An upper level low pressure system approached the southern California coast during the afternoon of March 6 and moved across southern California during the evening. The low pulled up some moisture from a subtropical jet stream northward into central California and with the proximity of the upper low to the area destabilizing the airmass, showers and thunderstorms broke out over the area during…
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The episode as NWS HNX wrote it up.
An upper level low pressure system approached the southern California coast during the afternoon of March 6 and moved across southern California during the evening. The low pulled up some moisture from a subtropical jet stream northward into central California and with the proximity of the upper low to the area destabilizing the airmass, showers and thunderstorms broke out over the area during the afternoon on March 6 and continued through the morning of March 7. The showers were most noticeable over the south end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Tehachapi Mountains. The snow level ranged between 5500 and 6000 feet during this event and a few inches of new snowfall fell above the snow line.
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 6, 2:38 PM PST, 4 hours 3 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 238 PM PST Wed Mar 6 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... 1. A weak system is expected to impact Southern California and the Southern portions of the San Joaquin Valley and Kern County mountains today and Thursday. 2. Snowfall is highly probable in the Frazier Mountain communities of Kern County through mid-morning Thursday with minor impacts. 3. A drying and warming trend is expected for the upcoming weekend. && .DISCUSSION...IR imagery is showing an upper low pressure center off the Socal coast near 34N/122W. This system is pulling up some deep moisture from a subtropical jet and spreading it northward into Socal. Radar composites are indicating some showers have pushed into the West Side Hills, south San Joaquin Valley and the Tehachapi Mountains and are producing mainly light precipitation across these areas with the snow level currently around 6000 feet. As the low continues to track eastward toward the Socal coast this afternoon, it will continue to pull up moisture into our area today and bring precipitation to Kern County and a chance or precipitation to the West Side Hills and to areas south of Fresno County. As the low moves inland this evening and overnight, it will spread some wrap around moisture into our area through Thursday afternoon and provide for a chance of sharers over the Sierra Nevada. QPF progs are continuing to indicate a quarter to half an inch of liquid precipitation for the Tehachapi Mountains and for the far southern portion of the San Joaquin Valley this afternoon through Thursday. As the low moves inland tonight, cooler air will push into our area and the snow level will lower to around 5000 feet. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the Frazier Mountain Communities until 10 am PST Thursday. As for snowfall amounts, the probability of exceedance (PoE) of one inch/two inches/four inches of snow are as follows: Tuolumne County 1 Inch 2 Inches 4 Inches Tioga Pass 48% 23% 1% Tuolumne Meadows 35% 10% 0% Mariposa County Yosemite Valley 23% 4% 0% Badger Pass 1% 0% 0% Glacier Point 30% 8% 0% Fresno County Huntington Lake 17% 1% 0% Wishon Lake 35% 8% 0% Tulare County Lodgepole 70% 32% 0% Grant Grove 3% 0% 0% Kern County Frazier Park 29% 5% 0% Pine Mountain Club 63% 32% 4% Mount Pinos 100% 99% 89% The other concern with the passing low to our south is that it will provide for enough instability for isolated thunderstorms over the West Side Hills, much of the San Joaquin Valley and the western portion of the Tehachapi Mountains through this evening. The low is progged to move into the Desert Southwest on Thursday night with an upper ridge building inland into CA on Friday. The ridge is then progged to shift further inland over the weekend and bring a warming trend to our area with dry weather weather prevailing Friday through the weekend. The medium range ensemble means are bringing a weak trough through our area early next week with a pair of weak shortwave systems moving across Norcal and bringing a slight chance to low chance of precipitation to Merced County and the Sierra Nevada from Fresno County northward. Another dry ridge is progged to push inland into CA next Wednesday. && .AVIATION...In the San Joaquin Valley and West Side Hills, local MVFR in low clouds thru 15Z Thu. Isolated TSRA thru 03Z Thu. In the Sierra Nevada, adjacent foothills and Tehachapi Mountains, areas of mountain obscuring IFR and local LIFR in low clouds and precipitation. In the Kern County Deserts, local MVFR in low clouds. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES...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... Winter Weather Advisory above 5000 feet until 10 AM PST Thursday for CAZ336. && public/aviation/fire wx...DAS idss...JEB weather.gov/hanford
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley CA
339 PM PST Wed Mar 6 2024
CAZ304-305-311-070015-
West Side of Fresno and Kings Counties CA-Coalinga - Avenal CA-
Hanford - Corcoran - Lemoore CA-
339 PM PST Wed Mar 6 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL KINGS AND SOUTH CENTRAL
FRESNO COUNTIES THROUGH 415 PM PST...
At 338 PM PST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles northeast of Avenal, or 25 miles southwest of Hanford, moving
northeast at 5 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Avenal, Huron, and Lemoore NAS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3604 12006 3605 12020 3632 12006 3624 11982
TIME...MOT...LOC 2338Z 213DEG 5KT 3613 12004
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JPKSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley CA
359 PM PST Wed Mar 6 2024
CAZ301-302-070030-
Los Banos - Dos Palos CA-Merced - Madera - Mendota CA-
359 PM PST Wed Mar 6 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN MADERA AND WESTERN
FRESNO COUNTIES THROUGH 430 PM PST...
At 358 PM PST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Firebaugh, or 21 miles west of Madera, moving south at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Firebaugh.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3699 12055 3702 12038 3681 12034 3682 12053
TIME...MOT...LOC 2358Z 355DEG 11KT 3688 12046
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JPKSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley CA
412 PM PST Wed Mar 6 2024
CAZ304-305-311-070045-
West Side of Fresno and Kings Counties CA-Coalinga - Avenal CA-
Hanford - Corcoran - Lemoore CA-
412 PM PST Wed Mar 6 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL KINGS AND SOUTH CENTRAL
FRESNO COUNTIES THROUGH 445 PM PST...
At 411 PM PST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 12
miles southwest of Lanare, or 22 miles west of Hanford, moving north
at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Avenal, Huron, and Kettleman Hills.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3603 12003 3605 12017 3638 12016 3634 11988
TIME...MOT...LOC 0011Z 192DEG 17KT 3628 12005
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JPKSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley CA
417 PM PST Wed Mar 6 2024
CAZ317-318-323-070045-
Mariposa-Madera Lower Sierra CA-Yosemite NP outside of the valley CA-
Mariposa Madera Foothills CA-
417 PM PST Wed Mar 6 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL MARIPOSA COUNTY THROUGH
445 PM PST...
At 417 PM PST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Bootjack, or 10 miles west of Yosemite South Entrance. This
thunderstorm was nearly stationary.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Bootjack and Jerseydale.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3768 12004 3777 11996 3756 11969 3747 11984
TIME...MOT...LOC 0017Z 318DEG 4KT 3755 11982
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JPKSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley CA
428 PM PST Wed Mar 6 2024
CAZ301-302-070100-
Los Banos - Dos Palos CA-Merced - Madera - Mendota CA-
428 PM PST Wed Mar 6 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN MADERA AND WESTERN
FRESNO COUNTIES THROUGH 500 PM PST...
At 428 PM PST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Firebaugh, or 19 miles west of Madera, moving southeast at 5 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Firebaugh.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3690 12055 3697 12037 3682 12024 3675 12051
TIME...MOT...LOC 0028Z 323DEG 6KT 3687 12041
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JPKThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding on SR 198 near Goldenrod Ave.
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, 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: 1154975.