756
FXUS66 KHNX 010621
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1121 PM PDT THU APR 30 2026
KEY MESSAGES
1. SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE SIERRA NEVADA
FRIDAY, INCREASING CHANCES ON SATURDAY.
2. ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE CWA ON FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY.
3. A CLOSED-LOW ENTERS THE AREA OVER THE WEEKEND TO EARLY NEXT
WEEK WITH THE BEST PROBABILITY FOR WEATHER IMPACTS SUNDAY
THROUGH TUESDAY.
DISCUSSION
A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL GRADUALLY BUILD OVER CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA ON FRIDAY, LEADING TO A WARMING TREND ACROSS THE
REGION THAT WILL LAST THROUGH SATURDAY. IN THE WESTERN SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY, THERE IS A 60 TO 70 PERCENT PROBABILITY FOR
MAXIMUM TEMEPRATURES TO EXCEED 90 DEGREES ON FRIDAY, WITH
PROBABILITIES AT 20 TO 30 PERCENT IN THE EASTERN VALLEY; THESE
PROBABILITIES INCREASE TO 70 TO 80 PERCENT FOR THE SOUTH VALLEY
ON SATURDAY BUT REMAIN AT 20 TO 30 PERCENT FOR THE NORTH
VALLEY. THE WARMING TEMPERATURES LIFTING THROUGH THE SIERRA
NEVADA WILL BRING A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE
CRESTS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AFTERNOON, WITH CHANCES AT 10 TO 15
PERCENT FROM YOSEMITE NP TO SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL
PARKS.
LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY, A CUTOFF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS
EXPECTED TO SLIDE SOUTH ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST WHICH WILL BRING
THE NEXT ROUND OF PRECIPITATION TO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA, BEGINNING
IN THE CENTRAL SIERRA NEVADA AND SPREADING SOUTHWARD INTO
MONDAY. AS OF NOW, THERE IS A 30 TO 40 PERCENT PROBABILITY FOR
MORE THAN ONE-TENTH OF AN INCH OF PRECIPITATION ALONG THE
CENTRAL SIERRA CREST BETWEEN SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, THOUGH THESE
PROBABILITIES INCREASE TO 40 TO 50 PERCENT BETWEEN SUNDAY AND
MONDAY. SNOW LEVELS DURING THIS TIME ARE PROJECTED TO BE
BETWEEN 7,000 AND 8,000 FEET, RESULTING IN MODERATE CHANCES (50
TO 60 PERCENT) FOR AT LEAST A TRACE OF SNOW ABOVE THESE LEVELS.
ADDITIONAL CHANCES ARE POSSIBLE ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY AS THE LOW
REMAINS RELATIVELY STATIONARY OFF THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST
BEFORE PUSHING EASTWARD INTO WEDNESDAY. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS
A 15 TO 20 PERCENT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE SIERRA
NEVADA SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY, WITH SOME MINOR CHANCES (5 TO 10
PERCENT) FOR THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ON TUESDAY.
THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK, ANOTHER HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE IS
EXPECTED TO BUILD OVER CALIFORNIA AND THE GREAT BASIN, ONCE
AGAIN PUSHING TEMPERATURES INTO THE UPPER 80S ACROSS THE VALLEY
AND DESERT AREAS.
AVIATION
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS OVER CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA.
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/AVIATION...MCCOY
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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