Winter Weather — Fort Tejon, California

2019-12-15 · Fort Tejon, California

Event narrative

California Highway Patrol reported several vehicles were stuck in snow and ice on Mil Portero Highway and Cuddy Valley Road near Pine Mountain Club.

Wider weather episode

An upper level low pressure system brought some light precipitation to central California during the morning of January 14 as it moved through the area. precipitation amounts were generally light with much of the central Sierra picking up between a quarter and a half inch of liquid precipitation with the snow level around 8000 feet. Several high elevation SNOTEL locations picked up between 2 and 4 inches of new snowfall. Much of the remainder of the area picked up a quarter inch or less of of rainfall. A secondary system followed during the morning of December 15. Although this second system did not produce much precipitation, it was much colder with snow falling as low as 4000 feet and producing icy conditions in the Pine Mountain Club area where several cars became stuck. The main impact form this second system was a brief period of strong winds across the Kern County Mountains and Deserts where several locations measured wind gusts exceeding 45 mph and some low impact indicator sites measured gusts exceeding 60 mph during the early morning of December 15. The winds diminished by late morning as the system moved to the east of the area.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 861261. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.