447
FXUS66 KHNX 201740
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
1040 AM PDT WED MAY 20 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. WARMING TREND CONTINUES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS WEEK.
3. PRACTICE SAFETY AROUND AREA LAKES, RIVERS, AND STREAMS AS
WATER IS STILL RUNNING COLD.
DISCUSSION
THANKS TO THE HIGH PRESSURE THAT IS CONTINUING TO BUILD, TEMPERATURES
TODAY ARE LOOKING TO BE A BIT WARMER TODAY COMPARED TO
YESTERDAY. MOST PLACES WERE FLIRTING WITH THE 90S, HITTING THE
UPPER 80S YESTERDAY. TODAY, THERE IS HIGH CONFIDENCE (70 TO 90
PERCENT) OF EXCEEDING 90 DEGREES. FOR VISALIA, THERE IS MODERATE
CONFIDENCE (50 PERCENT) FOR EXCEEDING 90 DEGREES. THERE IS LOW
TO MODERATE CONFIDENCE (25 TO 50 PERCENT) THAT TEMPERATURES WILL
EXCEED 92 DEGREES TODAY. THERE IS LOW CONFIDENCE (10 TO 30
PERCENT) OF EXCEEDING TEMPERATURES ABOVE 93 DEGREES. THERE IS
STILL A MODERATE RISK FOR WILDFIRES DEVELOPING TODAY, AS THE
MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES RANGE FROM 10 TO 15 PERCENT IN
THE VALLEY AND 20 TO 30 PERCENT IN THE FOOTHILLS. IN THE MOJAVE
DESERT AND THE SLOPES, THAT PERCENTAGE IS MUCH LOWER, RANGING
FROM 5 TO 10 PERCENT. WINDS ARE STILL EXPECTED TO BE CALMER
TODAY. LOOKING INTO LATER THIS WEEK, TEMPERATURES ARE LOOKING TO
GET INTO THE MID 90S, AS THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE ON THURSDAY (60
TO 70 PERCENT) AND THEN ON FRIDAY A 50 TO 70 PERCENT CHANCE OF
EXCEEDING 95 DEGREES.
THROUGH THE WEEKEND, THERE WILL STILL BE A MODERATE CHANCE TO
REACH THE MID 90S FOR THE LOWER ELEVATIONS WITHIN THE SJV. THE
HIGHS BEGIN TO DROP FROM THE MID 90S TO THE 90S, THEN INTO THE
MID 80S AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH LOOKS TO MOVE INTO THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. PRECIPITATION, IF ANY, WILL
BE CONFINED TO THE HIGHEST POINTS OF THE SIERRA NEVADA RANGE.
WITH THESE WARMING TEMPERATURES, WATER WAYS WILL BE RUNNING
COLD. EXERCISE CAUTION AROUND LAKES, RIVERS, AND STREAMS AS EVEN
THE MOST EXPERIENCED SWIMMERS CAN LOSE DEXTERITY IN COLD WATER.
AVIATION
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
FIRE WEATHER
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY, THE WEST SIDE HILLS OF THE COASTAL RANGE, THE
LOWER SIERRA NEVADA FOOTHILLS, KERN COUNT MOUNTAINS AND THE
DESERT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. FAST MOVING AND DEVELOPING
GRASS AND BRUSH FIRES WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN REGARDING
AVAILABLE FUELS. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT, BUT WITH THE WARMING TREND
AND LOWERING HUMIDITY THERE WILL BE POOR TO MODERATE OVERNIGHT
HUMIDITY RECOVERY.
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...BB
AVIATION....BB
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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