969
FXUS66 KHNX 171743
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
943 AM PST SAT JAN 17 2026
KEY MESSAGES
1. A DENSE FOG ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM PST. DENSE FOG
WILL DEVELOP EACH NIGHT AND MORNING IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK.
2. EXPECT DRY AND WARM CONDITIONS ELSEWHERE WITH GUSTY EASTERLY
WINDS IN THE SIERRA NEVADA RIDGES AND KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AT
TIMES THIS WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK.
3. OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO BE IN THE LOW 40S IN THE
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THIS WEEKEND AND THROUGH NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
DENSE FOG PERSISTS OVER MUCH OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THIS
MORNING, ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE SOUTHERN LOCATIONS HAVE SHOWN
IMPROVEMENT IN VISIBILITY, SUCH AS PORTERVILLE AND BAKERSFIELD.
VISIBILITY HAS GENERALLY BEEN AS LOW AS 200 FEET THIS MORNING,
AND MOST SITES ARE STILL BELOW ONE QUARTER OF A MILE AT THE TIME
OF THIS WRITING. EXPECT PARTIAL CLEARING BY THIS AFTERNOON, AND
VISIBILITY AT THE REST THE SITES TO SHOW SOME IMPROVEMENT.
HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN THAT FOG WILL RETURN BY EARLY
THIS EVENING AT SOME LOCATIONS (FOR EXAMPLE, A 40-50 PERCENT
PROBABILITY OF VISIBILITY FALLING BELOW 1/4 MILE TOWARDS REEDLEY
AND SANGER AFTER 8 PM TONIGHT, PER LATEST HIGH RESOLUTION
GUIDANCE). THIS VALLEY FOG REGIME WILL CONTINUE FOR THE REST OF
THE WEEKEND AND AT LEAST THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK AS HIGH
PRESSURE REMAINS IN CONTROL. IN ADDITION, WARMER THAN AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES CONTINUE IN THE COASTAL RANGES, SIERRA NEVADA,
ADJACENT FOOTHILLS, AS WELL AS THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND
DESERT. BREEZY CONDITIONS WILL ALSO CONTINUE TOWARDS THE
GRAPEVINE AND THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS, WITH A PROBABILITY OF
30-40 PERCENT FOR GUSTS ABOVE 30 MPH THROUGH THIS EVENING.
MODELS SHOW THE RIDGE WEAKENING BY FRIDAY OF NEXT WEEK. THERE IS
A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR FLURRIES AND LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS IN THE
HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA NEVADA, MAINLY TOWARDS YOSEMITE
FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER, CONFIDENCE IS LOW
REGARDING ANY BREAKS IN THIS FOG PATTERN IN THE VALLEY BY LATE
NEXT WEEK. CPC GUIDANCE FAVORS CONTINUED ABOVE AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES (AT LEAST A 40-50 PERCENT CHANCE FOR THE 6-10 DAY
OUTLOOK AND INCREASES TO 70-80 PERCENT BY 8-14 DAYS) AND AT
LEAST A SLIGHT TILT IN THE ODDS TOWARDS BELOW AVERAGE
PRECIPITATION FOR BOTH THE 6-10 DAY AND 8-14 DAY PERIODS.
AVIATION
TAF SITES HAVE FALLEN INTO VLIFR VISIBILITY CONDITIONS AND WILL
STAY THERE UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVE BACK TO MVFR AFTER 20Z
SATURDAY. THE DENSITY OF THE FOG MEANS SOME TAF SITES MAY NOT
RECOVER TO VFR BEFORE THE FOG BEGINS TO COVER THE VALLEY AGAIN
AFTER 00Z SUNDAY. WINDS WILL REMAIN LIGHT AND VARIABLE.
OTHERWISE, VFR CONDITIONS PREVAIL IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
INTERIOR FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
AIR QUALITY ISSUES
ON SATURDAY JANUARY 17 2026, UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS IN
FRESNO, KERN, KINGS, MADERA AND TULARE COUNTIES. FIREPLACE/WOOD
STOVE BURNING STATUS IS: NO BURNING FOR ALL IN FRESNO, KERN, AND
MADERA COUNTIES. NO BURNING UNLESS REGISTERED IN KINGS, MERCED,
AND TULARE COUNTIES. BURNING DISCOURAGED IN KERN (GREATER
FRAZIER PARK AREA) AND SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK AND FOREST.NX.TXT
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
DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL NOON PST TODAY FOR CAZ301>303-305>307-
309>312-314>316.
BSO
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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