Moderate drought conditions persisted throughout the Kern County desert areas in March due to a long term precipitation deficit.
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.
Moderate drought conditions persisted throughout the Kern County desert areas in March due to a long term precipitation deficit.
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 28, 8:40 PM PST, 3 hours 20 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 840 PM PST Fri Feb 28 2025 .UPDATE...Updated Aviation. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. A Wind Advisory continues through 7 PM this evening for the Grapevine area. Gusts to 45 mph are possible along Interstate 5. 3. A storm system moving through the area this weekend will bring a 60 to 90 percent chance for snowfall greater than 6 inches in the Sierra Nevada above 4,500 feet. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued valid from 10 PM Saturday through 10 PM Monday. 3. Stronger winds gusts associated with the upcoming system will bring a 70 to 90 percent chance for wind gusts greater than 45 mph each day between Saturday and Tuesday to the Mojave Desert slopes. A Wind Advisory has been issued for the area as a result. 4. Below average temperatures are expected through the next week beginning Saturday. && .DISCUSSION... An upper level low pressure system is currently sitting off the coast of southern California this morning, entraining widespread cloud cover across the San Joaquin Valley. Cyclonic flow around the system has gradually picked up vast amounts of moisture from the eastern Pacific, which is making its way through central California from the Southwest. Low level winds associated with this system descended along the Grapevine section of Interstate 5, leading to strong gusts upwards of 50 miles per hour. This caused the issuance of a High Wind Warning, though winds have gradually decreased this morning, and fallen below the warning threshold. As stronger wind gusts remain possible through the remainder of the day, a Wind Advisory has replaced the High Wind Warning; southeast winds 10 to 20 miles per hour are expected with gusts up to 45 miles per hour. More stable conditions are expected to return on Saturday as the aforementioned system passes to the south of central California. Ensemble model guidance expresses a weakening on the north side of the low, resulting in mainly clear skies with light winds across the region. Our next pattern change will come on Sunday as an upper level trough drops southward in the eastern Pacific to the California coast. Cyclonic flow around the trough is expected to force increased amounts of moisture over central California from the southwest. While there is increased moisture, this system will quickly move through the region, exiting the area Monday afternoon. However, in this time frame the system is anticipated to bring snowfall to the Sierra Nevada above 4500 feet, with a 60 to 90 percent chance for greater than 6 inches between 4 PM Saturday and 4 PM Monday. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued valid from 10 PM Saturday through 10 PM Monday as total snow accumulations 4 to 10 inches are expected above 4500 feet, with up to 14 inches at the higher elevations. In addition to snowfall, strong wind gusts are expected along the crests, with a 50 to 80 percent chance of maximum gusts greater than 50 miles per hour. Much of the heavier precipitation associated with this storm will be located in the Sierra Nevada, however there are favorable chances (50 to 90 percent) for a wetting rain greater than one tenth of an inch in the San Joaquin Valley; the lowest chances are expected in the valley areas of Kern County west of Bakersfield. The following are probabilities to exceed 0.25 inches in the 48 hours ending at 4 AM Monday. Bakersfield 17% Coalinga 31% Fresno 48% Hanford 38% Lake Isabella 53% Mariposa 87% Merced 44% Visalia 50% While these probabilities hold true, there is potential for localized totals greater than those listed above as there is a 10 to 20 percent chance for thunderstorms Sunday afternoon, especially in the eastern San Joaquin Valley and into the foothill areas. Downsloping winds in Tehachapi mountains will bring stronger wind gusts to the Mojave Desert Slopes through Tuesday morning, with a 70 to 90 percent chance for maximum gusts to exceed 45 miles per hour each day. A Wind Advisory has been issued valid from 4 PM Saturday through 4 AM Tuesday; west winds 25 to 35 miles per hour are expected with gusts up to 60 miles per hour. Model cluster analysis indicates that a second upper level trough is favorable to build into the region in the wake of this weekend’s system exiting the western US. While there is good agreement in a system developing, there is still some disagreement in exact location and intensity of the system. As for now, there are widespread probabilities from the National Blend of Models for precipitation greater than 0.1 inches across 48 hours ending 4 AM Friday. There also exists a 40 to 70 percent chance for snowfall greater than 4 inches in the Sierra Nevada. In addition to the conditions stated above, the changing pattern over the next week will cause temperatures across the region to fall below normal for this time of year. && .AVIATION... 06Z Saturday Update: VFR conditions will prevail throughout the Central California interior for the next 24 hours. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... None. && .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 4 PM Saturday to 4 AM PST Tuesday for CAZ338. Winter Weather Advisory from 10 PM Saturday to 10 PM PST Monday for CAZ323-326>331. Wind Advisory until 7 PM PST this evening for CAZ335. && SM/JPK/BSO/EW weather.gov/hanford
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
The Indian Wells Valley was classified as being in an moderate drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Mojave Desert Slopes were classified as being in an moderate drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
The Mojave Desert was classified as being in an moderate drought due to a long term precipitation deficit.
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, March 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: 1233420, 1233421, 1233422.