997
FXUS66 KHNX 181844
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1144 AM PDT WED MAR 18 2026
KEY MESSAGES
1. A WARMING TREND WILL CONTINUE THIS WEEK WITH AFTERNOON
TEMPERATURES APPROACHING 20 TO 25 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE TODAY
THROUGH SATURDAY.
2. DAILY AND MONTHLY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL BE
CHALLENGED THIS WEEK.
3. PRACTICE COLD WATER SAFETY, AS WATERWAYS WILL BE RUNNING COLD AND
FAST OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.
DISCUSSION
THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ALOFT CONTINUES TO BRING WELL ABOVE
NORMAL (POSSIBLY RECORD-BREAKING) TEMPERATURES TO THE REGION
THROUGH SATURDAY, WITH HIGHS IN THE VALLEY EXPECTED TO BE IN THE
LOWER 90'S DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. THE HIGHS IN THE MOJAVE
DESERT ARE LIKELY TO BE A FEW DEGREES HIGHER, INTO THE MID TO
UPPER 90'S. CHANCES FOR HIGHS OF 95 DEGREES ON FRIDAY (EXPECTED
TO BE THE WARMEST DAY) IN THE VALLEY ARE 50 TO 75% ON THE WEST
SIDE AND 25 TO 50% CLOSER TO THE CENTER AND ON THE EAST SIDE,
INDICATING SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES IN THE CENTER OF THE
VALLEY, AND WARMER HIGHS ON THE WEST SIDE INTO THE COASTAL
RANGE. CHANCES FOR TRIPLE DIGITS IN THE MOJAVE DESERT ARE
CURRENTLY 5 TO 15% IN MUCH OF THE AREA, AS WELL AS THE VALLEY.
MOVING INTO THE WEEKEND, THIS RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN INTO A
MORE ZONAL FLOW, WITH THE POSSIBILITY FOR SMALL SHORTWAVE TROUGH
TO MOVE THROUGH THE REGION AS WELL. THIS WILL LEAD TO A
SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN TEMPERATURES, BRINGING THEM DOWN INTO
THE 80'S IN THE VALLEY AND THE LOWER 90'S IN THE DESERT, WHICH
WOULD STILL BE SEVERAL DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL, BUT WILL LIKELY
BRING THE HEAT RISK DOWN OUT OF THE MINOR TO MODERATE RANGE.
THESE ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE ALSO LIKELY TO STICK AROUND
INTO THE LONG RANGE FORECAST, AS THE CPC CONTINUES TO HAVE THE
SOUTHWEST IN LIKELY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR THE 6-10 AND
8-14 DAY OUTLOOKS.
AVIATION
VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
FIRE WEATHER
WARMING AIR TEMPERATURES AND STEADY DEW POINT TEMPERATURES WILL
LEAD TO A DECREASE IN MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES, ESPECIALLY
FOR THE MOJAVE DESERT, HIGH SIERRA, AND COASTAL RANGE. THIS
WILL COINCIDE WITH A SHARP DECREASE IN 100- AND 1000-HR DEAD
FUEL MOISTURES AND AN INCREASE IN ERC IN THESE AREAS. RAPID
CURING OF FINE FUELS WILL BRING ABOUT SOME RISK FOR ISOLATED
GRASS FIRES. HOWEVER, LIVE FUEL MOISTURE REMAINS BELOW CRITICAL
THRESHOLDS AND SIGNIFICANT WILD FIRE POTENTIAL REMAINS AT
LITTLE OR NO RISK.
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
NONE.
EW
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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