Fog to cloud central San Joaquin Valley mornings; next rain chance late week

The central San Joaquin Valley will be free of rain and snow until later this week, the National Weather Service says.

High pressure has become established over the California coastline, and any storms that would try to roll into the state will instead be pushed toward the Pacific Northwest.

But the moist ground left from recent storms will allow the formation of dense fog each morning until the sun rises high enough to burn the gray clouds away – usually between 10 and 11 a.m.

The weather service advises motorists who encounter fog to turn on low-beam headlights, slow down and keep a safe distance from the vehicles ahead.

Highs Tuesday through Thursday in Fresno will be in the low 60s. Overnight lows will be in the 40s.

By Friday the weather pattern changes, said NWS meteorologist Jim Andersen. The high pressure will give way to a storm that should arrive in the central San Joaquin Valley sometime Friday. Wet weather is forecast to stay into Sunday, with daytime highs in the 50s to low 60s for the weekend and lows in the 40s.

Andersen said wet weather could result next week, too, but that it was too early to say with certainty how much rain and snow might fall.

“We will turn to a wetter, stormier pattern, most assured,” Andersen said. “But it may not amount to much, or it may be more. We just don’t know amounts right now.”

This story was originally published January 25, 2016 at 4:55 PM.