Hard Freeze Warning 3, NWS Hanford, CA

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Hanford CA
402 AM PST Sat Dec 11 2021

.SYNOPSIS...Dry and cool conditions will prevail today. Sub
freezing conditions are likely in the Kern Desert again tonight.
A slow moving storm system may bring significant precipitation
from late Sunday night through Tuesday evening. Another storm is
expected to bring additional precipitation to the area on
Thursday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...A cold northwest flow ahead of a high pressure
center off the CA coast is providing for the coldest temperature
readings in the San Joaquin Valley and Kern County Deserts in
almost 10 months. Temperatures across the Kern County Deserts
have already plunged below 28 Deg F at several stations and the
Hard Freeze Warning that had been issued for the Mojave Desert and
the Indian Wells Valley should easily verify this morning. Across
the San Joaquin Valley, temperatures have already dropped into
the mid 30s at several stations and are expected to drop below the
freezing mark by daybreak. As a result, much of the San Joaquin
valley is expected to have it's first freeze of the season. Skies
are mainly clear across our area with some thin high clouds noted
by satellite imagery. The fog loop is showing a narrow strip of
fog from Fresno southward through far western Tulare County, but
the fog will be localized this morning due to the prevailing dry
airmass.

Following a mostly sunny and relatively cold day today, the flow
aloft is progged to shift from northwest to west tonight and
mid/high clouds will increase from north to south as a strong
storm drops southward out of the Gulf of AK and takes aim at
central CA. The increased clouds will result in temperatures
tonight remaining above the freezing mark at most locations.
However, the Kern County Deserts are expected to remain mainly
clear with light winds. This will allow for good radiational
cooling to take place once again and another night of temperatures
below 28 Deg F is possible. A Hard Freeze Watch remains in effect
for the Kern County Deserts for tonight and Sunday morning.

The storm is progged to deepen off the PAC NW coast on Sunday
which will push precipitation southward into central CA during
the day. Precipitation will be possible from Fresno northward by
Sunday afternoon with the snow level between 5000 and 6000 feet.
The precipitation is expected to push further southward on Sunday
night and become more widespread across our area by Monday
morning. A very wet period is expected across our area Monday
through Tuesday evening. Latest QPF progs are indicating 1 to 2
inches of rain across most of the San Joaquin Valley during this
time frame. Between 2 and 5 inches of rain is expected over the
Sierra foothills and 3 to 7 inches of liquid precipitation across
the higher Sierra Nevada. Heavy snowfall is expected above 5000
feet and several feet of new snow are likely above 7000 feet. A
Winter Storm Watch remains in effect for the higher Sierra Nevada
between Monday morning and Wednesday morning. Significant
precipitation is also expected across the Kern County Mountains
and Deserts with 1 to 2 inches of liquid precipitation in the Kern
County Mountains and a half inch to an inch of rainfall in the
Deserts. Snow levels are expected to remain above the major passes
in Kern County until Tuesday evening, but some light snowfall is
possible on the passes late Tuesday evening.

The slow moving storm is expected to move out of our area on
Wednesday. Another storm is progged by the medium range models to
move through central CA on Thursday bringing additional
precipitation to our area. The medium range ensemble means are
indicating that this system will move out of our area on Friday
and high pressure will bring drier conditions to our area next
weekend.

&&

.AVIATION...In the San Joaquin Valley, areas of MVFR and local IFR
visibility in mist and haze through 20Z Sat. Otherwise, VFR
conditions will prevail across the central CA interior for the
next 24 hours.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...On Saturday December 11 2021...
Fireplace/Wood Stove Burning Status is: No Burning Unless
Registered in Fresno... Kern... Madera and Tulare Counties.
Further information is available at Valleyair.org

&&

.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
an/or to provide feedback.

&&

.HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Hard Freeze Warning until 9 AM PST this morning for CAZ337-339.

Hard Freeze Watch from this evening through Sunday morning for
CAZ337-339.

Winter Storm Watch from late Sunday night through late Tuesday
night for CAZ323-326>331.

Freeze Warning until 9 AM PST this morning for CAZ301>303-305-
306-309>312-315-316.

&&

public...DS
aviation....DCH

weather.gov/hanford