A strong upper trough moved through California on December 14 arriving during the late morning hours. The main impact that this system has it that a mid level jet stream ahead of it produced a period of strong wind gusts which mainly affected the West Side Hills and the Sierra Foothills in Mariposa and Madera Counties during the late morning and early afternoon of December 14.
Every event with a place to put it; 30 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 strong upper trough moved through California on December 14 arriving during the late morning hours. The main impact that this system has it that a mid level jet stream ahead of it produced a period of strong wind gusts which mainly affected the West Side Hills and the Sierra Foothills in Mariposa and Madera Counties during the late morning and early afternoon of December 14. Several stations in these areas reported wind gusts exceeding 60 mph with some stations picking up gusts in excess of 75 mph. Power outages were reported in several communities in the Sierra Nevada and adjacent foothills due to the strong wind gusts knocking down trees and power lines. In addition, this system also produced moderate precipitation in the Sierra Nevada and adjacent foothills from Fresno County northward with several stations picking up between a quarter and a half inch of liquid precipitation and several SNOTEL stations above 6000 feet picking up an estimated 3 to 8 inches of new snowfall. Further south in the Sierra Nevada, precipitation was lighter with most locations receiving a tenth to a quarter of an inch of liquid precipitation. Rain shadowing limited most of the San Joaquin Valley to a tenth of an inch or less of rainfall. The trough moved to the east of the area by the evening of December 14.
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 13, 9:15 PM PST, 45 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 915 PM PST Fri Dec 13 2024 .UPDATE... Updated Aviation Section for 06Z. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. Winter Storm Warning in effect from 10 PM tonight through 10 PM tomorrow with an over 90 percent chance of 18 inches or more in and around Yosemite above 7,000 feet and a 20 to 40 percent chance of 12 inches or more of snow in Yosemite Valley and above 6,000 feet south of Yosemite in the next 72 hours. 2. A Wind Advisory will be in effect from 10 PM tonight through 2 PM Saturday with gusts up to 40 mph expected overnight along the West Side Hills. 3. There is a 20 to 75 percent chance for a quarter of an inch or more of rain tomorrow for the San Joaquin Valley with chances increasing Fresno on north. 4. A weaker second trough slides through on Monday before a ridge builds on Tuesday bringing drier and warmer conditions. && .DISCUSSION... We currently have a strong trough moving in across Northern California. Affiliated with this trough is high water vapor being transported in. This trough will slowly move through California leading to snow in the Sierra Nevada. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 10 PM tonight through 10 PM Saturday as there is an over 90 percent chance of 18 inches or more of snow above 7,000 feet in and around Yosemite and a 20 to 40 percent chance of 12 inches or more above 6,000 feet south of Yosemite. A Wind Advisory has also been issued for the West Side Hills from 10 PM tonight through 2 PM Saturday with wind gusts up to 40 mph expected on the West Side Hills because of the trough. In the San Joaquin Valley, Fresno and points north have a 50 to 75 percent probability of a quarter inch or more of rain from this first storm with the rest of the Valley having a 20 to 35 percent probability of quarter inch or more. For Tejon and Tehachapi Passes, there is a 5 percent chance or less of any snow accumulation as the snow level will be around 5,000 to 6,000 feet in that area. Latest model ensembles have the trough moving out late Saturday night into Sunday with a weak ridge moving in on Sunday. However, a weaker second trough moves across Northern California bringing lower probabilities of rain and snow amounts with a 15 percent chance or less of 0.05 inches or more of rain. There is a 15 percent chance or less of an inch of snow for the Sierra Nevada with this second trough. Beginning Tuesday, model ensembles show a strong ridge developing leading to warming temperatures and drying conditions. However, the sinking air affiliated with ridges will help with the return of the tule fog. The ridge will strengthen and persist going into next weekend. Latest CPC 6-10 and 8-14 day outlooks have a 70 to 80 percent chance of above average temperatures and a 33 to 50 percent chance of below average precipitation. && .AVIATION... 06Z Update: In the San Joaquin Valley, mainly VFR conditions with some areas of MVFR due to a few possible showers in the center of the Valley. Precipitation is expected to begin at 09Z and continue through at least 14Z tomorrow, leading to mostly MVFR with some localized IFR conditions. Widespread mountain obscuring IFR in the High Sierra/Foothills as low clouds and precipitation moves through the region for the 24 hour period. Mainly MVFR with areas of of mountain obscuring IFR in the Tehachapi Mountains in low clouds through the 24 hour period. Kern County Desert remains VFR for the 24 hour period. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ISSUED: 12/13/2024 14:54 EXPIRES: 12/14/2024 23:59 On Saturday December 14 2024, 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 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 from 10 PM this evening to 2 PM PST Saturday for CAZ300-304-308-313-336. Winter Storm Warning from 10 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Saturday for CAZ323-326>330. && JPK weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
23 high wind, 4 winter weather, 3 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several SNOTELs picked up an estimated 4 to 8 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTELs picked up an estimated 4 to 8 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTELs picked up an estimated 3 to 6 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTELs picked up an estimated 3 to 6 inches of new snowfall.
Report on Facebook of estimated 60 mph wind gusts on Tip Top Road in Mariposa.
The PG&E station at Penon Blanco measured a peak wind gust of 85 mph.
The PG&E station at Black Mountain Mariposa measured a peak wind gust of 74 mph.
The PG&E station at Smith Peak measured a peak wind gust of 70 mph.
The PG&E station at Mount Boullion measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph.
The PG&E station at Las Yeguas measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph.
The PG&E station at Yosemite Pilot Peak measured a peak wind gust of 91 mph.
The PG&E station at Yosemite 49 measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph.
The PG&E station at Miami Mountain measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The Smith Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 76 mph.
Report on Facebook of a house losing tiles in multiple places due to strong wind gusts.
The Southern California Edison station at Huntington Lake measured a peak wind gust of 67 mph.
Reports on Facebook of trees being blown down in Bootjack.
The Jerseydale RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 58 mph.
Report on Facebook of power outages due to strong winds in Jerseydale.
The Kettleman Hills RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The Mount Tom RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 82 mph.
The Miami Mountain RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 61 mph.
The PG&E station at Joaquin Ridge measured a peak wind gust of 78 mph.
The PG&E station at Tejon Overlook measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Paradise Cove measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph.
The Alcalde RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
The Panoche Road RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph.
The Bear Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 67 mph.
The Bird Springs Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 58 mph.
The Blue Max RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 69 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, December 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: 1220637, 1220638, 1220639, 1220640, 1220407, 1220393, 1220394, 1220398, 1220396, 1220387, 1220392, 1220395, 1220397, 1220399, 1220410, 1220403, 1220408, 1220401, 1220409, 1220405, 1220388, 1220400, 1220384, 1220404, 1220402, 1220385, 1220386, 1220389, 1220390, 1220391.