February 13, 2022 - The National Weather Service Hanford Office reports light snow is possible in the Sierra Nevada late Monday night and Tuesday.
The snow level will start at around 6,000 feet Monday night, before falling to about 4,000 feet Tuesday morning.
Snow amounts will be an inch or less.
There is a slight chance of light rain in the Sierra Nevada foothills late Monday night and Tuesday.
Dry weather will persist in the San Joaquin Valley.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 238 AM PST Sun Feb 13 2022 .SYNOPSIS...Strong high pressure will remain over the area through Monday with record or near record heat. A cold low pressure system will then move southward through the Great Basin Monday night and Tuesday bringing much cooler temepratures, increased winds and a slight chance of light precipitation. High pressure will build inland later in the week for a return warmer than normal temperatures and dry conditions. && .DISCUSSION...A large area of strong high pressure is maintaining an unseasonably warm airmass over our region and as a result, several new daily record maximum temperatures were set on Saturday across the area. With the high remaining dominant today, another day of near record highs are expected across our area. Latest NBM probabilistic guidance indicates that Fresno has a 77 percent chance of reaching or exceeding it/s previous record for today (79 Deg F in 1921) and Bakersfield has a 16 percent chance of reaching or exceeding it/s previous record for today (83 Deg F in 1924). SREF indicating that the large high will break down as a cold low pressure system drops out of the Gulf of AK tonight and into the PAC NW on Monday. However, with the unseasonably warm airmass still prevalent over our area, temperatures will remain well above seasonal normals on Monday. The low will then drop southeast through the Great Basin on Tuesday with the main impacts for our area being increased winds on Tuesday afternoon and evening most noticably over the mountains and Kern County Deserts where winds could gust near 50 mph along the Mojave Desert Slopes as well as much cooler temperatures as Tuesday`s highs are expected to be close to seasonal normals which is 15-20 Deg F below today`s readings. Blended guidance has been trending lower with precipitation amounts from this system, with up to a tenth of an inch of liquid precipitation possible in the mountains with much of the remainder of our area remaining dry as this system is progged to be moisture deficient. Snow levels are progged to be between 3500 and 4500 feet on Tuesday afternoon so up to an inch of new snowfall is possible over the higher elevations. The low is progged to move well to the east of our area on Wednesday as a large dry upper ridge amplifies just off the CA coast. Ensemble means show the ridge building inland Thursday through Saturday which will provide for daytime temperatures rising back up to much above normal levels for this period. Another low pressure system is progged to impact our area by the end of next weekend which will bring cooler temperatures and possibly some precipitation to our area by next Sunday night, but there is still some uncertainty dealing with it`s track and it`s timing. && .AVIATION...In the San Joaquin Valley, areas of MVFR visibility, with local IFR visibility due to mist and haze through 18Z Sun and again after 08Z Mon. Otherwise, VFR conditions will prevail throughout the central CA interior for the next 24 hours. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES...On Sunday February 13 2022... Unhealthy for sensitive groups in Fresno... Kern and Kings Counties. Fireplace/Wood Stove Burning Status is: No Burning Unless Registered in Kings... Madera and Tulare Counties. No Burning For All in Fresno and Kern Counties. Further information is available at Valleyair.orgSource: NWS
