098
FXUS66 KHNX 241707
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1007 AM PDT FRI APR 24 2026
KEY MESSAGES
1. WARMER WITH MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS TODAY, EXCEPT FOR A SLIGHT
CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
2. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM BRINGS CHANCES FOR MORE WIDESPREAD
PRECIPITATION THIS WEEKEND. MAINLY A 5-15 PERCENT CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE EAST SIDE OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY INTO
THE SIERRA NEVADA AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS.
3. SLIGHT CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION CONTINUE EACH DAY UNTIL
WEDNESDAY OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
DISCUSSION
THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY WILL HAVE A BIT OF WARMER CONDITIONS
TODAY AS WE WAIT FOR THE NEXT TROUGH TO COME IN. EXPECT
TEMPERATURES TO COOL AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND. FOLLOWING
THOSE COOLER TEMPERATURES, THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR
PRECIPITATION THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY. THE AREA WITH THE HIGHEST
CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IS THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS AND THE
SURROUNDING FOOTHILLS. SNOW LEVELS ARE DROPPING DOWN TO 6,000
FEET, HOWEVER, LOCATIONS ABOVE 8,000 FEET HAVE A 20-50 PERCENT
CHANCE OF RECEIVING UP TO 6" OF SNOW.
CURRENT PROBABILITY OF
PRECIPITATION (POP) PEAKS SATURDAY EVENING. FOR THE FOOTHILL
PORTION OF THE CWA, THERE IS A 90 PERCENT (BEST CASE) CHANCE OF
MEETING OR EXCEEDING 0" OF RAIN AND A 10 PERCENT (WORST CASE) OF
MEETING AND EXCEEDING 1". THE NORTHERN PORTION CAN SEE BEST
CASE OF 0" AND WORST CASE OF 0.45". THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE
CWA CAN SEE BEST CASE OF 0" AND WORST CASE OF 0.30". THERE IS A
5-10 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN THE VALLEY, AND A
10-15 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN THE SIERRA NEVADA
MOUNTAIN.
SUNDAY WE BEGIN TO DRY OUT AS THE SYSTEM MOVES EASTWARD. WITH
THE SYSTEM LEAVING, THE WINDY ZONES WILL INDEED LIVE UP TO THEIR
REPUTATION. THERE IS CURRENTLY AN 80-90 PERCENT CHANCE FOR THE
MOJAVE DESERT AND THE SLOPES TO HAVE GUSTS OVER 40 MPH ON
SUNDAY. THEN AGAIN A 55-75 PERCENT CHANCE OF GUSTS OVER 55 MPH
IN THE DESERT SLOPES.
THE TEMPERATURES STAY COOLER INTO TUESDAY AS A SHORT WAVE COMES
THROUGH BEFORE A RIDGE COMES IN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WORK
WEEK. BY FRIDAY, THE ENTIRE VALLEY WILL BE FLIRTING WITH MID TO
UPPER 80'S.
AVIATION
VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS IN THE SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY. WINDY AND GUSTY CONDITIONS IN THE MOJAVE DESERT
SLOPES THIS EVENING. GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH THIS EVENING.
AIR QUALITY ISSUES
NONE.
CERTAINTY
THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 1 AND 2 IS HIGH.
THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 3 THROUGH 7 IS MEDIUM.
CERTAINTY LEVELS INCLUDE LOW...MEDIUM...AND HIGH. PLEASE VISIT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HNX/CERTAINTY.HTML FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AND/OR TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NONE.
PUBLIC...BB
AVIATION....BB
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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