Flooding and Heavy Snow in California, February 4 to 14, 2019

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley - Hanford CA
425 AM PST Mon Feb 4 2019

.SYNOPSIS...
A series of storms will continue to bring hazardous weather to
Central California through Tuesday. Rain and mountain snow can be
expected with snow levels lowering significantly tonight and
Tuesday. Drier conditions return to the region by midweek.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
The next cold front is beginning to move into the central
California interior this morning and is bringing more
precipitation with it. Rain and snow will increase across area
as this front moves across the area through mid day. This will be
followed by another cold front that will move through late this
afternoon and tonight. This will be the last in the series of
storms systems that have been moving through the region since
Friday. This last one is bringing much colder air. This will drop
snow levels considerably tonight and Tuesday with snow expected to
lower to about 1500 feet Tuesday. A winter weather advisory has
been issued for the Sierra Foothills for tonight and Tuesday with
up to 6 inches of snow expected. The winter storm warning for the
Sierra Nevada remains in effect with 1 to 4 feet of snow possible
through Tuesday afternoon. In the Kern County Mountains, the
winter weather advisory also remains in effect, with snow levels
lowering to pass level tonight.

As the cold air begins to move in this afternoon, thunderstorms
are once again a possibility. However, they may not be limited to
just north of Fresno County. Instead, thunderstorms are possible
just about anywhere in the San Joaquin Valley and foothills. Could
be an interesting afternoon.

A few showers will linger into Tuesday night, mainly in the
mountains. By Wednesday morning only a few light snow showers or
flurries will remain in the upslope regions of the Kern County
Mountains.

With the much colder in place, the concern for frost and freezing
temperatures returns to the San Joaquin Valley for late Tuesday
night and Wednesday morning, and again late Wednesday night and
Thursday morning. A freeze watch has been issued for those periods
as temperatures drop to near or a few degrees below freezing.
Some cloud cover will likely linger Tuesday night which may keep
temperatures from dropping below 32 for too long. Wednesday night
and Thursday morning should see the coldest temperatures.

After a dry day on Thursday, models are forecasting another low
pressure system to drop south along the coast by Friday, bringing
another chance of precipitation. Beyond that, the models are not
in very good agreement with additional shortwave energy dropping
south through next weekend. It looks like there will be more
precipitation, but timing will be the issue.

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.AVIATION...
Areas of MVFR visibility due rain and mist in showers and isolated
thunderstorms. Mountain obscuration across the Sierra Nevada and
Tehachapi mountains during 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
an/or to provide feedback.

&&

.HNX Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
Winter Storm Warning until 4 PM PST Tuesday CAZ096-097.

Winter Weather Advisory until 4 AM PST Wednesday CAZ095.

Winter Weather Advisory from 9 PM this evening to 4 PM PST
Tuesday CAZ093-094.

Freeze Watch from late Tuesday night through Wednesday morning
CAZ089>092.

Freeze Watch from late Wednesday night through Thursday morning
CAZ089>092.

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