975 FXUS66 KHNX 062330 AFDHNX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 330 PM PST Sun Nov 6 2022 .SYNOPSIS...There will be just clouds and some light rain spreading across the area through the evening ahead of a slow moving storm system. This system will bring widespread rain and mountain snow Monday through Wednesday morning, along with increased winds and well below normal temperatures. There is a slight chance for thunderstorms Tuesday and Wednesday as the low pressure area moves overhead. Dry and cooler than normal conditions can be expected after Wednesday. && .DISCUSSION... We continue to see clouds and a few light showers and sprinkles streaming across central California well in advance of the approaching northeast Pacific storm system. It's pretty mild in the lower elevations where highs are on track to top out pretty close to normal. Up in the higher elevations, temperatures are holding a bit farther below normal. The approaching storm system is moving somewhat slower than model solutions had been forecasting it to. The southwest to northeast oriented precipitation band associated with the low pressure system is slowly sagging into northern California. Although models show the Sierra wringing out some mainly light precipitation from the moist westerly flow through tonight, the main initial precipitation area is timed into the northern portions of our area around 2 AM Monday morning. This first wave of precipitation is expected to spread southward over our area tomorrow, then another significant push moving across Tuesday as the upper low tracks into the coast, then some lingering precipitation through Wednesday morning as the system pushes inland. With some destabilization as the upper low moves in, we could see a few thunderstorms Tuesday into Wednesday morning. Although the timing is a bit slower and the start times of Winter Storm Warnings has bee pushed back a few hours, we still are looking for heavy mountain snowfall and significant rainfall amounts in the lower elevations and foothills. Total snowfall accumulations up to 4-8 feet above 800 feet and as much as 1-2 feet down to around 5000 foot elevation will cause significant travel impacts. With as much as 1-2 inches of rain on the east side of the Valley and 2-4 inches in the foothills below the snowline, localized flooding can become an issue. A winter Storm watch remains in effect for the Kern County Mountains, where significant snowfall will likely cause travel difficulties by Tuesday in the higher mountain communities, then by Tuesday night snow levels will lower to the major highway passes. As the storm moves out Wednesday, the later part of the week into the weekend, will bring drier conditions with much below normal temperatures. && .AVIATION...Expect clouds and light showers across central California overnight creating areas of MVFR conditions along with some mountain obscurations. A storm system will move into the region after 10Z Monday, bringing widespread MVFR and areas of IFR/LIFR and mountain obscurations in heavier showers. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... On Sunday November 6 2022...Fireplace/Wood Stove Burning Status is: No Burning Unless Registered in Fresno and Kern Counties. Burning Discouraged in Kings... Madera... Merced and Tulare Counties... and Kern (Greater Frazier Park Area) and Sequoia National Park and Forest. && .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 an/or to provide feedback. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning from midnight tonight to 10 AM PST Wednesday for CAZ323-324-326. Winter Storm Warning from 7 AM Monday to 10 AM PST Wednesday for CAZ327>331. Winter Storm Watch from Monday evening through Wednesday morning for CAZ333>336. && $$ public...JEB aviation....JPK weather.gov/hanford