368
FXUS66 KHNX 181906
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1206 PM PDT SUN MAY 18 2025
KEY MESSAGES
1. WINDS WILL INCREASE AGAIN OVERNIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING IN
THE MOJAVE DESERT SLOPES, WITH A 70 PERCENT CHANCE FOR WIND
GUSTS GREATER THAN 55 MPH. A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT.
2. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE PRESENT TODAY AND
MONDAY ALONG THE WEST SIDE HILLS AND WESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
DUE TO LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES AND INCREASED WINDS.
3. ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES RETURN MONDAY AND WILL WARM
THROUGH THE WEEK. MODERATE HEAT RISK IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY ON WEDNESDAY.
DISCUSSION
NEAR AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WILL BE PRESENT ACROSS THE REGION THIS
AFTERNOON AS THE UPSTREAM PORTION OF AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH
MOVES THROUGH. NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AREA IS
ALSO DRIVING DRIER AIR INTO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ALONG WITH
INCREASED WINDS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LEE SIDE OF THE WEST SIDE
HILLS AND IN THE MOJAVE DESERT SLOPES. FOR THE LATTER, A HIGH
WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH 2 AM PDT TOMORROW MORNING
AS THERE REMAINS A 70 PERCENT CHANCE FOR GUSTS TO EXCEED 55
MILES PER HOUR. FOR THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, THERE IS A 50 TO 80
PERCENT CHANCE FOR WIND GUSTS TO EXCEED 30 MILES PER HOUR TODAY.
A COMBINATION OF THESE WINDS AND MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY
VALUES UNDER 20 PERCENT GIVE AN ELEVATED RISK FOR FIRE DANGER
ACROSS THE VALLEY AREAS TODAY AND MONDAY, WITH THE GREATEST
THREAT BEING GRASS FIRE POTENTIAL.
ZONAL FLOW-LIKE CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED FOR MONDAY AND
TUESDAY, WHICH WILL CAUSE A SLIGHT WARMING TREND WITH
TEMPERATURES IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY APPROACHING FIVE DEGREES
ABOVE AVERAGE. RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL LARGELY HOLD STEADY AROUND
20 PERCENT OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, BUT WITH WINDS DECREASING AS
THE TROUGH PROGRESSES EASTWARD. A SLOW-BUILDING RIDGE IS
EXPECTED TO PUSH INTO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA FOR WEDNESDAY AND
THURSDAY, WHICH WILL WARM TEMPERATURES FURTHER AND DROP MINIMUM
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES BELOW 15 PERCENT. THERE IS A 50 TO 80
PERCENT CHANCE FOR AFTERNOON HIGHS TO EXCEED 95 DEGREES BOTH
DAYS ACROSS MUCH OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.
A SLIGHT TROUGHING PATTERN IF FAVORABLE TO PASS THROUGH THE
REGION FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND WHICH WILL RESULT IN A SLIGHT
COOLING TREND AND SUBSEQUENT INCREASE IN RELATIVE HUMIDITY,
HOWEVER MIN RH VALUES ARE STILL LIKELY TO REMAIN BELOW 20
PERCENT THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
AVIATION
MVFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE ALONG THE SIERRA FOOTHILLS THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH 00Z MONDAY WHICH MAY EXTEND ALONG THE CRESTS
THROUGH 03Z. WESTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE STRONG THROUGH
09Z SUNDAY ALONG THE MOJAVE DESERT SLOPES WITH GUSTS 45-55 KTS.
OTHERWISE, VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS
ACROSS THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR.
AIR QUALITY ISSUES
ISSUED: 05/17/2025 12:53
EXPIRES: 05/18/2025 23:59
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
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 2 AM PDT MONDAY FOR CAZ338.
PUBLIC/AVIATION...SM
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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