A broad upper trough slowly moved through California between the evening of March 30 and the early morning of April 2. This system brough widespread precipitation to the area between the early morning of March 31 and the evening of April 1.
Every event with a place to put it; 14 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 broad upper trough slowly moved through California between the evening of March 30 and the early morning of April 2. This system brough widespread precipitation to the area between the early morning of March 31 and the evening of April 1. Much of the Sierra Nevada and adjacent foothills picked up between three quarters on an inch to 2 inches of precipitation with several higher elevation SNOTEL stations picking up an estimated 10 to 20 inches of snowfall during the extent of the event. The snow level lowered from around 6000 feet on the onset of the event lowering to near 4500 feet by the evening of April 1. Meanwhile, much of the central San Joaquin Valley picked up between a quarter to a half inch of rainfall while the south valley picked up between a tenth and a quarter inch. The Tehachapi Mountains picked up between a quarter to a half inch of precipitation while the deserts were rain shadowed and picked up a tenth of an inch or less. Strong wind gusts also accompanied this system and several station in the Kern County Mountains and Deserts measured peak wind gusts between 50 and 70 mph on March 31 and April 1 before wind diminished on April 2 as the trough moved east of the area.
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 31, 9:12 PM PST, 2 hours 48 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 1012 PM PDT Mon Mar 31 2025 .UPDATE...Updated 06Z Aviation. && .KEY MESSAGES... * Precipitation will continue to move through the forecast area through midweek, with only eastern Kern County not seeing 100% probability of measurable rainfall. Eastern Kern County probabilities range from 60% over the mountains to 25% along the county line. * Moderate to heavy snow expected in the Sierra through midweek, with 1-3 feet of snow in Mariposa, Madera, and Fresno (north of the Kings River) Counties and up to 10 inches in Fresno, south of the Kings River, and Tulare Counties. * Winter Storm Warning in effect for Sierra north of the Kings River and a Winter Weather Advisory south of the river. * Snow levels will drop on Tuesday from 6kft to 3500 ft, though the majority of the snowfall will occur before the snow levels drop. Light snow accumulations down to 3500 ft will be possible. * Strong winds expected Monday through Wednesday across the Sierra Crest, the lee slopes of Kern County Mountains and the Kern Desert. 80% probability of greater than 70 mph max gust on Tuesday for Mojave. * High Wind Warning in effect for the lee slopes of the Tehachapi Mountains and a Wind Advisory for the Kern Desert. && .DISCUSSION... We have a trough sliding into California slowly today and tomorrow. This trough is bringing showers to the valley and snow to the Sierra Nevada. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for most of the Sierra Nevada with 1 to 3 feet of snow expected and 6 to 12 inches of snow expected in the Southern Sierra south of the Kings River. In the Valley, we are looking at a 45 to 70 percent chance of a quarter inch or more of rain total with this system with the foothills having a 30 to 80 percent chance of an inch or more of rain. This trough also is bringing strong winds to the Mojave Slopes and Desert due to the positioning which favors downslope winds and a very tight gradient which increases wind speeds. A High Wind Warning is in effect for the lee slopes of the Tehachapi Mountains and a Wind Advisory is in effect for the Kern Desert through 5 AM Wednesday. There is a 80 percent chance of max wind gusts of at least 70 mph in Mojave on Tuesday from this system. The trough will slowly slide south Wednesday and Thursday before a ridge slides in Friday into the weekend. This ridge will bring dry conditions and warming temperatures. Sunday has a 35 to 70 percent chance of high temperatures reaching the 80s again. The long term outlooks have a 40 to 60 percent chance of above average temperatures for the San Joaquin Valley and goes from a 33 to 40 percent chance of below average precipitation to equal chances of above and below average precipitation. && .AVIATION... 06Z Update: Across the San Joaquin Valley, mainly VFR conditions. Will see -SHRA with a 15%-20% chance of isolated TS after 18Z Tuesday. Over the Sierra Nevada and Kern County mountains, widespread IFR with areas of mountain obscuring LIFR conditions in clouds and precipitation for the next 24 hours. For the Kern County Desert, strong winds will continue through the forecast period. Surface wind gusts greater than 50 kts are expected in the Mojave Slopes from 00Z through 12Z Tuesday and after 18Z Tuesday. Otherwise, VFR for the next 24 hours. && .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... Wind Advisory until 5 AM PDT Wednesday for CAZ337-339. High Wind Warning until 5 AM PDT Wednesday for CAZ338. Winter Storm Warning until 11 PM PDT Tuesday for CAZ323-326- 327. Winter Weather Advisory until 11 PM PDT Tuesday for CAZ328>331. && JPK/BSO/SM weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 winter weather, 7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several SNOTEL stations picked up an estimated 5 to 10 inches of new snowfall on April 1.
Several SNOTEL stations picked up an estimated 5 to 10 inches of new snowfall on April 1.
Several SNOTEL stations picked up an estimated 5 to 10 inches of new snowfall on April 1.
Several SNOTEL stations picked up an estimated 5 to 10 inches of new snowfall on April 1.
Several SNOTEL stations picked up an estimated 5 to 10 inches of new snowfall on April 1.
Several SNOTEL stations picked up an estimated 5 to 10 inches of new snowfall on April 1.
Several SNOTEL stations picked up an estimated 5 to 10 inches of new snowfall on April 1.
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The Mojave Airport AWOS measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Cache Creek measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Cottonwood Creek West measured a peak wind gust of 68 mph.
The Jawbone Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Rocky Court measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The Bird Springs Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 71 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in California, April 2025
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: 1232626, 1232627, 1232628, 1232629, 1232630, 1232631, 1232632, 1232623, 1232622, 1232620, 1232619, 1232625, 1232621, 1232624.