Interaction between a strong upper low pressure system dropping southward to the east of the Sierra Nevada and an offshore ridge produced a strong offshore gradient resulting in a period of strong wind gusts over the Sierra Nevada and the Kern County Deserts between the morning of January 7 and the morning of January 8. Several stations in these areas measured wind gusts above 50 mph during this…
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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.
Interaction between a strong upper low pressure system dropping southward to the east of the Sierra Nevada and an offshore ridge produced a strong offshore gradient resulting in a period of strong wind gusts over the Sierra Nevada and the Kern County Deserts between the morning of January 7 and the morning of January 8. Several stations in these areas measured wind gusts above 50 mph during this time frame. The winds diminished by late morning on January 8 as the low dropped further southward into Mexico and gradients relaxed.
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 Jan 6, 9:13 PM PST, 5 hours 17 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 913 PM PST Mon Jan 6 2025 .UPDATE...Updated for 06Z Aviation. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. Dry conditions and seasonable temperatures for most of the week. 2. High confidence in Mono WInd Event Tuesday into Wednesday with a 45 to 90 percent chance of wind gusts of at least 50 mph for the Sierra Nevada, Mojave Desert, and Desert Slopes. 3. There is a 20 to 40 percent chance of 1/4 mile visibility or less in the San Joaquin Valley for Tuesday morning. && .DISCUSSION... We currently have a ridge of high pressure over the area which brought areas of fog this morning to the Valley. However, the big story is the inside slider that will strengthen as it slides into Southern California tomorrow into Wednesday. Ensembles have strong agreement that the slider changes the tilt of the ridge that a strong northeasterly Mono wind is favorable across the mountains and desert Tuesday into Wednesday morning. There is a 45 to 90 percent chance of wind gusts of at least 50 mph for tomorrow for much of the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada, the Mojave Desert and the Mojave Desert Slopes. A Wind Advisory is in effect from 10 PM tonight through 7 AM Wednesday but there is a possibility of an upgrade to a High Wind Warning as the Mojave slopes have a 60 to 90 percent chance of 60 mph gusts or higher on Tuesday. These strong wind gusts are forecast to be way above the 20 year climatological maximum. For the Valley on Tuesday, there is a 20 to 60 percent chance of 1/4 mile visibility or less in fog but, confidence is low due to the likelihood of mixing with the strong winds higher up. Winds decrease on Wednesday as the trough slides further south and on Thursday into Friday ensembles have the trough sliding east from Baja California. In this period, the ridge will restrengthen over California and there is a 10 to 25 percent probability of overnight low temperatures being at or below freezing on Thursday and Friday morning. Ensembles have the ridge in place before moving west Sunday into next Monday as another shortwave trough slides into the Great Basin. However, ensembles agree so far that this trough is not expected to become an inside slider. This ridge will keep conditions dry and seasonable which goes into the CPC outlooks. The latest 6-10 day outlook has a 40 to 60 percent chance of below average precipitation and portions of the northern Valley at a 33 to 40 percent chance of above average temperatures. However, the 8-14 day outlook suggests a possible pattern change as there is a 33 to 40 percent chance of below average precipitation for the Valley and portions of Kern County at a 33 to 40 percent chance of below average temperatures. && .AVIATION... 06Z Update...Mainly MVFR visibility and ceilings expected in the San Joaquin Valley through 18Z Tuesday with around a 30 percent chance of IFR due to fog developing during 10Z-18Z Tuesday. Winds becoming N/NW 10-20 kts near MCE and MER on Tuesday afternoon. Otherwise, VFR conditions will generally prevail in the San Joaquin Valley for the next 24 hours. Sierra and Kern County Desert has a VFR flying period for the next 24 hours. Surface winds of 35 knots or greater will have at least a 45 percent chance of occurrence through the next 24 hours. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... On Tuesday January 7 2025, Fireplace/Wood Stove Burning Status is: No Burning Unless Registered in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, and Tulare Counties. Burning Discouraged in Merced County, 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 7 AM PST Wednesday for CAZ337>339. Wind Advisory until 7 AM PST Wednesday for CAZ323-325>328-330- 331. && public/aviation...JPK/BSO idss/pio..........SM/DCH weather.gov/hanford
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Hanford CA
113 AM PST Tue Jan 7 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1132 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 7 WNW Indian Wells Vall 35.71N 117.97W
01/03/2025 M78 MPH Kern CA Mesonet
Mesonet station BMXC1 Blue Max.
1214 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 13 W Red Rock Canyon 35.29N 118.23W
01/04/2025 M66 MPH Kern CA Mesonet
Mesonet station JWBC1 Jawbone Canyon.
0114 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 13 W Red Rock Canyon 35.29N 118.23W
01/04/2025 M64 MPH Kern CA Mesonet
Mesonet station JWBC1 Jawbone Canyon.
0310 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 8 S Kennedy Meadows 35.88N 118.08W
01/04/2025 M73 MPH Tulare CA Mesonet
Mesonet station BPKC1 Bear Peak.
0327 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 11 SE Weldon 35.54N 118.14W
01/04/2025 M83 MPH Kern CA Mesonet
Mesonet station BIJC1 Bird Springs Pass.
&&
DASThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The PG&E station at Yosemite Pilot Peak measured a peak wind gust of 64 mph.
The Laural Mountain RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 73 mph.
The Mojave Airport AWOS measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph.
The Bird Springs Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph.
The Minarets RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
The Blue Max RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 79 mph.
The Walker Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 71 mph.
The Bear Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 81 mph.
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 74 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, January 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: 1222335, 1222336, 1222334, 1222330, 1222331, 1222333, 1222329, 1222328, 1222332.