879
FXUS66 KHNX 241557
AFDHNX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
857 AM PDT SUN MAY 24 2026
KEY MESSAGES
1. DRY CONDITIONS WILL ALLOW THE FIRE WEATHER RISK TO REMAIN IN
PLACE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK.
2. PRACTICE SAFETY AROUND LAKES, RIVERS, AND STREAMS, AS WATER
IS STILL RUNNING COLD.
3. OMEGA BLOCK PATTERN WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES PLEASANT BUT ALLOW
FOR DRY LIGHTNING CHANCES IN THE SIERRA NEVADA FOR THE NEXT
SEVERAL DAYS.
DISCUSSION
WARM CONDITIONS TODAY, WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 80S
TO LOW 90S ACROSS THE VALLEY. MOISTURE-WISE, CONDITIONS HAVE
IMPROVED A BIT, WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES EXPECTED TO BE
AROUND 20-25% ACROSS THE VALLEY TODAY. SIMILAR CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED TOMORROW. THERE IS A 5-10% CHANCE OF LIGHTNING IN THE
SIERRA FOOTHILLS TODAY, INCREASING TO 15-20% IN THE MIDDLE
ELEVATIONS AND 20-25% NEAR THE CREST. THERE IS A 10-20% CHANCE
OF GUSTS EXCEEDING 40 MPH ALONG THE MOJAVE DESERT SLOPES
OVERNIGHT TONIGHT.
LOOKING AHEAD, AN OMEGA BLOCK PATTERN IS SETTING UP ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. AS THAT HAPPENS, A LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD
DOWN THE WEST COAST AND STALL OUT OVER THE AREA. THIS WILL
MODERATE TEMPERATURES, KEEPING HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S TO UPPER
80S AS IT ARRIVES ON TUESDAY. HOWEVER, THIS WILL ALSO BRING
BROADLY NORTHERLY FLOW, WHICH WILL DRAW VERY DRY CONTINENTAL
POLAR AIR SOUTHWARD INTO THE AREA. THIS WILL CREATE ANOMALOUSLY
DRY CONDITIONS AS WE MOVE INTO THE MID-WEEK. WHEN WE ALSO
CONSIDER THE INCREASED WIND AND THE THREAT OF LIGHTNING, SOME
DRY, THE FIRE RISK WILL INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY ACROSS THE WEEK,
PARTICULARLY MONDAY, TUESDAY, AND WEDNESDAY. THE RISK WILL BE
MOST CONCENTRATED IN EASTERN TULARE AND KERN COUNTIES, THOUGH
ALL AREAS SHOULD BE WARY GIVEN ABNORMALLY DRY FUELS AND
ABNORMALLY HIGH ENERGY RELEASE COMPONENTS ACROSS THE ENTIRE
AREA. THERE IS A 40-70% CHANCE OF GUSTS EXCEEDING 40 MPH ALONG
THE MOJAVE SLOPES AND NORTHERN SIERRA CREST OVERNIGHT MONDAY AND
A 30-70% CHANCE OF GUSTS EXCEEDING 55 MPH ALONG THE ENTIRE CREST
AND THE MOJAVE SLOPES THROUGHOUT ALL OF TUESDAY.
DESPITE WARMER TEMPERATURES, LAKES, RIVERS, AND STREAMS ARE
STILL RUNNING QUITE COLD. PRACTICE COLD WATER SAFETY AT ALL
TIMES. EVEN THE MOST EXPERIENCED SWIMMERS CAN QUICKLY AND
UNEXPECTEDLY LOSE DEXTERITY IN COLD WATER.
AVIATION
VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILING ACROSS INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA FOR THE
NEXT 24 HOURS.
AIR QUALITY ISSUES
ELEVATED PM2.5 AND MODERATE-HIGH OZONE CONCENTRATIONS WILL
CREATE CONDITIONS UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. TAKE APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS.
CERTAINTY
THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 1 AND 2 IS HIGH.
THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 3 THROUGH 7 IS HIGH.
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...AC
AVIATION....AC
WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
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