few strong thunderstorms may develop Sunday afternoon and evening. 4. Strong wind potential continues today across the ridge tops of Central California. 5. A significant warming trend is forecast across the San Joaquin Valley next week. && .DISCUSSION... A slow moving storm system is bringing valley rain this afternoon, with gusty winds along the west side hills. Snow will begin to fall later this afternoon in the Sierra Nevada and Kern Mountains later this afternoon Snow levels are currently in the 6,500-7,000 foot range. Snow levels will drop overnight tonight to around 4500 feet. There may be a brief window for light snowfall over Tejon Pass early tomorrow morning, but most of the moisture associated with this cold front will have pushed out of the area by then. As the front slowly makes its way eastward, the winds along the west side hills will diminish. Snow in the Sierra Nevada is forecast to continue to fall through the morning hours Sunday. Probabilistic guidance shows that Lodgepole has a 66% chance of seeing at least a foot of snow through the event. Huntington Lake by contrast has a 34% chance of at least a foot of snow. There also will be cool air aloft behind the front... Models initially were bullish that this afternoon would feature thunderstorms, however, that risk has somewhat diminished due to the front this morning becoming nearly stationary. There is some risk for convection by the late afternoon/evening hours, but the risk seems for thunderstorms in the valley looks more likely by Sunday afternoon. Any thunderstorm that forms in the valley tomorrow and traverses eastward into the mountains has the potential to bring additional snowfall in the Sierra Nevada tomorrow above the snowline. The shower and thunderstorm activity is forecast to cease late Sunday night. As the upper low moves further inland, onshore gradients are forecast to strengthen, and high res model guidance show an uptick and winds below the Kern Passes early Monday morning. Ensemble guidance is consistently showing high pressure ridge developing over the Eastern Pacific, and spreading over Central California through the week next week. This indicates much warmer temperatures are on the way. Blended model guidance shows afternoon highs being a cool in the low 60s tomorrow, with a rapid upward trend towards the mid 80s by Wednesday in the San Joaquin Valley. Thursday and Friday look to be the warmest days of the work week. Here are NBM probabilities for afternoon highs reaching or exceeding 88*F for select locations in the San Joaquin Valley next Thursday: Merced: 6% Madera: 11% Fresno: 31% Hanford: 26% Vasalia: 31% Bakersfield: 16% && .AVIATION... Rain in the San Joaquin Valley through 18z Sunday may lead to reduced visibility. Otherwise, VFR conditions are expected across the Central California interior for at least the next 24 hours. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ISSUED: 04/12/2024 15:05 EXPIRES: 04/13/2024 23:59 None. && .CERTAINTY... The level of certainty for days 1 and 2 is medium. 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 until 6 PM PDT this evening for CAZ300-308-313. Winter Weather Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening for CAZ323-325>331-333-334-336. && ab weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
15 strong wind, 5 high wind, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
California Highway Patrol reported power lines and poles down on S. Reed Ave. south of Goodfellow Ave.
The PG&E station at Joaquin Ridge measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
California Highway Patrol reported a telephone pole down on Rd. 140 near Ave. 352.
California Highway Patrol reported a downed tree blocking the roadway at Smith St.
California Highway Patrol reported a downed tree blocking both directions of Fisher Dr.
California Highway Patrol reported a downed tree on SR 65 1NW Porterville.
California Highway Patrol reported a downed tree blocking the roadway 1S Oildale.
California Highway Patrol reported a power pole downed on SR 119 at Dustin Acres Rd.
California Highway Patrol reported a tree downed on westbound SR 178 at Mt. Vernon Ave.
California Highway Patrol reported power lines downed on SR 33 at SR 58.
California Highway Patrol reported trees and power lines downed along south Union Ave.
California Highway Patrol reported a power pole down at the intersection of Lerdo Hwy. and Lost Hills Rd.
The PG&E station at Bena Road measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph.
California Highway Patrol reported a report was made on Facebook about downed trees on SR 178 east of Bakersfield.
California Highway Patrol reported branches down on SR 178 at Kern Canyon Rd.
California Highway Patrol reported poles down on Randall Rd. near SR 33.
California Highway Patrol reported a sheared telephone pole on eastbound Edison Hwy. west of Oswell St.
The Southern California Edison station at Paradise Cove measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph.
California Highway Patrol reported flooding on SR 43 north of Kent Ave.
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The Blue Max RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2024
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: 1162480, 1162474, 1162481, 1162482, 1162483, 1162484, 1162485, 1162486, 1162487, 1162488, 1162489, 1162490, 1162475, 1162491, 1162492, 1162493, 1162494, 1162476, 1162479, 1162478, 1162477.