Weather in the Central California Interior in 2005
The following is account of significant weather by month that I have observed or worked through in 2005.
January 2005 - The year began with a bang as the first storm hit on the evening of the 2nd. Just as I took off after my day shift on the 2nd and became unreachable for two days the action began. The baroclinic band took over a day to cross the area and resulted in heavy rainfall throughout the valley with half inch to one inch amounts being common. There were several reports of nuisance flooding in the area. Heavy snow fell in the mountains with one to two feet accumulations above 5000 feet. Nearly three feet of powder covered I-5 near the Tejon Pass by the afternoon of the 3rd. By the time I returned on the 5th skies cleared out. The next day we were preparing for a set of three winter storms which hit between the 7th and the 11th as they followed a hung frontal boundary. Strong pre-frontal winds caused extensive damage in the valley on the 7th. This was followed by heavy rains and mountain snows which lasted for almost five days and totalled 1.5 to 2.5 inches in much of the valley and 3 to 4 inches in the Kern Deserts (which is close to their annual normals). Some locations in the higher elevations of the Sierras picked up over 100 inches of new powder during this history making event. On the 9th snow levels skyrocketed from near 6000 feet to 8500 feet which led to runoff. I will never for get the widespread flooding which resulted and the subsequent road closures. I had not worked an event like this since I was in Oregon over 8 years ago. I worked swings during the first three days of it and spent significant time each evening verifying nearly every winter weather and hydro product my co-workers put out the previous shift. High pressure arrived on the 12th and dominated over the area for almost two weeks. This resulted in persistent stratus over the valley where an inversion prevailed and clear skies and mild temperatures for the higher elevations. The stratus kept temperatures well above freezing over the valley after the 13th though. I took my family to the mountains on two of those days to enjoy some sun while I was in my unreachable mode outside the office again between the 17th and 19th. A mild day with highs near 70 in the valley prevailed on the 25th ahead of a storm that totally crapped out when it hit central California and was over hyped by some neighboring offices. My wife went to the hospital with severe flu symptoms on the 26th and as a result I was out of action for several days. Minor winter storms hit the area on the 26th and 28th. Some thunderstorms on both days produced some small hail, but no severe weather like we would get repeatedly in the spring and summer. High pressure came back when I did on the 30th and I worked two boring shifts to end the month. Temperatures averaged slightly above normal while precipitation was much above normal.
February 2005 - The month began on the warm and dry side. Only some light showers on the morning of the 7th brought some operational action. There was some heavy fog in the valley on some mornings, but it was all gone by early afternoon. I was part of a team which completed an interactive teletraining unit on the 9th with co-workers from several other offices. It felt strange coordinating with east coast forecasters, but on a sunny day there is often little else to coordinate. I was part of the ag exposition booth on the 10th on a morning with heavy fog which made driving there interesting. I broke a personal record for the number of rulers and pencils handed out in a day. I also developed a sinus infection which kept me out of the office for over a week while two of my co-forecasters also went down. A winter storm brought heavy rain and mountain snow to the northern areas on the 15th and another storm hit the southern areas hard on the 18th. The storms combined to hit the valley and Kern Deserts with over an inch of rain in some areas while over a foot of new snow fell above 8000 feet. I made my comeback on the 21st when I was called in to help with a severe thunderstorm outbreak. Just after arriving at 1330 SPC put our area in a watch box. From there I was put on the southern half of our area and was quiet as the northern zones had most of the action. We issued a flash flood warning and five severe thunderstorm warnings while three of our neighboring offices thrusted out eight more warnings. Four of our six verified, but damage was mostly to crops and dents on cars from hail. The following day a supercell fired up just as I went home to have Angie's car fixed. The cell was warned on three times and produced inch diameter hail near Kettleman City. I worked 2 1/2 extra hours on the 23rd as thunderstorms produced nuisance flooding in several areas. On the 24th I got to try out a new public zone formatter and was the first to blow the whistle on it (since I am the king of whistle blowing). A cell produced large hail near Tehachapi that afternoon. The 25th was quiet for our area while LA was hit by violent t-storms. A colder winter storm on the 28th brought about a quarter to half an inch of rain to the valley and 5 to 10 inches of powder above 6000 feet. The month ended a bit warmer than usual and once again precipitation was above normal.
March 2005 - March began uneventfully, but a stalled out front brought a rainy day to the southern areas on the 2nd with persistent light rain for much of the day. A significant storm hit on the 4th and brought up to an inch of rainfall to the valley and an afternoon of severe thunderstorms in Kern County with large hail affecting Bakersfield as well as the Desert areas. Another five warnings were smacked out, but I got to sit this out this event and followed it from home. A warm and dry spell followed. Dense fog on the 10th persisted across much of the valley until afternoon. Maximum temperatures neared 80 in the valley on the 11th and 12th as the fog burned off earlier. The next few days were quiet and I made several homepage improvements. The action then returned as a late season winter storm hit on the 19th and 20th. This storm brought up to an inch of rain to the valley and 12 to 18 inches of powder to the higher mountains. A stronger storm hit on the 22nd bringing over an inch of rain to part of the valley and 2 to 4 feet of snow to the higher mountains. This storm had higher snow levels than the previous storm and as a result flooding became a problem over the lower mountains and foothills as several creeks overflowed. We issued two flood advisories on top of the winter storm warning for the higher mountains. We had several reports of funnel clouds on the 23rd following a cold frontal passage, but no tornadoes. I was pulled out from writing a script, and put on the floor that afternoon to help with phones and made the difference as everything went out on time. Another storm hit on the 27th and 28th and I issued a wind advisory for the Kern Mountains and Deserts just before it hit. 6 to 12 inches of new powder fell over the higher mountains while the valley picked up some generally light rainfall. On the 30th I got to work through events in State College on July 21, 2003 and Pocatello on April 28, 2003 and nailed all five warnings. After working through several events like these for the past six weeks I was definitely well prepared for required proficiency testing. Temperatures averaged a little above normal for the third straight month and precipitation was slightly above normal for March.
April 2005 - The month began with two warm and dry days before the next late season storm moved in. The midnight shift on the 3rd hit much of our area with winter storm warnings on the 3rd only to see the day shift either cancel them. Advisory level snowfall fell in Yosemite Park while the remainder of the area only experienced light rainfall on the evening of the third while I was on. On the 6th highs soared into the 80s across the valley then another storm hit on the 7th and 8th providing some light rainfall over the valley and 3 to 6 inches of powder over the higher Sierras. Most of the precipitation was from post frontal showers and thunderstorms on the 8th. One of the cells produced a small tornado near Ballico in Merced County after several other small tornadoes affected the Sacramento area. I worked the midnight shift during the event and issued a Special Weather Statement on the 6th for changing weather and a Wind Advisory for the Kern Mountains and Deserts on the 7th. A dry spell followed with a cool snap on the 13th and 14th. A weak storm brought a locally strong winds to the Kern Mountains and Deserts on the 18th and 19th. Some post frontal thunderstorms fired up near Yosemite Park on the 19th and I issued a now for this while the rest of the area was mostly sunny. A major storm was expected to hit on the 23rd and 24th, but the cutoff low took a more southerly turn and it was barely a rain producer for most of the area. The Tehachapi Mountains did receive some locally heavy rainfall which produced some flooding while strong mountain wave winds affected the Indian Wells Valley. Another over hyped storm didn't do much on the 27th except produce some light rain, but that evening I noticed that behind it there was some very cold air aloft, and highlighted the potential for dangerous thunderstorms on the 28th. I was off that day, but had the camera and my HAM radio ready. I was not needed operationally as the office was sufficiently staffed that day, but I played a different role as I chased after a building thunderstorm which was approaching Hanford. This would turn out to be one of my most memorable chases of all time. I took several pictures of large hail (a large as 1 1/4 inches in diameter), flash flooding and funnel clouds, verifying two of the five warnings my co-workers put out. I have some of the pictures posted on my own chase summary. The storms also took out a good portion of the cherry crop which is sensitive to hail, and damaged numerous cars. The month then ended with two cool and dry days. In recent years April has had a tendency to be cool and wet. This year the month was a little cooler than usual, but some locations were actually a little dryer than normal. That all depended on who was hit by the thunderstorms on the 28th.
May 2005 - A late season storm was anticipated on the first, but it went north of the area and only clipped Yosemite Park. The first four days were dry and seasonably warm. When the models were forecasting a wet trough to affect the area on the fifth I went along and met an unusually wet forecast in advance of it and took heat from management for it. However, my forecasts were right on target although this began my turn to the bad side of management at headquarters. The valley picked up a half inch to one and a half inches of rain on the fifth and the morning of the sixth. Several thunderstorms produced small hail which caused millions of dollars in crop damage, and Coalinga was hit with flash flooding which led to evacuations. The mountains were hit by even heavier rainfall which led to flood producing runoff. To rub it into management I was on pre approved annual leave on the days the storm hit to work on important family matters, and refused to give it up. What's wrong with forecasting a major storm, nailing it against the desires of higher ups and then hiding while the storm hits? This turned out to be one of my best forecasts ever since I called it several days in advance. Another storm hit on the 8th and 9th (when I returned) and thunderstorms on the 9th produced a small tornado near Fowler. Over a foot of new snow fell in the higher Sierras that day as well. In a rare move the public phones were killed that day with flooding going on all over the area. I worked overtime that day well into the swing shift since several of my co-workers called in sick that day. Overall the 5th through the 11th was an unusually cool period for the area. A brief warm-up followed, but nailing the forecast for this period was not easy as I actually fought forecasters from a couple of neighboring offices. This was followed by my co-workers fighting on subsequent shifts which even attracted the attention of headquarters since the fighting involved several offices. Unfortunately, I was tagged as an "instigator" despite another perfect prediction because of my earlier controversies. Wet weather finally did return on the 16th, but this caused river flooding in Yosemite Park as heavy rainfall hit the mountains with many locations picking up and inch of rain on top of a heavy snow pack from the previous storms which were unusually cold for May. The valley still picked up a tenth to two tenths of an inch of rain. The last two weeks of the month were dry and a bit warmer than normal, but the runoff into the Merced River led to flooding above in Yosemite Park and above New Exchequer dam. Then there were the politics of the Friant Dam releases with the releases approaching the allowed limits for a few days. Temperatures averaged fairly close to normal for May while precipitation was much above normal as several daily records were broken. What made this month special for me was that I became more hard core and showed what I had lacked for nine years after my confidence was shattered in Medford. I made several excellent predictions nailing two unseasonably wet storms, and the late month warm-up while sticking it to others to "work their fair share". I had my laughs too when a rat nest was discovered in the office and the exterminators had to work their butts off to knock out all of the rats. I sure didn't make many friends during this month, but professionally I felt that by letting it all go I can perform at a higher level. I have no apologies for anyone after all that happened during the most turbulent month for me professionally since 1999.
June 2005 - I spent the first two days of the month improving the satellite page, adding several interactive features. An inside slider system brought strong winds to the Kern Mountains and Deserts on the 2nd and warnings were almost needed, but damage was minimal. I then took a two week vacation, but was not totally out of the picture as I answered an emergency call to duty and worked with the ECC at the Sterling office to verify large hail and flash flooding from an outbreak of violent thunderstorms. I caught another severe thunderstorm near Atkins and this storm caused me to pull over for 45 minutes. That was enough severe weather for me as I toured New Orleans just weeks before the city was nearly destroyed. I returned to work on the 17th only to see AWIPS take a total crap, and some light rain fall from a weak storm. The remainder of the month was dry and the flooding was all over with, but temperatures were much below normal for nearly the entire month. New Spanish versions of our sub pages came up faster than the rivers did last month. I had a scare on the 26th as I felt like I was going to collapse during my shift. I had a migraine and was unable to work the next day. The month ended uneventfully and will go down as one of the coldest June's of all time with much of the valley not reaching the century mark until the 30th. Rainfall was below normal with two minor storms hitting the area.
July 2005 - The month began with a heat wave and triple digit highs before a strong marine intrusion on the morning of the 6th brought temperatures closer to normal. A dry cold front swept through on the 8th and provided the area with three nice days before one of the worst heat waves brought a long run of days with highs between 105 and 110 in the valley and foothills nearly every day for the remainder of the month. Some thunderstorms hit the mountains and deserts on the morning of the 15th. Moisture from Hurricane Emily helped fire up thunderstorms in the Kern Mountains and Deserts on the 23rd as three flash flood warnings were issued by my co-workers after I took off and was sleeping in after my midnight shift. The next day featured one of the most memorable severe weather outbreaks and once again while I was long gone after a midnight shift. A 5 office, 24 warning outbreak of violent thunderstorms and flash flooding in a hot and humid airmass. My co-workers issued 7 warnings for the Kern Mountains and Deserts that afternoon. A drier airmass followed, but the heat continued. Temperatures were much above normal for the month. The valley remained precipitation free while the mountains and Kern Deserts had more precipitation than usual.
August 2005 - The heat wave kept a death grip on the area and continued for on another 12 days. With the exception of some monsoonal moisture fed thunderstorms on the 6th and 7th over the Mountains and Kern Deserts the area remained dry. During this span my family had a failed adoption which turned into a legal situation which subsequently got someone put in the slammer for f---ing with me. I also completed the AWOC severe weather course since the airmass was dry, and the heat was the only concern. A cold front brought temperatures plummeting to below normal on the 14th, but I'm talking highs around 90 and not the 60s. This front also brought some thunderstorms to the crest and I nearly warned on one in Madera County. On the following day, a slow moving upper low moved into the area and brought a unusually cool day to the valley with highs in the mid 70s to lower 80s along with plenty of clouds prompting me to make a morning update on my day shift. The Kern Mountains and Deserts cleared out and warmed up and as a result thunderstorms fired up behind the cold front. Since I had to be in early the following morning, I was sent home after my shift ended as the swing shift issued 8 warnings (all for the Kern Mountains and Deserts and mostly for large hail). The typical hot and dry conditions returned on the 16th. On the 20th I went to battle with other forecasters on the path of Hurricane Hillary. I followed the NHC projected track (most these forecasters have PhD's and are some of the best operationally), and kept our area free of moisture. Once again I was correct (thank you once again Miami). The storm totally missed our area. I had to work alone for a while on the 24th since some out of the office emergencies affected my co-workers. While uneventful weather prevailed, NCDC raised their fees prompting many complaint calls (Most I have ever received after not following a blown forecast). The fees went up just in time too since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans on the 29th putting the Slidell office into the spotlight and NCDC into a cash cow for funding. During my next set of midnights, I kept wondering how I well I would have handled everything if I had been in Slidell. The forecasts were excellent because politics were ignored. I set a good standard for everyone in May when I pulled this off here. Temperatures averaged much above normal again making the summer one of the most obnoxious of all time. Precipitation was above normal in most areas, but that depended on who was hit on the 15th.
September 2005 - The month began with a continuation of the summer heat wave, but that came to an abrupt end on the 9th when a strong cold front moved through. This system brought some thunderstorms to the area north of Kern County which were spared from the July and August thunderstorms. Rainfall amounts in the valley were not significant enough to impact the raisin crop though. Dry conditions with much cooler than normal temperatures then prevailed for several days until the 20th when moisture from Hurricane Max helped fire off thunderstorms over much of the area. My shift that day issued two severe thunderstorm warnings for cells in the valley and both verified. These storms also did some crop damage, and was one of our more costlier severe weather episodes. A neighboring office actually missed a warning during that event and this resulted in a lawyer coming in and giving some of my co-workers fits two days later. I then took some time off when my son was born and placed in my home. I was in Ridgecrest with my family when some exciting thunderstorms hit on the night of the 26th with a fireworks display. Summer heat actually returned for the last few days of the month which ended slightly cooler than normal, and for most of the area, wetter than normal thanks to the convection on the 20th.
October 2005 - A cold front pushed through the area on the 2nd and while the late season hot spell ended, the forecast for strong winds was overdone as only advisory criteria was reached in the Kern Mountains and Deserts. Another cold front moved through on the 8th and this one brought some light snow showers to Yosemite Park. My highlight was actually preparing two presentations for a media seminar. On the evening of the 17th and morning of the 18th some wrap around moisture from a cutoff low to our south helped fire off some thunderstorms which produced areas of flash flooding in the Kern Mountains and Deserts. Several locations picked up 2 to 3 inches of rainfall. All I need to say is that is was not a night to remember for my co-workers who were being overworked with the office down two forecasters. Some tropical moisture interacted with colder air aloft to fire off some thunderstorms on the 25th, but these were mostly dry. A weak storm brought an unusually cool day as well as some light precipitation to the area on the 27th, but the month ended as mostly dry and a bit cooler than usual.
November 2005 - The month began with an unusually warm day with highs in the 80s in the valley. It was back to usual afterward as a zonal flow pattern took shape. A significant storm hit on the 7th and 8th resulting in a tenth to a quarter of an inch of rainfall in the valley and foothills with several inches of snow above 9000 feet. Persistent high pressure off the coast kept mostly clear and dry conditions after brief local morning fog in the valley for the next two weeks. On the 25th the next storm finally hit the area, but it was more of a wind maker than a precipitation maker. A hard freeze hit the area on the mornings of the 27th and 28th then a weak storm brought up to a foot of snow over the southern Sierras on the morning of the 29th. The month ended up warmer and drier than usual for November as a result of the persistent upper high for half of the month.
December 2005 - December began with the first major winter storm of the season. 2 to 3 feet fell in the Sierras above 8000 feet. Below 8000 feet heavy rains were common. 3 to 5 inches in the mountains and 1 1/2 to 3 inches in the foothills, but only a quarter to half an inch of rainfall in the valley. In the Kern Deserts strong winds were the main issue with gusts over 80 mph. Colder air did filter into the area behind this storm as temperatures in the valley were below the freezing mark at most locations between the 4th and 7th. A weak storm brought a few hundredths of an inch of rainfall to the valley on the 8th. The higher Sierras picked up 2 to 5 inches of new powder. High pressure then dominated for several days and this meant dense each morning in the San Joaquin Valley. The fog lifted in the afternoon; however, as it was usually fairly shallow. The next major winter storm hit the area on the 18th, and it brought slight higher rainfall totals than the storm on the 1st and 2nd although the precipitation was once again nearly all rain below 8000 feet. High pressure and dense morning fog in the valley and unusually warm temperatures then returned through Christmas day before the third significant storm of the month hit on the 26th bringing light rain to the valley, and 10 to 20 inches of powder to the higher Sierras. A quick moving storm brought another bout of light precipitation to the area on the 28th then a stronger storm hit on the 31st to close out the year. This storm ended up being over-hyped as it split apart before hitting the area. The models were having extreme difficulty without upper air soundings from Oakland though. The valley picked up a tenth to half an inch of rainfall while the mountains generally picked up 1 to 3 inches of rain. Elevations above 8500 feet picked up 18 to 36 inches of new snowfall. The storm did knock out power for much of Hanford as it brought some gusty squalls for around 30 minutes, and fixing the downed lines proved difficult as gangs were shooting it out near the office. The month ended much warmer than normal with slightly more precipitation than usual.
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