Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS San Joaquin Valley, CA
Issued by NWS San Joaquin Valley, CA
416 FXUS66 KHNX 061741 AFDHNX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 941 AM PST Fri Mar 6 2026 && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. Strong winds and gusts are expected through Sunday in the Tehachapi Mountains, Mojave Slopes, and Mojave Desert. 2. An elevated fire risk existed for eastern Kern and Tulare Counties Friday through Sunday. 3. A warming trend is expected this weekend and into next week. && .DISCUSSION... An inside slider trough is expected to break off from the main flow and move in from the northeast tonight into Saturday, leading to strong winds across the mountainous regions of our CWA and elevated winds for the rest of the area. These strong winds are expected to be 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph over the peaks above 8000 feet for the Sierra Nevada and for the highest peaks of the Tehachapi Range. The Mojave Desert may also see wind gusts upwards of 70 mph starting Friday evening into Saturday evening. A Wind Advisory is in effect for the Upper Sierra through 10PM Saturday and the Mojave and Lower Sierra from 10PM tonight to 10PM Saturday. The northeasterly wind coming from over the Sierras will become a weak Mono wind downsloping into the Valley. This will lead to lowering relative humidities as the air warms and dries on the way down, increasing fire risk particularly for eastern Tulare and Kern Counties. Moist fuels will keep the fire risk from rising further. After this cut-off trough moves through our area, a ridge is expected to build in over the southwest, leading to above normal temperatures and little likelihood for rainfall. This pattern is likely to continue through the next two weeks as the Climate Prediction Center maintains above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation for our CWA through Day 14. && .AVIATION... VFR conditions expected for the next 24 hours. Surface wind gusts reaching 35KTS over the Sierra Nevada Crest during the period. && .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... High Wind Watch from Friday evening through Saturday evening for CAZ333-334-337>339. Wind Advisory until 10 PM PST Saturday for CAZ323-326-328-330- 331. && $$ EW weather.gov/hanford