Heavy rain, hail and lightning strikes could happen in Fresno in coming day, forecast calls
Thunderstorms could arrive in the central San Joaquin Valley on Wednesday afternoon, the National Weather Service in Hanford said.
Meteorologist Dan Harty said the weather system will be “pretty active” with thunderstorms popping up Wednesday, bringing brief heavy rain, small hail and dangerous lightning strikes.
Harty doesn’t expect the thunderstorms to be severe but “small hail is definitely a good possibility.”
As of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, radar showed Mendota with light showers and approaching the rest of the Fresno area.
Harty said rain is expected to be widespread overnight with rainfall amounts expected to be between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Showers are expected to taper off Thursday morning.
A Winter Storm, meanwhile, is in effect in the Sierra Nevada until Thursday afternoon, Harty said.
Snow elevations in the highest elevation - above 5,000 feet - could see 12 to 24 inches of snow.
Shaver Lake could see up to 18 inches of snow over the two days.
At least 2 to 6 inches of snow is expected at 2,500 to 4,000 feet.
Snow levels will drop by Wednesday morning.
“We’re looking at some significant snow amounts,” Harty said.
The cold storm came in from the out of the Gulf of Alaska.
This story was originally published March 9, 2021 at 10:25 PM with the headline "Heavy rain, hail and lightning strikes could happen in Fresno in coming day, forecast calls."
