High Wind in California, March 8 to 9, 2021

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Hanford CA
1210 PM PST Mon Mar 8 2021

.SYNOPSIS...Dry weather will continue today with temperatures
a little below normal. A slow moving storm system will bring
cooler conditions and precipitation Tuesday afternoon through
Thursday. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms Wednesday
afternoon and evening, mainly across the San Joaquin Valley.
Dry weather along with a warming trend are likely Friday into
the weekend.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Dry southwest flow continues for the near term, though big changes
coming tomorrow as the cold storm in the Pacific inches closer to
the forecast area.

Today, however, focus is on the breezy winds across the wind-
prone areas of Kern County. Less than 25 percent probability winds
will high enough for winds over 45 mph near InyoKern/highway 14,
with generally little to no chance along highway 14 or other
locations in the Kern Desert. In the canyons and other wind-prone
areas those wind speeds could be seen but not much higher.

Overnight winds will diminish allowing attention to shift to the
low wave trough along the West Coast right as the first shortwave
energy pushes through our area. This will bring precipitation into
the northern sections of the forecast area by the afternoon
hours.

Currently expecting mostly showery activity with this system,
but by early morning Wednesday a band of stratiform rain should
move through the area allowing most locations to see something in
the rain gauge. Flow aloft will generally be orthogonal to the
Coastal Range so the normal rain shadowing will likely take place,
so expect slightly lower values in those locations.

Otherwise, thunderstorm/rain showers will be likely across the
area as the cold core low dives south over the area Wednesday into
Thursday. This will also bring some potential for snow on the
Grapevine, especially Wednesday night convective snow bands
possible.

On the subject of snow, snow levels will be low with this system
given its cold origins, which will minimize the threat of debris
flow/flash flood across our mountains. Still, with the amount of
instability there is potential of brief downpours before the snow
level and even heavy snow showers above it.

Things will be trending quieter Thursday into the weekend though
the low pressure system will be slow to depart our neck of the
woods. However, rain/snow chance will diminish late Thursday with
the trough axis too far east.

&&

.AVIATION...VFR conditions can be expected over the central CA
interior for at least the next 24 hours.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
None.

&&

.CERTAINTY...

The level of certainty for days 1 and 2 is medium.
The level of certainty for days 3 through 7 is high.

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 Watch from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday
evening for CAZ190>195.

Winter Storm Watch from Tuesday evening through Thursday
afternoon for CAZ196-197.

&&

Meadows

weather.gov/hanford