Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS San Joaquin Valley, CA
Issued by NWS San Joaquin Valley, CA
279 FXUS66 KHNX 051808 AFDHNX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 1108 AM PDT Sun May 5 2024 && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. Strong winds across eastern Kern County, with high winds likely across the lee slope. 2. Warming trend throughout the work week. Most of the San Joaquin Valley has a 25 to 65% probability of seeing at least 90 degrees by the end of the week. 3. High Sierra thunderstorm potential, 10-20% probability, late week during the afternoon and early evening. && .DISCUSSION... The low pressure that brought precipitation to region yesterday is sliding into the Great Basin today. As this low ejects today, a tight pressure gradient across eastern Kern County and extreme southeastern Tulare County will lead to strong gusty winds across much of the lee slopes. Walker Pass and many of the exposed peaks have been gusting from 60 to 85 mph this morning. Winds will diminish across the Scodie Mountains and Walker Pass this afternoon as the trough axis slides east, though strong to severe gust will continue across the typical "windy zone" along the lee slopes parallel to HWY 14 and into Mojave. Those winds will diminish after sunset. However, there remains a 24 to 32% probability of 60 mph gust west of Mojave near the HWY 58 & 14 junction at midnight. Otherwise, today will be cool, with only a 15% probability of climbing to 70 degrees in the San Joaquin Valley. However, these cool temps will be short-lived as a ridge slides closer to the West Coast and the aforementioned low slides east. Temperatures in the San Joaquin Valley have a 25 to 65% probability of seeing 90 degrees, with the westside and south ends of the Valley having the higher probabilities. Additionally, there is a 10 to 20% probability of thunderstorms along the Sierra Crest Thursday into Saturday during the afternoon as shortwave energy drops south from Central Canada and retrogrades into the Great Basin. Moisture is limited, the NBM is hinting at a 5% probability of measure precipitation in the high Sierra. While the Valley will be dominated by ridging. So, to put it another way a more summer like pattern is expected by weeks end. && .AVIATION...Widespread MVFR with areas of mountain obscuring IFR in the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Mountains in low clouds and precipitation thru 18Z Sun with gradual improvement to VFR by 06Z Mon. Elsewhere, VFR conditions will prevail for the next 24 hours. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ISSUED: 05/04/2024 14:04 EXPIRES: 05/05/2024 23:59 None. && .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... High Wind Warning until 11 PM PDT this evening for CAZ338. Wind Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening for CAZ337-339. High Wind Warning until 2 PM PDT this afternoon for CAZ331. && $$ Meadows weather.gov/hanford