An upper trough dropped out of the Gulf of Alaska on November 1 and into the Pacific Northwest on November 2 then dropped into the Great Basin on November 3 then deepened on the 4th. This trough brought cooler temperatures to the area, light precipitation on November 2 and a period of gusty winds to the Sierra Nevada and to eastern Kern County between the evening of November 2 and the early…
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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.
An upper trough dropped out of the Gulf of Alaska on November 1 and into the Pacific Northwest on November 2 then dropped into the Great Basin on November 3 then deepened on the 4th. This trough brought cooler temperatures to the area, light precipitation on November 2 and a period of gusty winds to the Sierra Nevada and to eastern Kern County between the evening of November 2 and the early morning of November 4. Precipitation amounts were generally very light (a tenth of an inch or less) with a shortwave which moved through the area during the morning of November 2. However, increased gradients produced wind gusts exceeding 45 mph at at several locations between the evening of November 2 and the early morning of November 4. There were some stations that had brief gusts in excess of 60 mph. The winds diminished during the early morning of November 4 as gradients decreased.
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 2, 4:13 PM PST, 6 hours 47 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 513 PM PDT Sat Nov 2 2024 .UPDATE...Updated air quality issues section. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. There is a 50 to near 100 percent chance of high temperatures of 70 degrees or lower lasting through Monday. 2. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through 11 PM PDT this evening for the Sierra Nevada above 6,000 feet. 3. Winds along the Mojave Desert Slopes have a 30 to 70 percent chance of gusting to 60 mph from tonight through Sunday morning. A High Wind Warning is in effect from 8 PM PDT tonight through 10 AM PST Sunday morning. 4. A disturbance by the middle of next week has the potential to bring more wind across Central California. && .DISCUSSION... A few lingering showers continue today now that Central California is a post-cold frontal environment. While the cold air will keep high temperatures in the 60s today, the same cold air will help stabilize the atmosphere as skies clear out tonight. The exception will be the south end of the San Joaquin Valley where up-slope flow will maintain a few showers into this evening. At this point, winds will become a factor tonight and into Sunday. Weak ridging over the West Coast will allow for a brief warm-up ahead of another disturbance expected to drop into the Great Basin later this week. While dry in nature, the next disturbance will introduce strong winds and dry air over Central California around mid-week. These conditions will persist through the end of the week as cold and dry air enter the region – even with some uncertainty on next weekends outcome. High-Res short-range Ensemble analysis is showing high confidence with the development of strong winds across Central California tonight and into Sunday. The Mean-value of the surface winds across the San Joaquin Valley expected to reach breezy conditions with Mojave Slope winds reaching High wind warning criteria (50-60 MPH). With the 90th percentile well within High Wind Criteria, confidence is high in tonight’s wind event. As for precipitation, ensembles do trend dry as the upper level disturbance pushes out of the district tonight. By Sunday, ensemble upper-air analysis has the mean-value jet-max winds over the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Range with speeds up to 120 mph. Closer to the surface, wind speeds of 50 to 70 mph will be observed with surface winds closer to 50 mph over the favored locations. Ensemble Probability of Exceedance (PoE) of reaching 50 mph is between 40-60 percent, which places near the middle ground. Long-range ensemble analysis as weak ridging over the West Coast by Monday ahead of another disturbance approaching mid-week. While some uncertainty still exist going into mid-week and beyond, ensembles do agree on having a closed low drop into the Desert Southwest around mid-week. Most of the uncertainty will be in the position of the low’s center with dictates the strength of the winds over Central California. Will keep an eye on the next disturbance for possible northeast winds on Wednesday and Thursday. && .AVIATION... 00Z issuance: KFAT/KMCE is going to be right on the 3Kft MFVR line until 05Z Sunday. Sierra looks to have mountain obcurations throughout the day with mainly IFR/LIFR. KMHV and NAS sites in the Kern County desert are looking at AWC forecast low level turbulence. In general post 00Z/12Z period conditions improve with the exception of the Kern County Desert with strong surface wind and low level turbulence continuing through 03/18Z. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... On Sunday November 3 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 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... High Wind Warning until 10 AM PDT Sunday for CAZ338. Winter Weather Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening for CAZ323-326>328. && Molina/BSO weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Mojave Airport AWOS measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph.
The Bird Springs Pass measured a peak wind gust of 61 mph.
The Jawbone Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 58 mph.
The Southern California Edison Station at Cache Creek measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The Southern California Edison Station at Cottonwood Creek measured a peak wind gust of 67 mph.
The Mount Tom RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph.
The Indian Wells Canyon 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 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: 1215592, 1215593, 1215594, 1215595, 1215596, 1215597, 1215598.