Following the departure of the system which brought generally light precipitation from Fresno County northward on February 1, unseasonably warm temperatures prevailed across the area on February 2 with record highs being approached at several locations. A strong system moved into northern California during the morning of February 3 which slowly pushed southward into central California on…
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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.
Following the departure of the system which brought generally light precipitation from Fresno County northward on February 1, unseasonably warm temperatures prevailed across the area on February 2 with record highs being approached at several locations. A strong system moved into northern California during the morning of February 3 which slowly pushed southward into central California on February 4 and brought precipitation to the area between the afternoon of February 4 and the morning of February 5. Precipitation totals were less than anticipated although much of the Sierra Nevada and adjacent foothills north of Kings Canyon picked up 1 to 2 inches of liquid precipitation with a half inch to 1.25 inches from Kings Canyon southward. Most of the San Joaquin Valley picked up between a tenth and three tenths of an inch of rain. The Tehachapi Mountains generally had a tenth of an inch of rain or less while the Kern County Deserts remained dry, but had a period of strong wind gusts during the afternoon and evening of February 4 with several stations reporting gusts exceeding 45 mph. A few stations had gusts exceeding 60 mph ahead of the arrival of the precipitation.
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 4, 9:37 AM PST, 3 hours 23 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 937 AM PST Tue Feb 4 2025 .UPDATE... Updated Aviation Section. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. An atmospheric river event will continue to impact the through Wednesday morning. Moderate to heavy rain is expected for the Sierra Nevada foothills and heavy snow is expected for the mountains. 2. A Winter Storm Warning will remain in effect until 10 AM Wednesday. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 feet are expected with up to 4 feet of snow at the highest elevations. Wind gusts up to 55 mph are also anticipated along the Sierra Nevada crest with probabilities at 50 to 80 percent. 3. Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to impact the Sierra Nevada foothills with 3 inches of rain likely to fall in the next 72 hours. Light to moderate rainfall is also forecast for the San Joaquin Valley, with heavier rainfall to the north. 4. The next system is expected to impact the region starting Thursday morning through Friday. Moderate to heavy snowfall is expected for the Sierra Nevada, along with moderate rainfall in the Sierra Nevada foothills. && .DISCUSSION... The upper low off the coast of the Pacific Northwest will continue to spin smaller pieces of upper level energy across the Golden State this week. We current have one moving into the region early this morning and last into Wednesday. This will bring heavy snow to the Sierra and heavy rainfall to the foothills of the Sierra. The snow level is rising from 5000 feet this morning up to 8000 feet by this evening with widespread warm air advection for Central California. When looking at expected amounts Huntington Lake with a low end of two inches, expected eight inches, and the high end 19 inches. Then moving up to Tioga Pass the low end is 23 inches, the expected 51 inches, and the high end of 63 inches. The snowfall amounts will be impacted by the speed of the warm air with the onset of precipitation. When looking 72 hour snowfall cross the two storm system the probability of 18 inches of snow at Huntington Lake is 17 percent, 12 inches at 36 percent, and six inches of snow 64 percent. Based on the probabilities and Winter Storm Severity Index (WSSI). The WSSI takes into account the stronger wind at the higher elevations leading to extreme rating through the 72 hour period. When analyzing the NBM and WPC probabilities of greater than 18 inches sets above 90 percent. Thus no need to change the current Winter Storm Warning. The main issue would be to push this warning out if the two system are close enough together without much of a break between those systems or not. For now will leave the Winter Storm Warning in place for the first storm and not push it to take in account the second system. Heading down to the foothills. Looking at Mariposa, for example, the low end of precipitation from Monday evening through Thursday night the low end is 0.90 inches, the expected is 2.20 inches, and high end at 2.70 inches. Turn to probability the probability of exceeding 2 inches is 47 percent at Mariposa. Now heading down to Lake Isabella the low end, during the same time frame, is less than 0.10 of an inch, expected is 0.10 of an inch, and high end is 0.30 of an inch. The probability of exceeding a 1/4 inch is 28 percent. The foothills north of Tulare County has the highest probability of moderate to high impact rainfall. Down into the Valley there is good line for moderate to light rainfall from Visalia to Coalinga. North of that line the range of probability of exceeding 1/2 inch of rainfall from 50 to near 100 percent. South of that line it is near zero for Bakersfield and up to 50 percent along Highway 198. Looking at Merced the low end is 0.40 inches, expected is 1.1 inches, and high end of 1.70 inches. Hanford on the other hand as a low end of 0.10 of an inch, the expected is 0.30 inches, and the high end of 0.40 inches. Now an impactful issue that comes up is convective enhancements of precipitation, and a thunderstorm or two, for areas north of Highway 198 and highest over the foothills compounding the flooding issues. The probability is 10-15 percent of thunderstorms exists north of Highway 198 and east of Highway 99. This keeps the need for the Areal Flood Watch and possibly even some flash flooding, especially over burn scar areas. The high freezing level reduce the probability of small accumulating hail. Looking at wind for Kern County with the Mountains and Mojave Slopes the probability of wind exceeding 45 mph ranges from 20 to 40 percent via the HREF probabilities and NBM probabilities down to less than 5 percent up to 25 percent. For now will not issue a wind advisory with the low probability. The Pine Mountain area and near Mojave town sites have the highest probability however below 25 percent. The upper low off the PacNW Coast moves through northern California on Friday putting the region in Northwest flow for the weekend aiding in helping to reduce the precipitation. This continues through early next week. After the last couple of days of 10-15 degree above normal temperatures will fall back to normal for the weekend into next week. Sunday through Tuesday morning brings back the chance for freezes for the San Joaquin Valley along with threats of dense fog. && .AVIATION... 18Z Update: VFR conditions prevail for most the San Joaquin Valley and much of the Sierra Nevada at 18Z. Precipitation is expected to come in later this afternoon after 00Z at the earliest. Then MVFR conditions for the Valley and mountain obscuring IFR conditions are expected to prevail through the overnight hours until 14Z. VFR condition will then return for the remainder of the period. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ISSUED: 02/03/2025 14:33 EXPIRES: 02/04/2025 23:59 On Tuesday February 4 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... Flood Watch from 10 AM PST this morning through Wednesday morning for CAZ317-318. Winter Storm Warning until 10 AM PST Wednesday for CAZ323- 326>328-330-331. && Proton weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 high wind, 5 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Several SNOTELs above 8000 feet picked up an estimated 4 to 8 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTELs above 8000 feet picked up an estimated 3 to 6 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTELs above 8000 feet picked up an estimated 3 to 6 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTELs above 8000 feet picked up an estimated 3 to 6 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTELs above 8000 feet picked up an estimated 3 to 6 inches of new snowfall.
The Alcalde RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The PG&E station at Yosemite Pilot Peak measured a peak wind gust of 61 mph.
The PG&E station at Joaquin Ridge measured a peak wind gust of 77 mph.
The Bear Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph.
The PG&E station at Pelato Peak measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
A CWOP station in South Ridgecrest measured a peak wind gust of 58 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: 1226078, 1226079, 1226080, 1226081, 1226082, 1226073, 1226075, 1226072, 1226074, 1226076, 1226077.