July 28, 2021 - The National Weather Service Hanford Office reports thunderstorms will likely develop over the Sierra Nevada this afternoon and linger into the evening hours.
In addition to dangerous cloud to ground lightning, a few thunderstorms will bring heavy rain, small hail and wind gusts to about 40 mph.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 334 AM PDT Wed Jul 28 2021 .SYNOPSIS... Temperatures will be slightly above normal through the middle of next week. Monsoonal moisture moving into the region will create favorable conditions for daily showers and isolated thunderstorms over the Sierra and through Saturday. && .DISCUSSION... Large area of high pressure over the central plains is nearly stationary through Saturday. Slightly above normal daytime high temperatures are expected through Saturday. SE flow will bring sub-tropical moisture into the region providing enough moisture for afternoon and evening thunderstorms through Saturday across the Sierra and upper foothill locations. Temperatures are forecast to remain nearly steady through the remainder of the week. NBM guidance is a bit cooler on Friday. Diurnal showers and thunderstorms are expected each day across the Sierra and Kern county mountains and desert areas. Afternoon clouds are possible across the SJV with SE flow aloft from thunderstorms in the mountains. Closed low off the CA coast will assist in feeding moisture northward over the region. There are several weak embedded short waves that will aid in convection development, even into the later hours. Locally heavy rain and gusty winds will be associated with the convection in the Sierra. Some storm may cross over burn scars and could create some isolated flash flooding. QPF forecast is not real impressive except for Friday. We are not expecting dry lightning since the monsoon moisture field is very deep and we have been seeing local amounts of up to one half of an inch with some of the storms over the past few days. && .AVIATION... Showers and isolated thunderstorms likely after 18Z Wed until 03Z Thur in the Sierra, primarily north of Sequoia National Park. Otherwise, VFR conditions will prevail through the next 24 hours. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... On Wednesday July 28 2021... Unhealthy for sensitive groups in Fresno... Kern and Tulare Counties and Sequoia National Park and Forest. Further information is available at Valleyair.orgSource: NWS