FXUS66 KHNX 122304 AFDHNX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 404 PM PDT Sat Apr 12 2025 .UPDATE... Aviation and Air Quality Sections Updated. && && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. Gusty winds will develop along the Mojave Desert Slopes this afternoon. 2. Unseasonably warm temperatures will continue through early next week with highs approaching 15 degrees above average on Monday. Highs are expected to lower to near average Wednesday and Thursday then possibly a little below average on Friday. 3. There is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms for the Sierra Nevada each afternoon Tuesday through Thursday. && .DISCUSSION... Satellite loops shows mainly sunny skies prevailing across the central California interior this afternoon. There is some thin cirrus moving up from the southwest, mainly across Kern County. An upper trough is splitting today as the northern energy tracks east across the Pacific Northwest and the southern energy forms a weak upper low well offshore southwest of southern California. 24-hr temperature trends are running down around 2 to 4 degrees, but highs this afternoon are forecast to still top out around 5 to 8 degrees above climatological averages for this time of the year. Little changes are expected on Sunday then an upper ridge builds in on Monday resulting in highs around 10 to 15 degrees above average. Additional energy drops down from the Gulf of Alaska early next week and merges with the weak upper low offshore. Moisture and dynamics are limited but enough to warrant slight chance (~20%) for afternoon showers and thunderstorms over the Sierra Nevada beginning Tuesday afternoon. Models are favoring a deeper upper low dropping down from the north over the Great Basin Thursday then central California on Friday. The thunderstorm threat will continue across the Sierra Wednesday through Friday. Highs are expected to lower to near average on Wednesday and Thursday and then possibly a little below average on Friday. && .AVIATION... VFR Conditions will prevail for the next 24 hours through 0Z Monday. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ISSUED: 04/12/2025 13:25 EXPIRES: 04/13/2025 23:59 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... None. && $$ public/idss...DCH aviation......JPK weather.gov/hanford