A large cold upper trough dropped out of the Gulf of Alaska on February 29 and had deepened off the Pacific Northwest coast on March 1 spreading widespread precipitation as far south a central California. The trough then slowly moved east across the Pacific Northwest on March 2 and 3 before moving east of the region on March 4.
Every event with a place to put it; 39 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 cold upper trough dropped out of the Gulf of Alaska on February 29 and had deepened off the Pacific Northwest coast on March 1 spreading widespread precipitation as far south a central California. The trough then slowly moved east across the Pacific Northwest on March 2 and 3 before moving east of the region on March 4. This system brought moderate to heavy precipitation to the Sierra Nevada which picked up between 2 and 4 inches of liquid precipitation north of Kings Canyon and 1 to 2 inches further south. The precipitation fell as snow above 5000 feet for the duration of the event and produced 2 to 4 feet on new snowfall north of Kings Canyon and 1.5 to 3 feet of snow further south. This system also produced a half inch to an inch of rainfall in Merced County and a quarter to half inch across most of the remainder of the San Joaquin Valley. Most of the Kern County Mountains and Deserts picked up 1 to 2 tenths of an inch of rainfall. In addition to the precipitation, strong winds also accompanied this system and combined with the snow to produce near blizzard conditions over the Sierra Nevada north of Kings Canyon between the morning of March 1 and the morning of March 3. Scattered thunderstorms also broke out during the afternoons of March 1 and March 2 over parts of the San Joaquin Valley. While the thunderstorms were not heavy rain producers, several funnel clouds were observed and one cell produced a weak tornado in northeast Madera during the afternoon of March 1. In addition to the precipitation, several stations in the Kern County Mountains and Deserts measured wind gusts exceeding 45 mph between the evening of March 2 and the early morning of March 4.
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 Mar 1, 2:17 AM PST, 1 hour 43 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 217 AM PST Fri Mar 1 2024 ...DANGEROUS WINTER STORM CONTINUING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING... .KEY MESSAGES... 1. Blizzard conditions expected in the Sierra Nevada north of Tulare County through Sunday morning. 2. Damaging winds and heavy snow could down trees and power lines through Sunday morning. 3. Extreme winter storm impacts are expected throughout the Sierra Nevada through Saturday evening due to blowing snow, snow load, and snow amounts up to eight feet. 4. Impactful, low elevation snow likely in the Sierra Nevada foothills from 2,500 feet to 4,000 feet Saturday evening into Sunday morning. 5. Strong, gusty winds are possible in the Kern County Desert and over the Coastal Range between this evening and Sunday evening. 6. Light snow possible along Interstate 5 over Tejon Pass and along Highway 58 over Tehachapi Pass Saturday night and Sunday morning. && .DISCUSSION...The large upper low pressure system is now pushing inland into the PAC NW and Norcal with precipitation having already moved into Merced and Mariposa Counties during the evening with many stations in these counties already picking up a to a tenth of an inch of precipitation. The upper low will continue to dig south over CA today resulting in precipitation spreading southward across our CWFA this morning. The precipitation will become moderate to heavy across the Sierra Nevada which will be underneath the RRQ of a 140 KT 250 mb jet max and an area of strong mid level UVM. Snow levels will be around 6000 feet today lowering to around 5500 feet tonight. Heavy snowfall along with wind gusts exceeding 50 KT over the ridges of the Sierra Nevada will produce widespread blizzard conditions over the Sierra Nevada from Kings Canyon northward. Between 6 and 8 feet of new snowfall is expected above 6000 feet and between 4 to 6 feet of snow is expected between 5000 and 6000 feet. A Blizzard Warning remains in effect for these area through Sunday morning. Heavy snowfall is also expected further south in the Sierra Nevada as well as across the Sierra foothills as the snow level lowers to 2500 to 3000 feet Saturday evening and a Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for these areas through Sunday morning. Meanwhile, over the lower elevations below the snow line, rainfall amounts through Sunday morning will range from around 3/4 to 1 inch of rain around Merced County, down to around 1/4 to 1/2 inch in the south Valley, with 1 to 2.5 inches into the adjacent higher terrain. Desert areas will see generally 1/10 of an inch or less. Strong westerly winds are also expected to accompany this storm and wind gusts above 60 mph will be possible across the West Side Hills between late this evening and Satruday evening and across the Kern County Desert areas between late this evening and Sunday evening as NBM probabilistic guidance if indicating between a 70 and 90 percent chance of wind gusts exceeding 50 KT across these areas so have upgraded the High Wind Watches for these areas to High Wind Warnings. Gusty winds could also impact the Tehachapi Mountains and the Grapevine area from this evening through Saturday evening. There will also be a few inches of new snowfall at higher elevations of the Kern County Mountains, mainly between Saturday night and Sunday morning, but NBM probabilistic guidance indicates a 32 percent probability for 1/10 of an inch, a 9 percent probability for an inch; and a 2 percent probability for 2 inches on Tehachapi Pass. NBM probabilistic guidance indicates only a 2 percent probability for 1/10 of an inch on Tejon Pass. After a break in precipitation Monday into Tuesday, another storm system will bring precipitation chances to our area Tuesday night and Wednesday with mountain showers possible on Thursday. && .AVIATION...Across the Sierra Nevada and adjacent foothills as well as the Tehachapi Mountains, widespread mountain obscuring IFR/LIFR in low clouds and heavy precipitation with wind gusts above 50 KT producing blowing snow. Across the San Joaquin Valley and West Side Hills, increasing areas of MVFR and local IFR in low clouds and rain. Across the Kern County Deserts, local MVFR ceilings. Wind gusts above 50 KT after 04Z Sat. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES...On Thursday February 29 2024, Fireplace/Wood Stove Burning Status is: No Burning Unless Registered in Fresno and Kern Counties. Burning Discouraged in 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... High Wind Watch from this evening through Sunday evening for CAZ337>339. High Wind Watch from this evening through Saturday evening for CAZ300-308-313-336. Winter Storm Warning from 4 AM Saturday to 10 AM PST Sunday for CAZ318-320-322-324-325-333. Blizzard Warning until 10 AM PST Sunday for CAZ323-326>328. Winter Storm Warning from 4 AM early this morning to 10 AM PST Sunday for CAZ329>331. Wind Advisory from 8 PM this evening to 8 PM PST Saturday for CAZ334-335. && public/aviation/fire wx...DAS idss...Proton weather.gov/hanford
The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 146 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:44 UTC.
30 heavy snow, 9 high wind, 4 funnel cloud, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
The Tuolumne Meadows SNOTEL (8600 feet) picked up an estimated 45 inches of new snowfall.
The Ostrander Lake SNOTEL (8200 feet) picked up an estimated 28 inches of new snowfall.
The White Wolf SNOTEL (7900 feet) picked up an estimated 33 inches of new snowfall.
The Paradise Meadow SNOTEL (7676 feet) picked up an estimated 37 inches of new snowfall.
The Lower Kibbie Ridge SNOTEL (6479 feet) picked up an estimated 32 inches of new snowfall.
The Kaiser Point SNOTEL (9131 feet) picked up an estimated 18 inches of new snowfall.
The Devil's Post Pile SNOTEL (8004 feet) picked up an estimated 25 inches of new snowfall.
The Chilkoot Meadow SNOTEL (7150 feet) picked up an estimated 31 inches of new snowfall.
The Poison Ridge SNOTEL (6988 feet) picked up an estimated 27 inches of new snowfall.
The Blackcap Basin SNOTEL (10300 feet) picked up an estimated 38 inches of new snowfall.
The West Woodchuck Meadow SNOTEL (9209 feet) picked up an estimated 33 inches of new snowfall.
The Tamarack Summit SNOTEL (7613 feet) picked up an estimated 25 inches of new snowfall.
The Huntington Lake SNOTEL (7020 feet) picked up an estimated 22 inches of new snowfall.
The Bishop Pass SNOTEL (11972 feet) picked up an estimated 18 inches of new snowfall.
The Charlotte Lake SNOTEL (11961 feet) picked up an estimated 24 inches of new snowfall.
The State Lakes SNOTEL (10419 feet) picked up an estimated 26 inches of new snowfall.
The Upper Bull SNOTEL (8073 feet) picked up an estimated 19 inches of new snowfall.
The Upper Tyndall Creek SNOTEL (11443 feet) picked up an estimated 36 inches of new snowfall.
The Crabtree Meadow SNOTEL (10700 feet) picked up an estimated 15 inches of new snowfall.
The Farewell Gap SNOTEL (9500 feet) picked up an estimated 27 inches of new snowfall.
The Chagoopa Plateau SNOTEL (9450 feet) picked up an estimated 38 inches of new snowfall.
The Pascoes SNOTEL (9153 feet) picked up an estimated 22 inches of new snowfall.
The Wet Meadows SNOTEL (9019 feet) picked up an estimated 28 inches of new snowfall.
The Tunnel Guard Station SNOTEL (9000 feet) picked up an estimated 17 inches of new snowfall.
The Casa Vieja Meadows SNOTEL (8300 feet) picked up an estimated 25 inches of new snowfall.
The Beech Meadows SNOTEL (7650 feet) picked up an estimated 13 inches of new snowfall.
Post on Facebook indicated that Shaver Lake (5600 feet) picked up 16 inches of new snowfall.
Post on Facebook indicated that Upper Providence (5611 feet) picked up 26 inches of new snowfall.
Post on Twitter indicated that the China Peak Ski Resort (7100 feet) picked up an estimated 48 inches of new snowfall.
Post on Facebook indicated that Happy Isles (4023 feet) picked up 25 inches of new snowfall.
A trained spotter observed a funnel cloud in northeast Madera.
A funnel cloud which had been previously reported by a trained spotter spawned a small tornado in northeast Madera which was on the ground for around 5 minutes and moved eastward around a half mile. The tornado damaged some portable classrooms at Berenda Elementary School in Madera.
Picture of a funnel cloud near Angiola posted on Facebook.
Picture of a funnel cloud near Pixley posted on Facebook.
Picture of a funnel cloud south of Woodville posted on Facebook.
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 79 mph.
The Southern California Edison station on Grapevine Canyon Rd. measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
The Jawbone Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 77 mph.
The Blue Max RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 106 mph.
The China Lake NWTC ASOS measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph.
The co-op station 4SSW Ridgecrest measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Cottonwood Creek measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph.
The Bear Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph.
The Walker Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 76 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 historyThe tornado archive for California, 2024Warnings in California, March 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: 1154822, 1154823, 1154825, 1154827, 1154829, 1154832, 1154833, 1154835, 1154836, 1154837, 1154839, 1154840, 1154841, 1154843, 1154846, 1154847, 1154849, 1154850, 1154852, 1154853, 1154854, 1154855, 1154856, 1154858, 1154860, 1154861, 1154862, 1154863, 1154864, 1154865, 1154868, 1154869, 1154870, 1154871, 1154872, 1154813, 1154814, 1154817, 1154816, 1154811, and more.