High Wind in California, February 3, 2021

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Hanford CA
232 PM PST Wed Feb 3 2021

.SYNOPSIS...An exiting system will continue to produce strong
gusty winds as well as areas of fog and stratus in Kern County
through the evening hours. A ridge will then setup starting Friday
through the middle of next week. This will allow for dry
conditions and slightly above average temperatures.

&&

.DISCUSSION...For the rest of the afternoon into tonight, an
upper level trough will continue to move through the northern
Great Basin, as a weak cold front exits the region. This passing
system has noticeably reduced today’s temperatures across the
district anywhere between 7 to 15 degrees. In addition to the
cooler temperatures, northwesterly flow aloft continues to push
fog and low stratus up against the valley facing side of the
Tehachapi mountains. Camera networks are showing that current
visibilities are still down to one quarter mile along SR-58 west
of Tehachapi. Areas of fog and stratus will continue into the
evening hours. One last immediate impact from this passing system
has been an increase in gusty winds in both the Tulare County
mountains, as well as through and below the Kern county mountain
passes and the surrounding desert areas. The current pressure
gradient between SFO-LAS is up to 15.9 mb, which is helping
produce strong wind gusts in excess of 50 mph to 60 mph in
portions of the Kern County mountains. The Wind Advisory for the
Tulare county mountains will remain in effect through 4 PM PST,
while the wind advisory for Kern County areas will continue
through 7 PM PST.

The cooler airmass will remain in place for Thursday, as a ridge
of high pressure starts to strengthen in the eastern Pacific.
Afternoon high temperatures will end up around seasonal averages
for early February, with mid to upper 50 for most locations in the
valley and desert. From Friday into the weekend, both the
deterministic models and their respective ensemble solutions are
in good agreement in showing that a very strong ridge will
develop in the eastern Pacific. Temperatures on Friday will start
to increase back above seasonal averages, and will remain between
4 to 8 degrees above average through Sunday. The aforementioned
ridge of high pressure will remain in place, but will start to
weaken by Monday. Weak ridging will remain in place through at
least the middle of next week, and temperatures during this time
will remain slightly above average.

Dry weather is expected for at least the next 7 days as the storm
track is well to our north.

&&

.AVIATION... Mountain obscuration in fog and stratus in north and
west slopes of the Tehachapi Mountains through at least 06z
Friday. Strong, gusty winds in excess of 55 mph are likely trough
and below the Kern County mountain passes and into the immediate
desert locations through at least 06Z Friday. Otherwise,VFR
conditions will prevail across the central CA interior for 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...

Wind Advisory until 7 PM PST this evening for CAZ196>199.

Wind Advisory until 4 PM PST this afternoon for CAZ194-195.

&&

public...CMC
aviation....MV

weather.gov/hanford