An upper level shortwave dropped southward along the California coast on February 11 producing a period of strong wind gusts on eastern Kern County during the late morning and afternoon hours. This system also produced some light precipitation across the area (generally a tenth of an inch or less) on February 12 as it moved inland across southern California.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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 level shortwave dropped southward along the California coast on February 11 producing a period of strong wind gusts on eastern Kern County during the late morning and afternoon hours. This system also produced some light precipitation across the area (generally a tenth of an inch or less) on February 12 as it moved inland across southern California.
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 Feb 11, 2:15 AM PST, 9 hours 55 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 215 AM PST Tue Feb 11 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... 1. A Freeze Warning is in effect across the San Joaquin Valley this morning. While 70%-90% probabilities exist for areas outside of Tulare and Kern Counties, those areas still have 30%-50% of reaching 32 degrees. 2. Strong winds possible this afternoon and early evening across the Mojave Desert Slopes as winds gust up to 50 mph. 3. Rain and snow returns by the middle of next week into the weekend. There is high confidence that this storm system will be much wetter and colder than average. && .DISCUSSION... The freeze continues this morning as the cold air-mass is now well entrenched across the West Coast. With low clouds lingering along the foothills of Tulare and Kern Counties, the highest probability of freeze conditions will remain over the west side and northern portions of the district including Merced, Madera and Fresno Counties. A disturbance traversing the area will provide for mixing and slight unsettled conditions to help break-up the cold spell and increase local winds. The door will than be open for a stronger disturbance to enter the region for a return of wet weather as significant moisture (Atmospheric River [AR]) is introduced to Central California on Thursday. Unsettled conditions will continue into Friday before clearing is seen over the weekend. A weak disturbance will than attempt to cross the region early next week. With the low clouds over Tulare and Kern Counties, 70%-90% range of Probability of Exceedance (PoE) of reaching 32 degrees remains in the area around Merced and Madera Counties and the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. An inside-slider is progged to traverse the Great Basin today as a jet max is steered around the Sierra Crest. The increase in mixing and unsettled conditions, PoE of freezing drops to below 15% across the San Joaquin Valley by Wednesday morning as we switch from cold temperatures to strong winds. With the introduction of the inside-slider and associated jet max, winds along the Mojave Desert Slopes will gusts to 45-55 mph as ensemble also show surface pressure gradients from KSFO-KLAS reaching values between 10mb-14mb. Therefore, will allow the wind advisory for this afternoon and evening to remain in effect as confidence is high for very windy conditions. By mid-week, the door is open for a stronger and deeper disturbance on Thursday. Ensemble upper and moisture analysis has shown little change in the late 48 hours as confidence in significant precipitation entering California on Thursday remains high. Ensemble Integrated Water Vapor Transport (IVT) has shown minimal deviation from its Trajectory of having the AR plume targeting the Central California Coast. Ensemble IVT is still showing the AR plume making landfall between 0100 AM PST and 0400 AM PST on Thursday. Ensemble upper air analysis is also showing minimal differences is introducing a strong disturbance on Thursday. The Central California Coast remains the strike zone as the AR location will limit the attenuation of moisture before hitting the Central California Interior. Therefore, unlike previous AR that targeted Northern California, we will see a significant amount of precipitation with this storm. Excessive Rain (heavy snow) outlooks are already posted for Central California with widespread 24 to 48 hour precipitation totals of 1 (Valley) inch to 3 (Foothills and Mountains) inches very likely. Slight uncertainty in ensemble snow level analysis will place the initial range from 5,000 to 6,000 feet. Yet, as before, the snow level during the bulk of the storm will sit at 7,000 feet. Unsettled conditions will continue into Friday with possible convection and brief heavy showers before clearing is seen the weekend. A weak storm will cross to our north with a slight chance of precipitation over Merced County to Yosemite NP on Monday. && .AVIATION... 12z Tuesday: VFR across most of the Central California Interior with MVFR conditions along the Foothills of Tulare and Kern Counties from KPTV through KDLO to KBFL until 22z Today. Probability of Low Clouds drop below 10 percent after 22z Today. Surface Wind gusts 35 KNOTS over the Serria Crest and Tehachapi Range from 22z until 06z Wednesday. MVFR ceilings also possible across the Sierra Nevada during the period of strong winds. VFR expected across the Kern Desert through the period. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ISSUED: 02/10/2025 14:08 EXPIRES: 02/11/2025 23:59 On Tuesday February 11 2025, 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... Wind Advisory from 9 AM this morning to 4 AM PST Wednesday for CAZ338. Freeze Warning until 9 AM PST this morning for CAZ300>316. Flood Watch from Wednesday morning through late Friday night for CAZ317>322-332-333. Winter Storm Watch from Wednesday morning through late Friday night for CAZ323-326>331. && Public/Aviation....Molina weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Bear Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph.
The Jawbone Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph.
The Walker Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 71 mph.
The Bird Springs Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 73 mph.
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 58 mph.
The Southern California Edison station at Cottonwood Creek West measured a peak wind gust of 62 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, February 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: 1227147, 1227144, 1227146, 1227145, 1227148, 1227149.