Le Grand, California 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

703
FXUS66 KHNX 011129
AFDHNX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Hanford CA
426 AM PDT Thu May 1 2025

.UPDATE...Updated Aviation section.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...

1. Temperatures will trend warmer and rise to several degrees
above seasonal averages until late this week.

2. An upper-level disturbance will provide at least a slight
chance of showers and thunderstorms to mainly the higher
terrain, including the West Side Hills, Kern County mountains,
and the Sierra Nevada today and Thursday. Showers and
thunderstorms are expected mainly over the Sierra on Friday.

3. A cooldown and stronger system will bring a chance of more
widespread precipitation and locally gusty winds for the
weekend.

4. Drying and warming return by the middle of next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...Latest satellite imagery shows the upper-level
shortwave with a cyclonic circulation off the coast of
SF/Monterey Bays along with mid-level and high clouds over
portions of the WFO Hanford warning/forecast area. We got some
cumulus cloud buildups yesterday over the usual mountain areas
plus the Kern County mountains and the West Side Hills. We`ll
likely get some more buildups today as well as a slight chance
for showers and thunderstorms by this afternoon for the higher
peaks of the West Side Hills (such as towards Santa Rita Peak
and Joaquin Ridge near Coalinga) and parts of the Sierra Nevada.
Additional coverage occurs Thursday, including into Kern County,
as the shortwave moves along the coast of SoCal and eventually
inland towards northern Baja California. Shower and thunderstorm
activity becomes confined to mainly the Sierra on Friday.
Otherwise, a minor warming trend occurs today until Friday,
although high temperatures will reach several degrees above
normal. Latest probabilities for a high temperature of at least
85 degrees are 50 to 90 percent for the SJ Valley and Kern
County desert, with better chances on Friday for the desert.

The weekend storm shows about a 30 to 50 percent chance for at
least 0.50 inch of precipitation in the Sierra Nevada and
adjacent foothills and several inches of snow in the higher
elevations of the Sierra Nevada. Snow levels will be high
initially on Saturday, or over 8,000 feet, then lower to around
6,000 feet Saturday night and as low as 5,000 feet by Sunday
morning. It appears precipitation will generally be steady from
Saturday afternoon until Sunday. Precipitation amounts will be
lower heading towards Kern County, although we can`t rule out a
dusting of snow in the Tehachapi and Frazier Park areas.
However, there is the potential for strong and gusty winds
heading into the desert slopes, or about a 30-40 percent chance
of a gust at least 45 mph on Saturday evening into Sunday
morning. Much cooler than normal temperatures are in store for
this first weekend in May, although not quite as cool as the
previous weekend.

For next week, continued cool conditions and lingering showers
over the mountains last into Monday, but a drying and
noticeable warming trend occurs by midweek. Above average highs
return next Wednesday, although we`re not seeing much warmer
than normal at this time.

&&

.AVIATION...12Z Update:

In the San Joaquin Valley and West Side Hills, VFR conditions will
prevail for the next 24 hours. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms
are also possible towards KBFL and KPTV after 21Z Thu until 05Z Fri.

Elsewhere, mainly VFR, except MVFR due to cloud buildups and
isolated showers/thunderstorms in the Sierra Nevada, adjacent
foothills after 19Z Thursday. The shower/thunderstorm threat will
spread to the Kern County mountains and desert with MVFR conditions
also possible after 19Z Thursday. Area showers/thunderstorms are
expected to trail off around 05Z Fri.

&&

.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 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...
None.

&&

$$

BSO/DCH/EW/CM/SM

weather.gov/hanford