A strong low pressure system moved eastward across northern California during the evening of December 26 and the morning of December 27 spreading precipitation southward into central California. Much of the San Joaquin Valley picked up between a tenth and a quarter inch of rainfall by late morning of December 27 while areas from Fresno northward generally had a quarter to a half inch of rainfall…
Every event with a place to put it; 18 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 low pressure system moved eastward across northern California during the evening of December 26 and the morning of December 27 spreading precipitation southward into central California. Much of the San Joaquin Valley picked up between a tenth and a quarter inch of rainfall by late morning of December 27 while areas from Fresno northward generally had a quarter to a half inch of rainfall while amounts|were less than a tenth of an inch south of Delano. Much of the Sierra foothills picked up between a half inch and an inch of rain while SNOTELs indicated an estimated 3 to 5 inches of new snowfall over the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada above 6500 feet. This system also produced strong winds with widespread peak gusts exceeding 60 mph in the Mojave Desert Slopes and far south end of the Upper Sierra in Kern County during the morning of December 27. While the precipitation ended by late morning, the strong wind gusts continued through the evening before finally diminishing by the early morning of December 28.
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 26, 4:26 PM PST, 2 hours 34 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Hanford CA 426 PM PST Thu Dec 26 2024 .UPDATE... Updated AIR QUALITY ISSUES section. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. A disturbance moving in this evening will bring more chances of precipitation to the area. Another disturbance is expected to bring chances of precipitation to the area on Sunday. 2. Dense Fog is possible across the San Joaquin Valley on Saturday morning. 3. Dry conditions and seasonable temperatures will prevail for most of next week. && .DISCUSSION...High clouds ahead of a strong storm which is approaching Norcal spread inland into central CA overnight. This inhibited widespread fog formation in the San Joaquin Valley this morning and dense fog was limited to the Lemoore area for a short time after sunrise. Dry conditions are prevailing across our area today with high clouds streaming in from the northwest. Meanwhile, the incoming storm currently centered near 40N/133W is already pushing precipitation into northwestern CA and the precipitation is progged to push southward through this afternoon and reach the northern portion of our CWFA this evening. Latest QPF progs continue to favor the northern portions of our CWFA with Merced County progged to pick up a tenth inch to a third of an inch of rainfall tonight and Friday morning with a tenth of an inch or less further south in the San Joaquin Valley and West Side Hills. The PoE of a tenth of an inch of rainfall is between 80 and 100 percent for most of Merced County, 40 percent for Fresno and 20 percent for Visalia. Most of the Sierra Nevada from Kings Canyon northward is progged to pick up between a half inch and an inch of liquid precipitation while further south a quarter to half inch is expected. A Winter Weather Advisory continues for the higher elevations of Yosemite National Park and the Upper San Joaquin River area where 5 to 10 inches of new snowfall is expected above 6000 feet. In addition to the precipitation, this system is expected to provide for a brief period of increased winds along the Mojave Desert Slopes on Friday although precipitation is expected to remain minimal in Kern County with up to a tenth of an inch of rain in the Tehachapi Mountains and trace amounts to a few hundredths elsewhere. The precipitation is expected to end by Friday afternoon as a high pressure ridge pushes inland into CA. This upper ridge is expected to strengthen on Friday night and Saturday resulting in drier weather and a potentially foggy morning for the San Joaquin Valley on Saturday with the PoE for visibility below a quarter mile between 50 and 70 percent along the SR 99 corridor between Merced and Fresno. An upper trough is progged to push through the PAC NW on Sunday and Sunday night and bring chances of light precipitation from Fresno County northward during this time frame. Ensemble members are in fairly good agreement with building an upper ridge off the CA coast early next week then shifting it eastward into central CA by midweek. This will result in dry weather and a slow warming trend across our area next week with areas of night and morning fog possible in the San Joaquin Valley each day from Monday onward. && .AVIATION...(00Z ISSUANCE) In the San Joaquin Valley and West Side Hills, thru 06Z Fri, areas of MVFR with local IFR in low clouds, mist and haze. After 06Z Fri, areas of MVFR with local IFR in low clouds and rain. In the Sierra Nevada and adjacent foothills, areas of MVFR and local mountain obscuring IFR in upslope clouds and precipitation. In the Tehachapi Mountains, areas of MVFR and local mountain obscuring IFR in upslope clouds and precipitation after 12Z Fri. In the Kern County Deserts, VFR conditions will prevail. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... On Friday December 27 2024, Fireplace/Wood Stove Burning Status is: No Burning Unless Registered in Fresno, Kern, and Madera Counties. Burning Discouraged in Kings, 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... Winter Weather Advisory from 9 PM this evening to noon PST Friday for CAZ323-326. && public/aviation...DAS idss...MM weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
14 high wind, 4 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Several SNOTELs picked up an estimated 3 to 5 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTELs picked up an estimated 3 to 5 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTELs picked up an estimated 3 to 5 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTELs picked up an estimated 3 to 5 inches of new snowfall.
The Bird Springs Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 97 mph.
The Walker Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 75 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at KTPI Tower measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Tehachapi Willow Springs measured a peak wind gust of 58 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at TWS Road South measured a peak wind gust of 61 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Tehachapi Oak Creek measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The Jawbone Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 79 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Cottonwood Creek West measured a peak wind gust of 86 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Rocky Court measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Cameron Ridge measured a peak wind gust of 64 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Little Oak Canyon measured a peak wind gust of 79 mph.
The Bear Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 84 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Cottonwood Canyon measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph.
The Cache Creek CHP station 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, 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: 1221469, 1221470, 1221471, 1221472, 1221474, 1221476, 1221484, 1221486, 1221483, 1221485, 1221477, 1221478, 1221481, 1221482, 1221479, 1221475, 1221480, 1221487.