Hanford, California – A quiet, gray mist hangs across the Valley floor at daybreak as headlights shimmer across damp pavement and the cool air sits heavy under low clouds. The stillness hints at a slow shift coming just as Thanksgiving travel begins to pick up speed across the San Joaquin Valley.
According to the National Weather Service, a slight chance of rain develops later today, with a stronger push of showers expected Wednesday night through early Thursday morning. Even light rainfall can create slick roads where thin moisture layers settle on untreated surfaces. Travelers along Route 41, Highway 43, and rural farm roads should build in extra time and stay alert for sudden slowdowns as visibility lowers beneath the lingering haze.
Today turns partly sunny at times with highs near the mid-50s, but this quiet stretch acts as the setup for a modest Pacific system arriving Wednesday. Models hint at a subtle Winter Tease—not snow for the Valley floor, but cooler evenings near the low 40s paired with thick moisture may allow patchy fog to return in pockets north toward Kingsburg and west toward Lemoore.
Wednesday brings mostly cloudy skies with highs near 59, followed by a 40 percent chance of rain Wednesday night as winds shift from southeast to southwest. Thursday morning keeps the chance of rain alive before conditions dry through the afternoon, making mid-day travel safer for those heading toward holiday gatherings.
Friday turns mostly cloudy but dry, followed by a sunny Saturday and another quiet, mild day Sunday with highs climbing near 60. It’s a favorable weekend for errands, early decorating, or yard work before larger Thanksgiving Week systems develop in the Eastern Pacific.
Five-Day Outlook for Hanford, California
Tuesday: Partly sunny, high 56.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, low 44.
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, high 59.
Wednesday Night: Chance of rain, low 43.
Thursday: Chance of rain early, high 56.
