Includes Yosemite National Park
July 15, 2020 - The National Weather Service Hanford Office reports a few strong thunderstorms are possible in the Sierra Nevada north of Tulare County today.
Small hail, funnel clouds, and wind gusts near 40 miles per hour are some of the hazards associated with strong thunderstorms.
In addition to dangerous cloud to ground lightning strikes, any thunderstorm can produce intense rainfall rates, leading to localized flooding.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 219 AM PDT Wed Jul 15 2020 .SYNOPSIS...Weak low pressure off the California Coast will allow for easterly flow aloft and a small threat of afternoon and evening thunderstorms along the Sierra Nevada crest until Friday. Over the weekend, high pressure ridging will strengthen over the Great Basin with dry and slightly warmer weather. && .DISCUSSION...The weather pattern, including weak low pressure along the coast, will continue generally quiet, except for afternoon and evening showers with isolated thunderstorms over the Sierra Nevada crest from Yosemite to Kings Canyon NP each day from today until Friday. Marine layer remains at around 2500 feet deep, per latest Ft. Ord profiler data. So, we will be on track for this afternoon`s high temperatures to remain near seasonal averages or in the mid to upper-90s in the San Joaquin Valley. Elsewhere, including in the mountains and desert, temperatures will remain above average today and through the remainder of this week. In addition, expect patchy smoke over the Central Valley each night and morning due to the ongoing Mineral Fire west of Coalinga for at least the next couple of days. The seasonal temperatures in the Central Valley will likely be short-lived once the marine air in the Central Valley mixes out and warms back up. Thus, highs near the century mark will return to the SJ Valley by Thursday. Triple digits will likely continue for the next several days. Over the weekend, high pressure will gradually shift westward back into our region, while the weak upper low moves further offshore. So, a further rise in temperatures is likely, though not a major change. Temperatures are projected to reach at least 3-5 degrees above average during this period; widespread triple digits are likely for this weekend. As for the first half of next week, it is possible some intrusion of moisture from the southeast could impact our region, at least over the Sierra Nevada and the Kern County desert. Details remain uncertain regarding how much moisture will flow into these areas at this time; though we cannot rule out the possibility of thunderstorms in these areas for this period. For now, the forecast remains dry for Monday through next Wednesday. Otherwise, it appears warmer than average temperatures will persist, as highs remain in the triple digits in much of the San Joaquin Valley and the Kern County desert areas. Source: NWS
