High Wind — Mariposa - Madera Lower Sierra, California

2023-03-28 · Mariposa - Madera Lower Sierra, California

Event narrative

The PG&E station at Yosemite Pilot Peak measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph.

Wider weather episode

A strong upper low pressure system dropped slowly southward off the California coast on March 28 and 29 producing heavy snowfall over the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada along with a brief period strong wind gusts over portions of the Sierra foothills. Several higher elevation SNOTEL stations picked up an estimated 16 to 24 inches of new snowfall with several stations in the Sierra Nevada measuring between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of liquid precipitation while the foothills picked up between 1 and 2 inches and rainfall and the San Joaquin generally picked up another 0.25 to 0.75 inches of rainfall before the precipitation tapered off as the trough moved inland during the afternoon and evening of March 29.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1079545. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.