540
FXUS66 KHNX 202329
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
329 PM PST TUE JAN 20 2026
UPDATE
AVIATION DISCUSSION UPDATED
DISCUSSION
THE VISIBILITY IN THE FOG THIS MORNING IMPROVED IN SOME AREAS
UNTIL THEY WORSENED BEFORE SUNRISE. HOWEVER, THE FOG SEVERITY
INDEX (FSI) IS ALREADY SHOWING HIGH TO VERY HIGH RISKS BEGINNING
LATE THIS EVENING INTO TOMORROW MORNING. LUCKILY, THE LATEST
ENSEMBLES CONTINUE TO AGREE THAT A TROUGH SLIDE INTO OUR AREA
WHICH WILL BRING SOME MIXING TO OUR AREA WHICH WILL HELP REDUCE
THE FOG POTENTIAL FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
THE LATEST ENSEMBLES HAVE A 10 TO 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF ANY RAIN
ACCUMULATION HERE IN THE VALLEY ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY FROM THE
INCOMING TROUGH. THIS TROUGH ALSO BRINGS A 60 TO 70 PERCENT
CHANCE OF A TRACE OF SNOW AND A 5 PERCENT OR LESS CHANCE OF 4
INCHES OF SNOW FOR MOST SPOTS ABOVE 7,000 FEET IN THE SIERRA
NEVADA WITH THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS SEEING HIGHER CHANCES OF MORE
SNOW.
THE ENSEMBLES ALSO SHOW STRONG AGREEMENT THAT A WEAK RIDGE WILL
SETUP OVER THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK WHICH WILL KEEP
THINGS DRY. THIS WEAK RIDGE ALSO SIGNALS THE FOG IS MORE LIKELY
TO RETURN OVER THE WEEKEND. THE CPC HAS A 70 TO 80 PERCENT
CHANCE OF ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES IN BOTH THE 6-10 AND 8-14
DAY OUTLOOKS. HOWEVER, THE 6-10 DAY OUTLOOK HAS A STRONG SIGNAL
OF BELOW AVERAGE PRECIPITATION AND THE 8-14 DAY OUTLOOK HAS A 33
TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF BELOW AVERAGE PRECIPITATION.
AVIATION
CONDITIONS ARE GREATLY IMPROVED SINCE EARLIER THIS MORNING AND
AFTERNOON. VISIBILITIES ACROSS THE TAF SITES AS OF THIS UPDATE
ARE 3-6 SM, HOWEVER CIGS CONTINUE TO BE DOWN TO IFR AND LIFR
THRESHOLDS IN SOME AREAS. SOME MINOR IMPROVEMENTS ARE POSSIBLE
THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON, BUT LOW STRATUS WILL BE
RELUCTANT TO TAPER OFF. AFTER 04Z, WIDESPREAD IFR TO LIFR
CONDITIONS BEGIN TO PREVAIL AGAIN UNTIL AT LEAST 18Z. WINDS
REMAIN LIGHT AND VARIABLE THROUGH THE TAF CYCLE. VFR CONDITIONS
PREVAIL FOR THE SIERRA NEVADA, COASTAL RANGE, AND IN THE MOJAVE
DESERT FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
AIR QUALITY ISSUES
ON TUESDAY JANUARY 20 2026, UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS IN
KERN COUNTY. FIREPLACE/WOOD STOVE BURNING STATUS IS:
NO BURNING FOR ALL IN KERN COUNTY. NO BURNING UNLESS REGISTERED
IN FRESNO, KINGS, MADERA, MERCED, AND TULARE COUNTIES. BURNING
DISCOURAGED IN KERN (GREATER FRAZIER PARK AREA) AND SEQUOIA
NATIONAL PARK AND FOREST.
PUBLIC...SM
AVIATION....BENNETT
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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