060
FXUS66 KHNX 290643
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1143 PM PDT TUE APR 28 2026
KEY MESSAGES
1. WARMING TREND THROUGH THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND.
2. 5 TO 15 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SIERRA NEVADA
THROUGH THURSDAY.
3. NEXT BEST CHANCE OF RAIN FOR THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY COMES
NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
RELATIVELY BENIGN CONDITIONS HAVE SET UP ACROSS CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE SAN JOAUQIN VALLEY NEAR
SEASON AVERAGES. WEAK MOISTURE INFLUENCES FROM A SHORTWAVE UPPER
LEVEL TROUGH BROUGHT ISOLATED SHOWERS TO THE SIERRA NEVADA
TODAY, OF WHICH THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL CHANCES THROUGH
THURSDAY AS A WEAK CUT-OFF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKS THROUGH
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. CYCLONIC FLOW AROUND THE LOW WILL BRING
MOISTURE TO THE REGION WHICH IS LIKELY TO CONDENSE AS IT MOVES
UP THE TERRAIN. CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS ARE FIVE TO TEN
PERCENT FOR WEDNESDAY AND TEN TO FIFTEEN PERCENT FOR THE HIGH
ELEVATIONS FROM YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK TO SEQUOIA AND KINGS
CANYON NATIONAL PARKS.
IN THE LATTER PART OF THE WEEK, A WEAK HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE IS
FAVORED TO BUILD OVER CENTRAL CALIFORNIA, RESULTING IN A WARMING
TREND ACROSS THE REGION AS WELL AS LOWERING RELATIVE HUMIDITY
VALUES. ON FRIDAY, THERE IS A 50 TO 60 PERCENT PROBABILITY FOR
AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES TO EXCEED 90 DEGREES IN THE WESTERN SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY, WITH THESE PROBABILITIES EXTENDING TO THE
MAJORITY OF THE VALLEY AREAS ON SATURDAY. PROBABILITIES FOR
THESE TEMPERATURES ARE 70 TO 80 PERCENT FOR THE VALLEY PORTIONS
OF KERN COUNTY.
HOWEVER, AS THE LATE WEEKEND APPROACHES, A PATTERN CHANGE WILL
TAKE HOLD AS A STRONGER CUT-OFF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SLIDES
SOUTHWARD ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST. THIS SYSTEM WILL BE THE NEXT
BEST CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND
SIERRA FOOTHILLS AS WARM, SATURATED AIR IS FORCED NORTHWARD FROM
THE TROPICAL AREAS. OVER A 48 HOUR PERIOD ENDING NEXT WEDNESDAY
MORNING, THERE IS A 40 TO 50 PERCENT PROBABILITY FOR THE VALLEY
AREAS TO RECIEVE MEASURABLE RAINFALL (>0.01"), INCREASING TO 70
TO 80 PERCENT FOR THE MOUNTAIN AREAS. OVER THE SAME TIME FRAME,
THERE IS A 50 TO 60 PERCENT PROBABILITY FOR MORE THAN ONE INCH
OF SNOWFALL FOR THE MOUNTAIN AREAS AS SNOW LEVELS ARE PROJECTED
TO BE AROUND 7,000 FEET.
AVIATION
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS OVER CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA.
AIR QUALITY ISSUES
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
NONE.
PUBLIC/AVIATION...MCCOY
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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