A strong ridge of high pressure prevailed at the beginning of the month. On the 1st, high temperatures reached around 10 degrees above average. Bakersfield had a high of 77 degrees, while Fresno reached 75. The strong ridge continued over the area during the following day; temperatures rose several degrees (Fresno reached 81 degrees, and Bakersfield reached 82 degrees). Thus, March arrived like the proverbial lamb.
A weak storm system passed over the central California interior on March 3rd and allowed temperatures to cool by around 10 to 15 degrees. Both Bakersfield and Fresno reported a trace of rainfall on this day. The clouds also kept overnight temperatures warm. Bakersfield tied its record high minimum temperature on March 3rd, and Fresno came within a degree of doing the same.
Weak high pressure briefly returned on the 4th and 5th, and temperatures warmed a few degrees each day. This was a brief period of relatively calm weather.
March 5th was a transition day, as a Pacific storm approached California. The first storm brought only light precipitation to the region beginning on the evening of the 5th, but strong winds developed as the cold front moved through the San Joaquin Valley. Winds gusted as high as 54 mph along the west side of the Valley.
The system that moved over the region on the 6th and 7th had a typical track of a Pacific storm system originating from the Gulf of Alaska. The next storm arrived late on March 7th and continued into the 8th. There was street flooding in the eastern San Joaquin Valley and the foothills near Lake Success from some heavy rain showers, but the heaviest rain fell further south, in Kern County, as the upper-level low came onshore near San Diego. With this system, Bakersfield picked up 0.80 inch of rain, while Fresno only received 0.11 inch.
The cold airmass aloft dropped snow levels down to around 3000-3500 feet, and created unstable conditions that triggered a few thunderstorms over the San Joaquin Valley during the late afternoon and evening of March 8th. Upslope clouds banked against the north slopes of the Tehachapi Mountains combined with low snow levels to produce snow on some of the mountain roads. The California Highway Patrol closed southbound Interstate 5 over the Grapevine during the morning of the 8th, and a spotter in Bear Valley Springs reported 7 inches of new snow. Further north in the mountains, another spotter reported 6 inches of new snow in Glennville. The storm continued over Kern County through the evening of March 8th. Rainfall in the Kern River Canyon was a factor in a rock slide on Highway 178, and winds gusted to 56 mph in the Mojave area below the Tehachapi Pass.
Unsettled conditions continued through the 9th. Bakersfield had a total rainfall for the 4 days of 0.80 inches, and Fresno had a total of 0.32 inch. This is because the upper-level low moved onshore over southern California, and the northern end of the warp-around moisture passed over central California, with most of the moisture affecting Kern County.

Flood in KINGS, CALIFORNIA
From 08-MAR-13 10:55:00 to 08-MAR-13 11:55:00 (PST-8)
Location: HANFORD MUNI ARPT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Road flooding was reported at Highway 198 and 1st Avenue.

Flood in KERN, CALIFORNIA
From 08-MAR-13 08:37:00 to 08-MAR-13 09:37:00 (PST-8)
Location: MAGUNDEN
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

Road flooding was reported at Edison Highway and Fairfax Road.

Flood in TULARE, CALIFORNIA
From 07-MAR-13 19:24:00 to 07-MAR-13 20:24:00 (PST-8)
Location: SPRINGVILLE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Road flooding was reported at Highway 190 and Success Valley Drive.

Strong Wind in KERN CTY MTNS, CALIFORNIA
From 08-MAR-13 15:27:00 to 09-MAR-13 04:00:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 49.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in SE KERN CTY DESERT, CALIFORNIA
From 08-MAR-13 15:27:00 to 09-MAR-13 04:00:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 45.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in W CENTRAL S.J. VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
From 05-MAR-13 20:01:00 to 06-MAR-13 03:25:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 45.00 EG
Property damage: 3.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in SW S.J. VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
From 05-MAR-13 14:18:00 to 06-MAR-13 03:25:00 (PST-8)
Magnitude: 45.00 EG
Property damage: 3.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Weather in KERN CTY MTNS, CALIFORNIA
From 07-MAR-13 22:00:00 to 09-MAR-13 04:00:00 (PST-8)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter