841
FXUS66 KHNX 211831
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1031 AM PST WED JAN 21 2026
KEY MESSAGES
1. DENSE FOG IN THE VALLEY IS EXPECTED FOR THE
NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.
2. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW ABOVE 7,000 FEET IN THE SIERRA NEVADA
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. OTHERWISE, DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL FOR THE
WEEK.
DISCUSSION
THE FOG IS SLOW LIFTING THIS MORNING AS A CUTOFF LOW SPINS OFF
THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA. MODEL ENSEMBLES CONTINUE TO FAVOR THIS
LOW TO SLIDE INTO OUR AREA LATE TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. HOWEVER,
THE WINDS IN THE VALLEY WILL REMAIN LIGHT AND DIURNAL EVEN WITH
THIS LOW WHICH WILL KEEP THE POTENTIAL FOR FOG INTO THE WEEKEND.
THIS SYSTEM IS NOT EXPECTED TO BRING RAIN TO THE VALLEY AS THERE
IS A 10 PERCENT CHANCE OR LESS OF ANY RAIN FOR MOST LOCATIONS
EXCEPT FOR BAKERSFIELD WHICH HAS A 20 PERCENT CHANCE. IN THE
SIERRA NEVADA, THERE IS A 55 TO 75 PERCENT CHANCE OF AT LEAST A
TRACE OF SNOW ABOVE 7,000 FEET THROUGH FRIDAY WITH THIS SYSTEM.
HIGHER PROBABILITIES OF A TRACE OF SNOW IS SEEN IN THE TULARE
COUNTY PORTION OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
AFTER THE LOW SLIDES OUT FRIDAY, A WEAK RIDGE SLOWLY SLIDES IN
PROVIDING ENOUGH STABILITY THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR FOG WILL BE
HIGHER. THE CPC HAVE A 60 TO 70 PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES IN BOTH ITS 6-10 AND 8-14 DAY OUTLOOKS. THE CPC
ALSO HINTS AT A PATTERN CHANGE FROM BEING 40 TO 50 PERCENT
CHANCE OF BELOW AVERAGE PRECIPITATION IN THE 6-10 DAY OUTLOOK TO
BEING NEAR NORMAL IN THE 8-14 DAY OUTLOOK.
AVIATION
VISIBILITIES ACROSS THE TAF SITES ARE IMPROVING AS OF 18Z AND
WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE INTO THE AFTERNOON. AFTER 06Z, IFR
CONDITIONS BEGIN TO POP UP WITH FOG RETURNING AT 09Z AND AFTER
WILL BRING CONDITIONS DOWN TO LIFR FOR MANY SPOTS IN THE VALLEY.
OUTSIDE OF THE VALLEY, VFR CONDITIONS PREVAIL FOR THE SIERRA NEVADA,
COASTAL RANGE, AND IN THE MOJAVE DESERT FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
AIR QUALITY ISSUES
ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY 21 2026, FIREPLACE/WOOD STOVE BURNING STATUS
IS: NO BURNING UNLESS REGISTERED IN FRESNO, KERN, AND MADERA
COUNTIES. BURNING DISCOURAGED IN KINGS, MERCED, AND TULARE COUNTIES,
AND KERN (GREATER FRAZIER PARK AREA) AND SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK AND
FOREST.
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>307-309>312-
314>317-319-321.
JPK
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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