381
FXUS66 KHNX 291858
AFDHNX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Hanford CA
1158 AM PDT Sat Aug 29 2026


&&

.KEY MESSAGES...

1. Temperatures will be normal to slightly below normal through
the weekend before below average by the middle of next week.

2. Remaining moisture over the region bring a 5-15% chance of
thunderstorms from the foothills to the Sierra Nevada Crest this
afternoon.

3. Precipitation chances return again in the middle of next
week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Current satellite imagery shows high clouds moving over Central
California as the last of the tropical moisture from the past
few days continues to the northeast. These clouds should clear
out by this afternoon or evening. There is still a 5-15% chance
for thunderstorms over the Sierra Nevada this afternoon due to
this remaining moisture before dropping below 5% for the rest of
the week.

For the next few days, a trough is expected to move over the
northwestern coast, causing lowered 500mb heights in much of
California. This will lead to a slow cooling trend beginning
tomorrow as that trough moves east, though the minRHs around the
region will stay dry (15-25% in the Valley and becoming single
digits in the desert) through Monday. By the middle of the week,
a stronger shortwave is expected to move around the trough,
digging further south and leading to much cooler temperatures
and increased minRHs. This wave also has the slight chance to
bring in a small amount of rainfall to southeastern Kern County
on Tuesday. The late week may see another wave of energy move
through, by Friday into next weekend. This wave may also bring
some precipitation, this time to the Sierra Nevada north of
Tulare County.

Looking to the long term forecast, this troughing pattern may
persist into the early week after next, leading to either near
normal or below normal temperatures depending on how far south
they may dig. This pattern would also lend to a more above
normal amount of precipitation, which is also shown with the
Climate Prediction Center having Central California under a
leaning above normal for both the 6 to 10 and 8 to 14 day
outlooks.

&&


.AVIATION...
VFR conditions prevailing for the next 24 hours. However,
5 to 15 percent probability of thunderstorms over the Sierra
Nevada between 18Z Saturday and 3Z Sunday.

&&

.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.
&&

$$

EW

weather.gov/hanford