A cold front from the Gulf of Alaska brought cooler air and gusty winds to the Valley on Tuesday, and sprinkles to Fresno and Clovis, the National Weather Service said.
Fresno's high of 76 degrees Tuesday was 22 degrees cooler than Monday's high. Normally at this time, Fresno's high temperature is 85 degrees.
"It's packing a big punch," Kevin Durfee, a NWS meteorologist, said of the cold front that also brought northwest winds up to 29 mph in the Valley on Tuesday.
The gusty winds made for low visibility in such places as Hanford and along Interstate 5 on the west side, he said.
Blowing dust prompted the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to issue a health warning. Exposure to particulate pollution can aggravate lung disease, cause asthma attacks and exacerbate respiratory conditions, the district said.
The cold front, however, didn't carry much precipitation, Durfee said. Sprinkles were reported in Clovis and Fresno, but nothing measurable, Durfee said.
The forecast today calls for sunny skies and a high around 78 degrees. Winds from the northwest should be between 15 and 18 mph, but gusts could reach 22 mph.
The Valley should start heating up again Thursday, with temperatures reaching the 80s.
Skies should remain sunny through Sunday, the weather service predicted.
Relief from the Valley heat wave is finally here.
Today's expected high of 79 in Fresno would be a 19-degree drop from Monday's high of 98, said David Spector, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford.
However, Valley residents are in for a bit of a roller-coaster ride with daytime highs through the weekend.
A high of 75 in Fresno is forecast for Wednesday, before the temperature is expected to climb back up to 82 on Thursday and 86 on Friday. Highs will remain in the mid-80s on Saturday and then tumble to near 70 on Sunday.
The only chance for rain in the region for the next week will be in Yosemite National Park, Spector said. A 20 percent chance is possible in the park tonight.
Overnight lows on the Valley floor will be near 50 tonight and rise to the mid- to high 50s by the weekend.
Air quality in Valley counties will be moderate today, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District reported.
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