Fresno could be saying goodbye to 90-degree temperatures for the rest of 2026 as cooler weather, rain, and Sierra Nevada snow arrive this week. (GV Wire Composite/Paul Marshall)
- Fresno may have seen its final 90-degree day of 2026 as fall temperatures finally arrive.
- Rain chances increase Wednesday across the Valley, while higher Sierra Nevada elevations could see snow.
- Gusty winds and slick roads could complicate travel through the Grapevine and Sierra mountain passes.
Share
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
It may finally be time to say goodbye to the 90s. The temperatures, that is.
After months of summer heat, Fresno and the rest of the San Joaquin Valley are heading into a major weather shift that could bring cooler temperatures, rain, and even snow in the Sierra Nevada.
According to the National Weather Service in Hanford, Sunday was expected to be the final 90-degree day in the region for 2026.
And the forecast is about to get even better for those ready for fall.
Fresno is expected to reach a high of 82 degrees Monday before temperatures fall to 76 Tuesday and 67 Wednesday.
By Thursday, temperatures are expected to reach only 68 degrees, followed by a high of 69 Friday.
The National Weather Service has high confidence in the weather pattern change beginning Tuesday, with temperatures dropping well below seasonal averages.
Rain Is Coming to the Valley
Cooler temperatures aren’t the only exciting development.
“Now for the exciting part of the discussion: rain and snow,” National Weather Service forecasters wrote Monday morning.
A low-pressure system approaching from the Pacific Northwest is expected to move across California beginning Tuesday, bringing widespread precipitation through Thursday.
Rain chances will first develop along the Sierra Nevada on Tuesday morning before spreading across the region and peaking Wednesday morning.
Forecasters estimate a 70% to 90% chance that locations across the region will receive at least a trace of rain Wednesday.
The San Joaquin Valley has a 50% to 70% chance of receiving at least one-tenth of an inch.
For Fresno specifically, the National Weather Service forecast calls for a 30% chance of rain Tuesday night, increasing to 50% Wednesday and 70% Wednesday night.
Rain chances drop to 30% Thursday, with precipitation most likely before 11 a.m.
Sierra Snow Could Make an Appearance
The changing weather could also bring some of the season’s first meaningful snowfall to the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada.
Forecasters expect snow levels near 8,000 feet, with greater than 80% confidence that at least one inch of snow will accumulate Wednesday into Thursday.
A less likely scenario, carrying a 10% probability, could produce 6 to 10 inches of snow above 8,000 feet.
The National Weather Service warned that reduced visibility and slick roads could make traveling across Sierra Nevada passes difficult.
Meanwhile, drivers traveling through the Grapevine could encounter gusty winds and slick conditions.
Forecasters estimate a 30% to 40% chance of wind gusts exceeding 40 mph near Tejon Pass.
There is also a marginal risk of excessive rainfall Wednesday and Thursday, with a 5% chance of conditions capable of causing flash flooding in vulnerable areas, including the Mojave Desert and Tehachapi Pass.
Cooler Weather Is Here to Stay, at Least for Now
The wet weather is expected to clear by Friday, giving way to sunshine and comfortable temperatures heading into the weekend.
Fresno is forecast to reach 73 degrees Saturday and Sunday, with overnight lows around 50 degrees.
—
Connect with Anthony W. Haddad on social media. Got a tip? Send an email.
RELATED TOPICS:
Categories
Taylor Swift’s Spooky Night Out With Hollywood
France Urges Curfews in Some Areas After Weekend of Riots
Could Embracing Sprawl Ease California’s Housing Crunch?





