Bright sunshine greeted Fresno residents on Monday morning after an atmospheric river dumped about one-third of an inch of rain on the city Sunday.

However, the National Weather Service in Hanford says that the atmospheric river will continue to impact Fresno and other Valley communities through Tuesday morning.

Monday’s key NWS messages:

• Expect extreme winter storm impacts in the Sierra Nevada above 5,000 feet through Monday night due to snow load and snow amounts up to 6 feet.
• Excessive rainfall in the Sierra Nevada below 5,000 feet and adjacent foothills through Monday night may cause flash flooding.
• Heavy rainfall in the San Joaquin Valley through Monday night may result in flooding of creeks, streams, and low-lying areas.

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High Winds Tapering Off

“The strong winds that impacted the West Side Hills and Kern County alongside the moderate winds that impacted the rest of the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Foothills have tapered off due to a cold front that is passing through the area,” NWS explained in its Monday morning forecast discussion.

In addition, NWS said that its Winter Storm Warning for the Sierra will continue through 4 a.m. Tuesday, as will the Flood Watch for the foothills and Valley floor.

Probabilities for Half Inch of Rain in Valley Cities

Here are probabilities that Valley cities will get an additional half inch of rain through early Tuesday morning:

• Merced: 59%
• Madera: 58%
• Fresno: 66%
• Hanford: 60%
• Lemoore: 28%
• Visalia: 60%
• Porterville: 77%
• Bakersfield: 88%

Thunderstorms, Hail Possible on Tuesday

A cold front moving through the Valley is accompanied by a slight risk of afternoon and evening thunderstorms in western Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa counties, as well as Merced County on Tuesday. If the thunderstorms arrive, they could produce heavy rainfall and pea-sized hail.

Rain is also possible through Saturday before a high-pressure ridge builds, NWS said.