382
FXUS66 KHNX 181738
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1038 AM PDT MON MAY 18 2026
KEY MESSAGES
1. LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA BRINGS AT LEAST A MODERATE RISK OF FIRE DANGER THIS
WEEK.
2. RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND
WEST SIDE HILLS OF THE COASTAL RANGE THROUGH MONDAY EVENING WITH
A MAJOR RISK OF FIRE DANGER EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DUE TO LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY.
3. WARMING TREND THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
3. PRACTICE SAFETY AROUND AREA LAKES, RIVERS, AND STREAMS AS
WATER IS STILL RUNNING COLD.
DISCUSSION
THE INSIDE SLIDER TROUGH THAT BROUGHT THE GUSTY WINDS OVER THE
WEEKEND HAS BEGUN TO MOVE EASTWARD INTO NEVADA AND UTAH. THERE
WILL STILL BE BREEZY CONDITIONS TODAY WITH WINDS FORECASTED TO
BE BETWEEN 5-10 MPH WITHIN THE VALLEY ITSELF. IN ADDITION TO
THAT, THERE IS STILL LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY (LESS THAN 20
PERCENT) VALUES ACROSS THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. BECAUSE OF THIS,
THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE SJV UNTIL
TONIGHT AT 8PM.
TUESDAY LOOKS TO BEGIN THE WARM UP ACROSS THE VALLEY, WHICH WILL
LAST THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. BY WEDNESDAY, THERE IS A 90
PERCENT CHANCE TO MEET AND EXCEED TEMPERATURES OF 90 DEGREES
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE VALLEY. THERE IS A 10 PERCENT CHANCE TO
MEET AND EXCEED THE MID 90S AS WELL. COME FRIDAY, THERE WILL BE
A 10 PERCENT CHANCE TO MEET AND EXCEED TEMPERATURES OF 100
DEGREES THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY. SO WHILE WE CANNOT RULE OUT THESE
HIGHS OF 100, THEY ARE UNEXPECTED. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT,
THERE IS LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ONCE AGAIN, SO TAKE PRECAUTIONS
AS FIRE DANGER WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
AVIATION
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
FIRE WEATHER
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY (RH) VALUES TODAY, ALONG WITH BREEZY
CONDITIONS IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND THE WEST SIDE HILLS
ALONG THE COASTAL RANGE TODAY. THERE WILL BE THREATS FOR FAST-
MOVING GRASS FIRES IN THESE AREAS. MINIMUM RH VALUES WILL
PERSIST AS WELL, WITH MOST AREAS BEING UNDER 15 PERCENT RH. AS
SUCH, THE RED FLAG WARNING CONTINUES TO BE IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM
MONDAY. WINDS ARE NOT FORECASTED TO BE AS STRONG AS THEY WERE
OVER THE WEEKEND. A WARMING AND DRYING TREND WILL BE MOVING INTO
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA LATER THIS WEEK. THE RH IN THE VALLEY AREAS
ARE EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN 15 PERCENT UNTIL THURSDAY. THIS
LEADS TO ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
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
RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR CAZ579-580.
PUBLIC...BB
AVIATION....BB
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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