An area of high pressure developed in the eastern Pacific around mid December, centered near Hawaii. This high pressure feature caused a series of major Pacific storms to ride over the high pressure and into California, carried by very strong upper-atmosphere winds (jet stream winds). While the first storm brought only light rain to the San Joaquin Valley, and a few inches of snow to the higher elevations of the Southern Sierra Nevada, the main impact was to weaken the high pressure and allow a stronger and more potent storm to reach central California beginning the night of December 17th-18th.
This second storm brought over a half-inch of rain to parts of the San Joaquin Valley floor.  Flooding was reported in the Fresno metropolitan area, mainly due to the combination of locally heavy rains and poor drainage areas within the urban and suburban land.
Very cold air accompanied the storm, settling into Yosemite Valley and resulting in over 4 inches of new snow to the Yosemite Valley floor at an elevation of 4000 feet.  In the high country, between 2 and 3 feet of new snow fell, spreading as far south as the Tulare County mountains, where Lodgepole measured 28 inches of new snow.  Further south, as much as 6 inches of snow fell near the crest of the Tehachapi Mountains, at Mount Pinos.
The third storm reached interior central California during the night of December 19th. This storm brought up to a foot of snow to the high country of the Southern Sierra Nevada north of Kings Canyon, and gusty winds to the Kern County mountains and the Indian Wells Valley. Gusts as strong as 64 mph were recorded in the Piutes (at the south end of the Sierra Nevada range), and there were several reports of gusts up to 55  mph in the Tehachapi Mountains and the Kern County Desert.

Flood in FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
From 18-DEC-07 23:40:00 to 19-DEC-07 01:10:00 (PST-8)
Location: HAMMOND
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

A home located near the intersection of Hampton and Buckingham was flooded, due a combination of persistent heavy rain and poor water drainage.

Flood in FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
From 19-DEC-07 00:30:00 to 19-DEC-07 02:00:00 (PST-8)
Location: HAMMOND
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 150.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Local law enforcement reported street flooding along Olive Avenue just east of CA Highway 99. Several other reports of flooded city streets were received during this time frame as well. Media reports indicated some homes were reported flooded in the southwest section of the Fig Garden Village area. Some of this flooding was due to the combination of heavy rain, and poor drainage partially caused by power outages at an important pumping station.

Winter Storm in TULARE CTY MTNS, CALIFORNIA
From 18-DEC-07 06:00:00 to 19-DEC-07 04:11:00 (PST-8)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Strong Wind in KERN CTY MTNS, CALIFORNIA
From 20-DEC-07 10:00:00 to 20-DEC-07 21:00:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 49.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Heavy Rain in FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
From 19-DEC-07 06:58:00 to 19-DEC-07 09:00:00 (PST-8)
Location: CLOVIS
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained weather spotter reported a storm total since the 18th of 2 inches.

Strong Wind in INDIAN WELLS VLY, CALIFORNIA
From 20-DEC-07 10:00:00 to 20-DEC-07 21:00:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 49.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Storm in S SIERRA MTNS, CALIFORNIA
From 18-DEC-07 06:00:00 to 19-DEC-07 04:11:00 (PST-8)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in KERN CTY MTNS, CALIFORNIA
From 18-DEC-07 15:00:00 to 19-DEC-07 04:11:00 (PST-8)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Rain in FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
From 19-DEC-07 01:11:00 to 19-DEC-07 02:45:00 (PST-8)
Location: CLOVIS
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained weather spotter reported storm total rainfall of 0.75 inches in  only 90 minutes.

Heavy Rain in FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
From 19-DEC-07 00:00:00 to 19-DEC-07 09:00:00 (PST-8)
Location: FIG GARDEN
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

An employee of the NWS measured 1.44 inches of storm total rainfall in the New Fig Garden section.