An upper trough pushed into northern California on March 1 and dropped into central California on March 2 and spread precipitation over the area. This system produced a period of light to moderate precipitation between the early morning of March 2 and the early morning of March 3 with snow above 5000 feet.
Every event with a place to put it; 20 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 trough pushed into northern California on March 1 and dropped into central California on March 2 and spread precipitation over the area. This system produced a period of light to moderate precipitation between the early morning of March 2 and the early morning of March 3 with snow above 5000 feet. Several SNOTELs in the higher Sierra Nevada picked up between 6 and 13 inches of estimated snowfall. In addition to the rain and mountain snow, several thunderstorms developed during the afternoon of March 2 producing small hail and localized flooding. This system also produced strong winds in the mountains and deserts of Kern County most noticeably along the Mojave Desert Slopes where there were several reports of gusts exceeding 70 mph behind the cold front on March 3. Most of the San Joaquin Valley and West Side Hills picked up between a tenth of an inch and a quarter inch of rainfall with some locations which were impacted by thunderstorms picking up more. Most of the Sierra foothills and Kern River Valley picked up between a half inch and an inch of rainfall while the Kern County Desert areas generally had only a tenth of an inch or less due to rain shadowing. The precipitation tapered off by the morning of March 3 although the strong winds continued until the evening of March 3.
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 Mar 2, 2:49 AM PST, 37 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 249 AM PST Sun Mar 2 2025 && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. A storm system moving through the area this weekend will bring a 40 to 80 percent chance for snowfall greater than 8 inches in the Sierra Nevada. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued valid from 10 PM this evening through 10 PM Monday. 2. Stronger wind gusts associated with the upcoming system will bring a 70 to 90 percent chance for wind gusts greater than 45 mph each day between today and Tuesday to the Mojave Desert Slopes. A Wind Advisory has been issued for the area as a result. 3. After a brief stable period Tuesday, a second system is anticipated to pass through central California midweek with another round of rainfall in the San Joaquin Valley and snowfall in the Sierra Nevada, along with winds in the Kern County Desert. 4. Below average temperatures are expected through the work week. && .DISCUSSION... An upper low over NorCal will move through the northern half of the Golden State over the next 24 hours and then exits into the four corners region. The system brings a variety of impactful weather to Interior Central California today. First the Mojave Slope wind that hit some 60 mph gusts this evening and is relaxing to low end advisory levels here on the overnight. A little lull today before the wind picks up again this afternoon and upcoming evening. By 9 PM tonight Hi-Res ensembles give a probability of exceedance (PoE) of 55 mph for the slopes at 30 to 90 percent. The highest impact area continues along Highway 14 and 58. The advisory area is in good shape and even with the lull the long term advisory looks good. Next up Sierra snowfall and the winter weather advisory above 4500 feet. The probability of greater than six inches ranges from 30 to 90 percent mainly along elevation lines for confidence. The spread of 4 to 10 inches with up to 14 inches at the highest elevations seems in good shape for the deterministic values. The best confidence in PoE of 8 inches falls around Sequoia National Park with 80 to 95 percent probability a little lower for Yosemite National Park with the range from 25 to 50 percent. Deterministic high res models keep the snow around into Monday morning the advisory goes out to Monday evening. Will opt not to adjust it at this time. San Joaquin Valley rainfall seems a fairly easy bet today. The PoE of 1/4 inch or more of rainfall in the valley ranges from 25 to 60 percent from Highway 99 east to the foothills and west of the I-5. The Kern County Mountains, Bakersfield south valley, Grapevine, and Kern County Desert probabilities fall to less than 15 percent of a 1/4 inch. The low end area has similar probabilities for 1/10th of an inch. The last impact is thunderstorm activity for the San Joaquin Valley with ample cold air aloft with good lapse rates, Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), short wave energy, and good low top convective index numbers in the post frontal environment. Looking at the NAM forecast sounding for 18Z at Fresno Air Terminal the mid level lapse rate is 7.5 C/km, -20C is down to 13kft, CAPE is 161 j/kg, and convective temperature at 50 F all points to the probability of thunderstorms. The NBM probabilities for even the one hour thunderstorm is 18 percent for the mid-afternoon. Freezing levels around 3800 feet could provide the chance of very small hail that could accumulate as the main hazard. The mix down of wind could produce some 40 mph wind gusts. For the San Joaquin Valley it is a fairly good thunderstorm day. Monday into early Wednesday a brief induced ridge keeps the area quiet precipitation wise still issues with the Mojave Slope Wind. Late Wednesday into Friday another cold upper low pushes through the region. IVT and moisture transfer parameters do indicate a fairly lower end AR mainly pointed at the southern end of the Sierra and Kern County Mountains. EC EFI does have a small area of concern for the Kern County Mountains with this event. Ensemble tables not elevated percentiles, however 97th is the highest noted. The EC ensemble run-to-run with 500 MB heights shows again today some lowering of heights and enough of an angle change that allows for more moisture to enter into the system as is drops into the region. The cold air aloft again brings unstable lapse rates and CAPE into the region for another possible thunderstorm event. This system has the potential for a higher impact event, however is very contingent on the tap of moisture just a little push east or west and the AR isn't a factor. The possible impacts southern Valley rainfall and desert rainfall. Sierra Snow and Kern County Mountain pass snow, on the post frontal side of things, with snow levels coming down into the 3500 foot neighborhood. Mojave Slope and Kern county desert winds. Then of course the potential of San Joaquin Valley thunderstorms. An early peak at PoE of 1/2 inch of rainfall in 24 hours from Tehachapi to Kernville is already 30 to 50 percent that could bring some impacts to burn scar areas in the Kern County Mountains. This event isn't as slam dunk with all the moving parts and just little changes and the event doesn't evolve. Saturday and next Sunday a ridge builds back into the region and Saturday the PoE of 70 degrees is 20 to 50 percent. Then on next Sunday moves up to 35 to 80 percent. The long range six to ten day and eight to fourteen day outlooks keeps Central California in the below normal temperature column with fairly high confidence. A ditto mark for the precipitation variable for the cooler and wetter March to continue. && .AVIATION... 12Z Update: VFR to start the period, with the notable exception of KMCE/KMER where MVFR CIG and VSBY starts the period. However, the cold air side of the system starts in fairly early in the period after 15Z. This should allow for breaks in the clouds. Lowest cloud bases hover around the VFR/MVFR thresholds with 20 to 40 probabilities through the day of MVFR CIGS. The issue comes in 18Z through 03Z with thunderstorms. NBM probabilities bump up to 18 to 25 percent for KVIS and north. Will have to PROB30 TS for that period. For KMCE/KMER/KFAT will use the TS VRB wind gusts with the better potential of thunderstorm wind impacts. After 03Z MVFR/VFR threshold issues will be there with 30 to 50 probability of MVFR CIGS, will end up carrying MVFR primary AFT 03Z. Sierra, MVFR with IFR/LIFR in precipitation lasting through the period. Kern County Desert...VFR with a 20 to 30 percent chance of occasional MVFR CIGs. The main impact will be wind gusts through the period with SFC gusts to 30kts highly probable. Of course stronger near the Mojave Slopes. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ISSUED: 03/01/2025 14:12 EXPIRES: 03/02/2025 23:59 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 4 AM PST Tuesday for CAZ338. Winter Weather Advisory until 10 PM PST Monday for CAZ323- 326>331. && Operations...Proton DSS..........DS weather.gov/hanford
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Hanford CA
1146 PM PST Sat Mar 1 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 ENE Mojave 35.07N 118.15W
03/01/2025 M60 MPH Kern CA AWOS
AWOS station KMHV Mojave Airport.
0626 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 NW Indian Wells Valle 35.68N 117.89W
03/01/2025 M60 MPH Kern CA Mesonet
Mesonet station IWLC1 Indian Wells Canyon.
0900 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 14 SSW Tehachapi 34.93N 118.50W
03/01/2025 M63 MPH Kern CA Utility Company
Mesonet station 649SE Sce Cottonwood Creek
West.
&&
DASThe Edwards AFB radar (KEYX), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:39 UTC.
13 high wind, 4 heavy snow, 3 winter weather, 1 funnel cloud, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 73 mph.
The Huntington Lake SNOTEL (7020 feet) picked up an estimated 13 inches of new snowfall.
The Charlotte Lake SNOTEL (11961 feet) picked up an estimated 13 inches of new snowfall.
The Farewell Gap SNOTEL (9500 feet) picked up an estimated 18 inches of new snowfall.
The Quaking Aspen SNOTEL (7200 feet) picked up an estimated 12 inches of new snowfall. There was also a public report of 12 inches of measured snowfall near Posey at 5200 feet.
Several SNOTELs above 6000 feet picked up an estimated 6 to 11 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTELs above 6000 feet picked up an estimated 6 to 11 inches of new snowfall.
Several SNOTELs above 6000 feet picked up an estimated 6 to 11 inches of new snowfall.
The Blue Max RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 68 mph.
The Walker Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 70 mph.
The Bear Peak RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 61 mph.
Photo of a thin funnel cloud reported near Fowler by a local resident was posted on social media.
California Highway Patrol reported roadway flooding at the southbound SR 99 Ave 48 offramp in Earlimart.
The Mojave Airport AWOS measured a peak wind gust of 68 mph.
The Southern California Edison Station at Little Oak Canyon measured a peak wind gust of 71 mph.
The Southern California Edison Station at Cottonwood Creek West measured a peak wind gust of 80 mph.
The Bird Springs Pass RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 70 mph.
The Southern California Edison Station at Cache Creek measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph.
The Southern California Edison Station at Cottonwood Canyon measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph.
California Highway Patrol reported a semi-trailer was blown over along SR 14. Video showing the incident was posted on social media.
The Jawbone Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 71 mph.
Mojave 2SSE measured a peak wind gust of 64 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, 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: 1230142, 1230365, 1230366, 1230367, 1230368, 1230369, 1230370, 1230371, 1230143, 1230139, 1230141, 1230137, 1230136, 1230354, 1230145, 1230144, 1230140, 1230146, 1230356, 1230364, 1230138, 1230362.