Power Outage in Visalia, CA

Park Service reported trees and powerlines downed.

Powerlines and trees were downed on roadways. Boats were damaged at a Lake Kaweah boat dock. It was estimated that 200 boats were affected by severe thunderstorm wind gusts as the lake boat dock was cut loose.

Trees and powerlines were downed causing power outages.

Powerlines and trees were downed on roadways. Boats were damaged at a Lake Kaweah boat dock. It was estimated that 200 boats were affected by severe thunderstorm wind gusts as the lake boat dock was cut loose.

Strong thunderstorms and lightning brought a tree down on South Santa Fe Street in Visalia and caused power outages in Visalia and Dinuba. A sidewalk and wrought-iron fence were damaged in Visalia.

Another potent, cold Pacific storm reached central California during the late afternoon and evening of April 19th, bringing another round of moderate to locally heavy precipitation to the central California interior. The heaviest rain fell over much of the region on the 20th, but the low stalled over south central California the next day. This allowed an upper-level disturbance rotating around the low to bring another round of moderate precipitation to the area on April 21st.||A line of moderate showers pushed into the Tulare County foothills. 2.77 inches of rain fell at Milo during the 24 hours ending at midnight on April 20th, while 2.07 inches fell at Three Rivers during the same period. Lemon Cove had a storm total rainfall of 1.92 inches.| |Two inches of snow fell on Tehachapi during the early morning of April 21st, and snow was reported as low as 2400 feet near Springville in Tulare County, and near 2600 feet at Mountain Mesa in Kern County. Another 21 inches of new snow fell at Lodgepole, but this amount may have been the result of the line of showers that moved into Tulare County. Elsewhere in the Southern Sierra Nevada, estimated new snow accumulations mostly were in the 9 to 18 inch range, with a few higher amounts.||Small pea sized hail fell at Avenal during the afternoon of April 20th, with similarly sized hail fall in Lamont that evening. Winds in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley gusted as high as 45 mph, toppling trees and downing power lines. Winds gusted to around 55 mph in the Indian Wells Valley.||The low finally began moving east of the region on April 22nd, although a few residual showers remained over the central and southern San Joaquin Valley and the adjacent mountains. High pressure began building into California on the 23rd, with the high temperatures at both Bakersfield and Fresno up 12 degrees from the previous day. Temperatures continued to warm through April 26th, which was the warmest day of the month at both Bakersfield and Fresno with both cities reaching 85 degrees.

A hot and humid airmass, combined with an approaching upper level trough, contributed to isolated strong thunderstorms across the San Joaquin valley on the 30th and 31st of August. Late at night on the 30th, a strong thunderstorm knocked out power to over 1500 Avenal residents. Similarly, 800 customers in Dinuba were without power due to strong thunderstorms. In Visalia, a tree was knocked down by gusty winds and lightning, causing minor property damage on the 30th.

Another cold frontal passage through Interior Central California brought more snow to the higher elevations. In the Southern Sierra Nevada Lower Kibbie Ridge accumulated 12" of new snow and West Woodchuck Meadow received 9". In the Tehachapi Mountains Bear Valley Springs picked up 6" of new snow. Thunderstorm activity late in the afternoon on the 17th led to lightning damaging power transmission to Tulare storm drainage pumps. Locally heavy rain occurred occurred a couple of times in the late afternoon hours in the city of Tulare area. Hail about 0.50" in diameter fell just before 1800 PST in the Tulare.

High wind from a thunderstorm led to power transmission line damage, subsequent power outage, and reports from spotters of visibility restrictions from blowing dust in the Lindsay area on the 20th due to a collapsing thunderstorm cell. A lightning strike ignited a stack of 800 bales of hay southwest of Porterville as well as two other locations within the city limits of Porterville.

Powerhouse wildfire...details unknown at time of filing 7/5/02.