Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS San Joaquin Valley, CA
Issued by NWS San Joaquin Valley, CA
110 FXUS66 KHNX 170951 AFDHNX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 251 AM PDT Sat Aug 17 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... 1. Confidence remains high for temperatures to be slightly below normal this weekend then near-normal again next week. 2. Despite increased relative humidity values, the risk of grass fires continues with breezy afternoon winds. The risk is highest in eastern Kern County due to elevated winds and relative humidity less than 10 percent. && .DISCUSSION... Friday saw another day of high temperatures near climatological normals for this time of the year. An upper low has formed just off the Pacific Northwest coast while upper ridging is centered over New Mexico. The low will deepen and drift a little south today for increased southwest flow aloft and a stronger onshore pressure gradient. Max temperatures are forecast to lower a few degrees for this weekend, falling to as much as 5 degrees below normal. The low shifts north and fills in over British Columbia early next week, allowing the upper ridge to nudge over Arizona. High temperatures rebound back up to near normal on Monday with little changes through midweek. Ensemble cluster analysis favors another low dropping south along the British Columbia coast on Wednesday. The upper low continues south to along the Pacific Northwest coast on Thursday and possibly to northern California by Friday. Temperatures are forecast to trend lower late in the week to around 5 degrees below normal again by Friday. && .AVIATION... Areas of MVFR and local IFR visibilities will continue in and around wildfires. Otherwise, VFR conditions will prevail across the central CA interior over the next 24 hours. && .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. && $$ DCH weather.gov/hanford