Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS San Joaquin Valley, CA

Home | Current Version | Previous Version | Text Only | Print | Product List | Glossary On
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
000
FXUS66 KHNX 211931
AFDHNX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Hanford CA
1231 PM PDT Thu Mar 21 2024


&&

.KEY MESSAGES...

1.Above normal temperatures will be present today and Friday,
before a cooling trend moves in for the weekend.

2.A storm system will impact Central California by this weekend,
resulting in periods of rainfall in the San Joaquin Valley and
snowfall in the Sierra Nevada.

3.A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for the Sierra Nevada
mountains from 5 PM Friday through 5 PM Sunday. Total snow
accumulations are expected to be 1 to 2 feet from 6,000 feet to
7,000 feet and 2 to 3 feet above 7,000 feet.

4.There is a 10-20 percent chance for thunderstorms in the San
Joaquin Valley on Saturday to the north of Kern County.

5.Another storm system is expected to impact the area by the
middle of next week,beginning on Wednesday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
A high pressure ridge over the southwest will lead to above
normal temperatures for our area, with the valley seeing highs
in the high 70`s today and tomorrow.

Then a low pressure system is expected to come through
California by Friday afternoon, bringing periods of rainfall
for the valley and snowfall for the Sierra Nevada mountains. A
Winter Storm Warning has been issued for the Sierra Nevada
during this time period due to heavy snowfall above 6,000 feet,
with 2 to 3 feet of snow expected above 7,000 feet.

Here are the probabilities for 18 inches or more of snow for
select locations in the Sierra Nevada through 5 PM Sunday:

Badger Pass: 81%
Huntington Lake: 62%
Shaver Lake: 59%
Lodgepole: 44%
Tioga Pass: 43%
Tuolumne Meadows: 41%
Grant Grove: 19%

The system is expected to move out of the area by Sunday night,
the passing cold front resulting in a temperature drop for the
valley over the weekend, with the valley falling into the mid
60`s on Saturday and into the low 60`s on Sunday. Highs are
expected to rise back to the high 60`s and low 70`s by Tuesday.

Medium range models are showing a second low pressure system
that may impact Central California by Wednesday, bringing more
rain and snow for the area. Current precipitation (at least 0.01
inches) chances are 25-35% for Wednesday afternoon through
Thursday. Then a third system is showing up on the long range
models, expected to impact the area next weekend, with a 35-55%
chance for precipitation of at least 0.01 inches.


&&


.AVIATION...VFR conditions will prevail across the central CA
interior for the next 24 hours.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
ISSUED:  03/20/2024 14:09
EXPIRES: 03/21/2024 23:59
None.



&&

.CERTAINTY...

The level of certainty for days 1 and 2 is medium.
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...
Winter Storm Warning from 5 PM Friday to 5 PM PDT Sunday for
CAZ323-326>331.
&&

$$

Public/Aviation/Fire Weather...EW
IDSS/PIO.......................DAS

weather.gov/hanford


USA.gov is the U.S. government's official web portal to all federal, state and local government web resources and services.