Rain this weekend in Fresno region. Forecaster rates chance of beating season total

If weather watchers had to flip a coin to guess how this season’s Fresno-area rainfall total would go, there’s a good chance heads and tails would take turns on top.

The 30-day outlook for the region and the Sierra Nevada is for more precipitation and cooler temperatures, said Jim Bagnall, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Hanford. Cooler weather will accompany the moisture, with freezing early-morning temperatures much of next week. That’s cool, but not too cool; the weather service isn’t issuing a freeze warning for cold-sensitive crops.

But Bagnall gave 50-50 odds for reaching the seasonal rainfall average of 10.99 inches when the season ends Sept. 30. As of Friday, Fresno’s seasonal rainfall total stood at 2.35 inches. That’s 131% of normal for the date.

The weekend forecast from the weather service calls for a 30% chance of rain beginning after 4 a.m. Saturday, along with winds from 10 to 15 mph, and gusts up to 25 mph. Showers will continue Saturday night, with possible thunderstorms Sunday.

In the Sierra Nevada, there is a 30% chance of snow Friday night with low temperatures in the low 20s. The wind chill factor will bring that as low as 8 degrees, according to the weather service. Snow is likely Saturday and Sunday, as well, followed by widespread freezing fog before 8 a.m.