748
FXUS66 KHNX 041222
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
422 AM PST WED MAR 4 2026
UPDATE
UPDATED AVIATION SECTION.
KEY MESSAGES
1. STRONG WIND GUSTS ARE EXPECTED TOMORROW THROUGH THURSDAY IN THE
TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS AND MOJAVE SLOPES AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES
THROUGH THE REGION. WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR KERN COUNTY.
2. AN ELEVATED FIRE RISK EXISTS OVER THE MOUNTAINS IN KERN AND
SOUTHEASTERN TULARE COUNTIES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
3. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO WARM THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND
INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO COME ASHORE IN OREGON AND
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND MAKE ITS WAY SOUTHEAST. AS IT MOVES
THROUGH OUR CWA WEDNESDAY, STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED FOR A
MAJORITY OF OUR REGION, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE SIERRA NEVADA
CREST AND INTO THE TEHACHAPI RANGE AND DOWN THE MOJAVE SLOPES.
GUSTS OF 50 MPH OR HIGHER ARE LIKELY IN THOSE REGIONS FROM
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING BEFORE CALMING INTO
THAT EVENING. A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE MOJAVE
SLOPES AND TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS DUE TO THESE WINDS. TEMPERATURES
ARE EXPECTED TO COOL AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH.
LATER THIS WEEK, BY FRIDAY, THE TROUGH MENTIONED ABOVE IS
EXPECTED TO HAVE A DRY SHORTWAVE DRAG IT TO THE SOUTHWEST,
CREATING AN INSIDE SLIDER FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
THIS PATTERN WOULD LEAD TO ANOTHER BOUT OF STRONG WINDS FOR THE
MOJAVE DESERT AND THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS AS IT PASSES
THROUGH. BUT UNLIKE THE SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THIS WEDNESDAY,
THIS INSIDE SLIDER WILL CAUSE WINDS TO FLOW OVER THE SIERRA
NEVADA FROM THE NORTHEAST, LIKELY LEADING TO THE AIR BECOMING
DRIER AND WARMER AS IT MOVES DOWNSLOPE INTO THE VALLEY. THIS
WOULD ALSO BE THE CASE FOR THE MOJAVE DESERT AS THE WINDS MOVE
IN FROM THE EAST, LEADING TO AN ELEVATED FIRE RISK FOR THAT
REGION. DO ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT CURRENT FUELS ARE STILL MOIST
FROM RECENT RAINS, KEEPING THE FIRE RISK DOWN. ALONG WITH THOSE
WINDS, A WARMING TREND IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AFTER THE FIRST
SYSTEM MOVES OUT AND THE WARM, DOWNSLOPING WINDS TAKE OVER FROM
THE INSIDE SLIDER. THE CPC ALSO MAINTAINS ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPERATURES AND BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION FOR OUR AREA THROUGH
DAY 14.
AVIATION
A 15-25% CHANCE OF IFR CONDITIONS FROM 12Z THROUGH 19Z TODAY FROM
KFAT SOUTH. OTHERWISE, VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE
REGION FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
AIR QUALITY ISSUES
NONE.
CERTAINTY
THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 1 AND 2 IS MEDIUM.
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
WIND ADVISORY FROM 4 PM WEDNESDAY TO 10 AM PST THURSDAY FOR
CAZ333-334-338.
EW/CM
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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