An upper trough moved through central California between the evening of November 14 and the evening of November 15. This system did bring widespread light precipitation to the area with the south end of the San Joaquin Valley, the Grapevine area and the Tehachapi area receiving the most significant precipitation between a quarter and three quarters of an inch of rainfall.
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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.
An upper trough moved through central California between the evening of November 14 and the evening of November 15. This system did bring widespread light precipitation to the area with the south end of the San Joaquin Valley, the Grapevine area and the Tehachapi area receiving the most significant precipitation between a quarter and three quarters of an inch of rainfall. Most of the Sierra Nevada picked up between a tenth and two tenths of an inch of liquid precipitation with several SNOTEL stations in the Sierra Nevada picking up one to two inches of new snowfall. This system also produced a period of strong wind gusts along the Mojave Desert Slopes with several stations reporting gusts exceeding 45 mph.
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 Nov 15, 3:58 AM PST, 4 hours 13 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Hanford CA
358 AM PST Fri Nov 15 2024
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
1. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the Sierra
Nevada mountains and Yosemite Valley through 10 PM this evening.
Snow levels are expected to lower to around 4,000 feet. 6 to 10
inches of total accumulated snowfall remains expected in the
Sierra Nevada above 4,500 feet.
2. After the system moves out of the area, below normal
temperatures are expected to persist through the weekend.
Freezing temperatures are possible in the rural areas of the
Valley for Saturday night through Sunday morning.
3. A weaker system moving through in the late weekend into early
next week has the potential to bring additional rainfall to the
region, albeit much lighter. There is a 20-50% chance for 24
hour precipitation greater than 0.01 inches in the San Joaquin
Valley along with a 40-60% chance for snowfall greater than 1
inch in the Sierra Nevada.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
An upper level low pressure trough is in the process of passing
through central California tonight. Westerly winds due to
cyclonic flow around the axis of the trough are drawing in
moisture from the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in scattered showers
along the southeastern San Joaquin Valley and Sierra foothills,
along with snow showers in the Sierra Nevada above 5,000 feet.
A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the Sierra
Nevada north of Kern County until 10 PM this evening as total
snow accumulations up to 6 inches are possible with up to 13
inches at the higher elevations.
Northerly winds on the backside of the trough will bring a
cooldown to the region today and tomorrow with afternoon highs
seven to ten degrees below average for this time of year. In
addition, the stronger flow aloft is expected to descend along
the Kern County Mountains, leading to increased wind gusts in
the Mojave Desert Slopes today. A Wind Advisory remains in
effect for this area until 4 AM Saturday due to northwest winds
25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 50 miles per hour
expected.
As the trough moves out of the region to the southeast on Sunday,
a weak ridging pattern is anticipated to build in from the
northwest. This will lead to a slight warming trend during the
day, however temperatures are expected to remain three to five
degrees below normal Sunday afternoon. With northerly flow
expanding during the overnight period Saturday into Sunday,
there is the potential for below freezing minimum temperatures
to develop in the San Joaquin Valley, mainly in the rural areas
east and north of Bakersfield. Ensemble guidance from the
National Blend of Models suggests a 50 to 80 percent chance for
morning lows below 32 degrees along the corridor between US
Interstate 5 and California Highway 99.
This upper level ridge will not last long, as another trough appears
favorable to drop southward from the Pacific northwest region
early next week. West to northwest flow aloft will once again
entrain moisture to central California from the eastern Pacific
Ocean, resulting in an additional chance for showers across the
region. This second system is anticipated to be weaker than the
first system, with only a 20 to 50 percent chance of measurable
precipitation greater than 0.01” in the San Joaquin Valley.
Likewise, there is a moderate probability (40 to 60 percent) for
greater than one inch of 24 hour accumulated snowfall in the
Sierra Nevada. Much like the initial system, this additional
trough will bring a cooldown to the area. The following are
probabilities from the NBM to exceed 60 degrees through early
next week.
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday
Bakersfield 10% 10% 60% 35% 45%
Coalinga 30% 20% 95% 60% 25%
Fresno 5% 5% 60% 45% 25%
Hanford 60% 30% 95% 80% 45%
Madera 40% 30% 95% 70% 35%
Merced 45% 30% 97% 70% 40%
Visalia 10% 5% 60% 55% 35%
Through the mid and late week period, model cluster analysis is
suggesting a ridging pattern will develop over central
California, diverting moisture to the north of the region.
Temperatures will warm again back to season averages in the mid
60s for the San Joaquin Valley and Mojave Desert, and mid 40s to
50s in the Sierra Nevada and surrounding foothills.
&&
.AVIATION...
0Z Update
In the Sierra Nevada and adjacent foothills and Tehachapi
Mountains, mountain obscuring IFR conditions are expected last
through 18Z Friday. MVFR to IFR conditions are expected in the
San Joaquin Valley from 12Z to 18Z due to rain and fog/mist
after the rain. VFR conditions are expected after 18Z Friday.
&&
.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
ISSUED: 11/14/2024 15:49
EXPIRES: 11/15/2024 23:59
On Friday November 15 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 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 4 AM PST Saturday for CAZ338.
Winter Weather Advisory until 10 PM PST this evening for
CAZ323>331.
&&
public/aviation...SM
IDSS..............ab
weather.gov/hanfordThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
California Highway Patrol reported that the exit 165 on ramp to westbound SR 58 was closed due to winds.
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 72 mph.
The Southern California Edison Station at Cottonwood Creek measured a peak wind gust of 66 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, November 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: 1216780, 1216781, 1216782.