760 FXUS66 KHNX 241703 AFDHNX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hanford CA 1003 AM PDT Mon Jul 24 2023 .SYNOPSIS... A few strong thunderstorms are possible in the Kern County desert and Sierra Nevada crest south of Fresno County this afternoon and this evening. Widespread triple digit heat is expected in the San Joaquin Valley each afternoon today through Wednesday. High temperatures each afternoon Thursday through Sunday will be near normal for this time of year. && .DISCUSSION... An upper-level area of high pressure will be centered near the Four Corners region of the United States today. Southeast to south flow aloft along the western periphery of this anticyclone aloft will advect monsoonal moisture northward into Central California today. A few strong thunderstorms are conceivable in the Kern County desert and Sierra Nevada crest south of Fresno County this afternoon and this evening. The aforementioned upper-level area of high pressure will move southward into the Desert Southwest Tuesday and Wednesday. As a result, the flow aloft will veer to more of a dry, southwesterly direction. Widespread triple digit heat is anticipated in the San Joaquin Valley each afternoon today through Wednesday. Here are triple digit heat probabilities for select locations in the San Joaquin Valley on Wednesday, July 26th, 2023: Lemoore - 91% Fresno - 86% Bakersfield - 86% Visalia - 81% Hanford - 81% Porterville - 81% Delano - 81% Reedley - 56% Merced - 51% Madera - 51% A ridge of high pressure will extend westward across Southern California Thursday. An Eastern Pacific trough of low pressure will approach the west coast of the United States Friday. This trough of low pressure will make landfall over Northern California Saturday. Cyclonic flow aloft will persist over the Golden State Sunday. Maximum temperatures Thursday through Sunday will be near their typical values for the latter half of July. && .AVIATION... IFR or lower conditions are possible in the Kern County desert and Sierra Nevada crest south of Fresno County this afternoon and this evening in and near any shower or thunderstorm. Otherwise, VFR conditions will prevail across the remainder of Central California for at least the next 24 hours. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... None. && .CERTAINTY... The level of certainty for days 1 and 2 is high. The level of certainty for days 3 through 7 is high. 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. && $$ BS weather.gov/hanford