437
FXUS66 KHNX 221807
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1007 AM PST THU JAN 22 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
THROUGH FRIDAY. OTHERWISE, DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL UNTIL
NEXT WEEK.
3. SOME LIGHT SHOWERS IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE VALLEY
TODAY.
DISCUSSION
DESPITE THE CUTOFF LOW SPINNING MUCH CLOSER TO THE COAST, WE
WOKE UP TO DENSE FOG THIS MORNING AS THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF
MIXING. HOWEVER, THE RADAR IS PICKING UP VERY LIGHT SHOWERS
OVER THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS, EASTERN KERN COUNTY, AND PORTIONS
OF THE SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THIS MORNING. DRY CONDITIONS
WILL PREVAIL IN THE VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON AS THE LOW SLIDES
INLAND LATER TODAY THROUGH TOMORROW. THE SIERRA NEVADA STILL HAS
A 50 TO 70 PERCENT CHANCE OF ANY SNOW ACCUMULATION ABOVE 7,000
FEET THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
DENSE FOG IS EXPECTED AGAIN TONIGHT AS THE MODELS HAVE A 50 TO
70 PERCENT CHANCE OF VISIBILITIES AT OR BELOW QUARTER MILE
BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 11 AM FRIDAY. THE DENSE FOG WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK AS A WEAK RIDGE MOVES IN OVER
THE WEEKEND KEEPING US DRY STILL. HOWEVER, THE ENSEMBLES HINT AT
A TROUGH SLIDING JUST NORTH OF CALIFORNIA WEDNESDAY INTO
THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK WITH A 20 TO 25 PERCENT CHANCE OF ANY RAIN
ACCUMULATION IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. KEEPING THIS IN MIND,
THE CPC KEEPS US AT A 50 TO 70 PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES IN THE 6-10 AND 8-14 DAY OUTLOOK. HOWEVER, THE CPC
ALSO SHOWS A 33 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF BELOW AVERAGE
PRECIPITATION IN THE 6 TO 10 DAY OUTLOOK AND NEAR NORMAL
PRECIPITATION IN THE 8 TO 14 DAY OUTLOOK.
AVIATION
IFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE BUT WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE
BY 20-21Z. MVFR TO VFR CONDITIONS WITH AREAS OF IFR CONDITIONS
EXPECTED IN THE VALLEY BETWEEN 21Z AND 6Z. AFTER 6Z FRIDAY,
CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE TO IFR TO LIFR ESPECIALLY AFTER 9Z.
THERE IS A 20-30 PERCENT CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION WITH MOUNTAIN
OBSCURATIONS OVER THE SIERRA NEVADA INTO THE KERN COUNTY
MOUNTAINS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY. OTHERWISE, VFR CONDITIONS WILL
PREVAIL FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
AIR QUALITY ISSUES
ON THURSDAY JANUARY 22 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 11 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR CAZ301>303-
305>307-309>312-314-315.
JPK
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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