The winter storm that’s dumping snow on the Central Sierra and creating cloudy conditions over Fresno on Friday will move on Saturday, leaving Fresno with sunny skies this weekend, National Weather Service meteorologist Emily Wilson said Friday morning.

The next storm system is forecast to move into the area on Monday, with little chance of rain but a big chance of windy conditions, she said.

This one isn’t expected to be as dusty as the storm that hit Central California on Monday, reducing visibility and causing power outages and tree damage in many areas.

Even National Weather Service forecasters were surprised by how much dust was blown Monday as the storm system moved into the area, Wilson said.

But now that the ground has been saturated by Monday’s rains, next Monday’s windy conditions shouldn’t be as dust-laden, she said.

And next weekend could see some rain return to the Fresno area, although “it’s not a done deal” because there is less certainty to the longer-range forecast, Wilson said.

Cold Nights

Meanwhile, temperatures in Fresno this weekend and next week will drop into the upper 30s and will be lower — possibly at or below freezing — in outlying areas, she said.

The same massive amounts of concrete that make Fresno hotter in the summer also keep it warmer in the winter, Wilson said.

After cooler temperatures earlier in the week, the daytime highs in Fresno will gradually climb back up into the upper 60s, she said.

The forecast for the next seven days is: Friday, high of 57, overnight low of 39; Saturday, high of 55, overnight low of 39; Sunday, high of 59, overnight low of 43; Monday, high of 58, overnight low of 39; Tuesday, high of 57, overnight low of 40; Wednesday, high of 65, overnight low of 43; Thursday, high of 67, overnight low of 44, and Friday, high of 68.