textproduct: San Joaquin Valley

KEY MESSAGES

1. Storm in California through Friday bringing damaging winds to eastern Kern County.

2. 10% probability of thunderstorms this afternoon and overnight into Thursday morning for the Sierra Nevada, Foothills, and the valley from Fresno County north.

3. The combination of strong winds and dry air means a low risk for fire starts in eastern Kern County and southeastern Tulare County.

4. Wind gusts will leads to hazardous travel conditions along Highways 14, 58, and 395 through Friday.

PREV DISCUSSION

/issued 101 PM PDT Wed Apr 1 2026/

DISCUSSION... The first wave of precipitation in this trough has moved through but the second wave is to our North. However, the Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through 8 AM tomorrow for the Yosemite area because of the second wave. There is a 45 to 55 percent chance of additional rain in the Valley from this evening to tomorrow. As the trough moves more onshore this evening, wind gusts will pick up especially in eastern Kern County. A High Wind Warning is in effect for the Mojave Slopes and a Wind Advisory for the Mojave Desert in Kern County through noon Friday.

A ridge of high pressure slides in on Friday and through the weekend bringing drier and much warmer conditions to the area. Sunday has a 50 to 80 percent chance of highs of at least 85 degrees which would make any festivities to be pleasant. However, temperatures cool off Monday and Tuesday into next Wednesday as the ridge weakens and a trough approaches from the west. The CPC outlooks continue the above average temperatures and below average precipitation.

AVIATION... VFR conditions will prevail across central California across the next 24 hours, except IFR due to mountain obscurations over the Sierra Nevada for the next 24 hours resulting from precipitation. Strong winds developing over the Sierra Nevada Crest and across the Kern County Desert with surface winds with gusts of 50 mph and higher possible.

FIRE WEATHER... A storm system is moving through the area through Thursday morning. RH values will improve with decreasing temperatures and ample moisture with the system. In addition, strong NW flow on the backside of the trough Friday into the weekend will introduce high winds and very low RH values, especially for the Kern Desert and southern Sierra Nevada where minimum humidity has potential to fall below 15 percent.

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 and/or to provide feedback.

HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

High Wind Warning until noon PDT Friday for CAZ338. Wind Advisory until noon PDT Friday for CAZ337-339. Winter Weather Advisory until 8 AM PDT Thursday for CAZ323-326.