By February 12th, satellite loops showed a series of storms over the eastern Pacific. Computer forecast models indicated that the storm forecast to arrive around the 17th would be a very cold system with snow levels dropping into the foothills.
The first cold front moved into the central California interior on the 14th, and bringing little precipitation, but noticeably cooler temperatures. There were gusty winds associated with the front with some locations reaching advisory levels along the west side of the San Joaquin Valley and parts of the Kern County deserts. This cold front set the stage for a stronger storm to arrive the late in the following day.
Strong winds developed across the region ahead of the second storm, beginning on the evening of February 15th and continuing into the next day. Bakersfield had gusts to 38 mph during the morning of the 16th, and gusts of 40-50 mph were reported both over the west side of the San Joaquin Valley and in the Kern County deserts. During the morning of the 16th, thunderstorms developed over the central Sierra Nevada along the cold front, and extended as far south as Yosemite National Park. The cold front rapidly moved through central California during the morning hours, with a cold, unstable airmass moving into the San Joaquin Valley behind it. There was some clearing after frontal passage, and this allowed for some solar heating. As a result, a line of thunderstorms developed over southwestern Fresno and northern Kings counties, moving east into northwestern Tulare County. There were several hail reports from these thunderstorms, with hail measuring up to a half-inch in diameter.
Significant rain and snow finally returned by the 16th, with storms impacting the area until the 19th of the month. The strongest storm reached the central California interior on the 18th, bringing heavy rain and snow, very strong winds and a deep pool of cold air; snow levels fell to around 2000 feet, well into the Southern Sierra Nevada foothills. Windy conditions occurred in the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and Grapevine areas; for instance, a gust of 47 mph occurred at Bakersfield Meadows Field Airport on the 18th. A gust of 86 mph, with a sustained wind speed of 64 mph, occurred on Grapevine Peak during that evening. This wind blew down to
the base of the Grapevine, with wind gusts exceeding 70 mph at the California Highway Patrol weigh station at the south end of the San Joaquin Valley. These high winds even briefly hampered travel on Interstate 5 over the Grapevine and through Tejon Pass. The upper-level low associated with this storm remained off the central California Coast. The circulation around the low spun bands of rain northward over the western San Joaquin Valley. The persistent rains caused some street flooding between Coalinga and Fresno during the early morning hours of February 19th. Later that day, thunderstorms developed over the central California coast. A couple of these storms drifted over the Temblors into the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. One thunderstorm dropped hail up to a quarter inch in diameter on Lemoore.
Further east, up to 16 inches of new snow fell over the high country of the Southern Sierra Nevada, and spotters in the foothills reported up to 6 inches of snow.

Winter Storm in TULARE CTY MTNS, CALIFORNIA
From 18-FEB-11 22:00:00 to 19-FEB-11 13:00:00 (PST-8)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in KERN CTY MTNS, CALIFORNIA
From 19-FEB-11 14:00:00 to 19-FEB-11 22:00:00 (PST-8)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in S SIERRA FOOTHILLS, CALIFORNIA
From 19-FEB-11 00:00:00 to 19-FEB-11 07:00:00 (PST-8)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Funnel Cloud in KERN, CALIFORNIA
From 16-FEB-11 15:39:00 to 16-FEB-11 15:39:00 (PST-8)
Location: POND
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Local broadcasters reported a funnel cloud.

High Wind in SE S.J. VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
From 18-FEB-11 16:00:00 to 18-FEB-11 20:00:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in KERN CTY MTNS, CALIFORNIA
From 18-FEB-11 16:00:00 to 18-FEB-11 20:00:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Flood in FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
From 18-FEB-11 18:00:00 to 18-FEB-11 20:00:00 (PST-8)
Location: HELM
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

The California Highway Patrol reported flooding on Stanislaus Avenue at Mount Whitney Avenue.

Flood in FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
From 18-FEB-11 19:50:00 to 18-FEB-11 21:50:00 (PST-8)
Location: HURON
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

The California Highway Patrol reported flooding on Gale Avenue at Lassen Avenue.

Flood in FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
From 18-FEB-11 20:45:00 to 18-FEB-11 22:45:00 (PST-8)
Location: WESTSIDE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

The California Highway Patrol reported flooding on Mount Whitney Avenue at the California Aqueduct.

Strong Wind in E CENTRAL S.J. VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
From 17-FEB-11 11:50:00 to 17-FEB-11 20:00:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 35.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in SE S.J. VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
From 18-FEB-11 13:38:00 to 18-FEB-11 14:00:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 41.00 MG
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Storm in S SIERRA MTNS, CALIFORNIA
From 17-FEB-11 14:00:00 to 19-FEB-11 13:00:00 (PST-8)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Park/Forest Service