Interaction between a deepening upper trough over the Great Basin region and an amplifying upper ridge off the California coast produced a strong northerly flow over central California. The wind mixed down during the afternoon and evening of April 17 resulting in a period of strong wind gusts across portions of the mountains and deserts of Kern County.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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.
Interaction between a deepening upper trough over the Great Basin region and an amplifying upper ridge off the California coast produced a strong northerly flow over central California. The wind mixed down during the afternoon and evening of April 17 resulting in a period of strong wind gusts across portions of the mountains and deserts of Kern County. Several stations measured gusts exceeding 40 mph with a few stations briefly recording gusts near 60 mph. The winds decreased during the early morning of April 18 as the trough shifted slightly eastward.
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 Apr 17, 3:10 PM PST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 410 PM PDT Thu Apr 17 2025 .UPDATE...Updated 00Z Aviation. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. Temperatures are expected to warm up again by Friday and will rise back to above normal by the weekend. 2. There is a chance for showers and a slight chance for thunderstorms across the Sierra Nevada today. 3. Breezy conditions are expected for the Mojave Slopes on through this evening. && .DISCUSSION...A strong upper level low pressure trough dropping southward through the Great Basin region is producing a northerly flow over our area which has resulted in upslope clouds banked up over the southern and eastern portions of the San Joaquin Valley, the Sierra Foothills and the valley facing slopes of the Tehachapi Mountains with reports of fog being noted in Tehachapi and in the Pine Mountain Club area. The cool northerly flow has also resulted in cooler than normal temperatures across our area today and gusty downslope winds along the Mojave Desert Slopes where gusts between 45 and 50 mph have already been reported today and a Wind Advisory remains in effect until 500 AM PDT Friday. Showers and isolated thunderstorms remain possible over the Sierra NEvada and adjacent foothills through this evening where instability and CAPE are sufficient for some convective development. Meanwhile, an upper low currently off the Socal coast will move inland across Socal tonight and come into phase with the Great Basin trough on Friday before the trough moves further east on Friday night and Saturday. Some residual showers will be possible on Friday over the Sierra Nevada in Tulare County and across the Kern County mountains and deserts on Friday along with persistent upslope low clouds over the south end and east side of the San Joaquin Valley. An upper ridge will then nudge inland into CA on Saturday behind the departing trough which will result in a period of dry weather and warmer than normal temperatures across our area between Saturday and next Thursday. The PoE for 80 DEG F in the San Joaquin Valley is 65 to 85 percent on Saturday and 85 to 100 percent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. && .AVIATION...00Z: In the San Joaquin Valley and West Side Hills: Areas of MVFR ceilings in low clouds thru 06Z Fri, otherwise VFR thru 00Z Sat. In the Sierra Nevada and adjacent foothills, areas of MVFR in low clouds and showers with local mountain obscuring IFR thru 18Z Fri. Isolated thunderstorms possible thru 06Z Fri. In the Tehachapi Mountains, widespread mountain obscuring IFR in low clouds thru 18Z Fri. In the Kern County portion of the Mojave Desert, VFR will prevail thru the next 24 hours. Wind gusts above 35 KTS will continue through 12Z Fri. && .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 Friday for CAZ338. && DS/BSO weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Mojave Airport AWOS measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The Jawbone Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 61 mph.
The Southern California Edison Station at Cottonwood Canyon West measured a peak wind gust of 59 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: 1234699, 1234696, 1234698.