High Wind in California, March 4, 2001

INTERIOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
200 PM PST SUN MAR 04 2001

UPPER LOW CONTS TO DEVELOP OFF THE NORCAL COAST. MODELS SIMILAR IN
GRADUALLY MOVING/REDEVELOPING LOW FARTHER SOUTH...WEST OF SOCAL NEXT
24 TO 36 HRS...WITH MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW CONTINUING ACROSS CENTRAL
CA INTO TUES. SPORADIC VALLEY RAIN TODAY...AS BEST DYNAMICS HAVE
BEEN TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH. IN ADDITION...FLOW ACROSS THE COAST
RANGE HAS PRODUCED A RAIN-SHADOW EFFECT IN THE VALLEY. MODELS SHOW
BETTER PVA MOVING ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVE...AND RAIN SHOULD PICK UP
AGAIN. IN THE MTNS...PRECIP WILL CONT FAIRLY STEADY. SO FAR IN THE
HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA...6-12 INCHES OF NEW SNOW SEEN ON
SOME OF THE RAWS STATIONS...AND ANOTHER 6-12 LIKELY THROUGH THE
NIGHT. CURRENT WARNING ON TRACK. WINDS IN THE VALLEY AND ACROSS THE
TEHACHAPIS VERY GUSTY AT TIMES...REACHING 50 TO 60 MPH IN A FEW
PLACES. AN EARLIER REPORT OF 57 MPH OCCURRED AT FRAZIER PARK. AT
1PM...THE WIND AT BFL WAS GUSTING TO 49 MPH. SURFACE GRADS WILL
BEGIN TO RELAX LATER THIS EVE AS SURFACE LOW OFF THE COAST MOVES
FARTHER NORTH AND WEAKENS. WILL CONT WITH PRESENT ADVISORY...AND LET
NEXT SHIFT EXPIRE OR EXTEND AT 10PM. FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE KERN
MTNS CONTINUES ON TRACK...WITH GOOD OROGRAPHIC RAINS FALLING ON A
SNOW PACK BETWEEN 4-6K. MAIN CONCERN IS FOR THE TEHACHAPI STREAMS
OVER AND NEAR THE GRAPEVINE.

LATEST MESO SHOWS BEST PVA ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT...THEN A WEAKER
PATTERN BY MON MORNING. PRECIP IN THE VALLEY MON PROBABLY MORE OF
THE SPORADIC TYPE...BUT REMAINING FAIRLY STEADY IN THE MTNS. NEXT
PVA SHOT MOVES IN LATER MON AFTERNOON AND NIGHT AND SHOULD SEE RAIN
INCREASE AGAIN. BY TUES...UPPER LOW MOVES TOWARD THE SOCAL COAST.
WINDS ALOFT TURN MORE EAST...AND THIS WILL BEGIN TO LESSEN PRECIP
CHANCES...BUT NOT END IT COMPLETELY.

IN THE EXTENDED...A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS IN THE MTNS WED AS UPPER
LOW HEADS SLOWLY EAST...PTCLDY ELSEWHERE. MODELS SOMEWHAT SIMILAR IN
ANOTHER CLOSED LOW DEVELOPING OFF THE COAST FRI AND SAT. POSITION OF
LOW AND TIMING WILL DETERMINE PRECIP CHANCES. FOR NOW WILL MENTION A
CHANCE OF SHOWERS FRI-SUN.  FAT +885 BFL 8886 YNP ++87    BINGHAM

.HNX...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND THE
       TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS ABOVE 6000 FEET THROUGH MONDAY.
    ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS BELOW 6000
       FEET THROUGH MONDAY.
    ...WIND ADVISORY FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
       THROUGH THIS EVENING.
    ...WIND ADVISORY FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS THROUGH THgIS
       EVENING.