Hanford and Kings County Weather Alert: Strong October 22 Thunderstorm Brings 40 mph Gust Risk Near Stratford

HANFORD / KINGS COUNTY — Thursday, October 22, 2026, 2:00 p.m. The National Weather Service office in Hanford issued a Special Weather Statement at 2:00 p.m. warning that a strong thunderstorm would affect parts of southwestern Fresno County and central Kings County until approximately 2:30 p.m.

Weather radar was tracking the storm 8 miles southwest of Stratford, about 21 miles southwest of Hanford, moving northeast at approximately 25 mph. Forecasters indicated potential wind gusts as high as 40 mph and pea-sized hail. Stratford was specifically named among the communities in the storm’s path.

Does this mean Hanford or Lemoore has a confirmed outage?

No. The special weather statement describes a developing thunderstorm and potential wind damage; it does not announce an electrical outage at any Hanford, Corcoran, Lemoore or Stratford address. Strong gusts can damage limbs and blow loose objects around, but an outage requires separate confirmation from the relevant electricity provider.

What residents should do

Move loose outdoor items where safe, remain indoors during lightning and hail, and use extra caution when traveling on exposed roads. Drivers should check Caltrans QuickMap for any actual reported restrictions rather than assuming closures.

Residents can review the NWS Hanford office’s latest alerts. Once the stated 2:30 p.m. period passes, this article remains a dated account of the warning — it is not confirmation that the storm remains active at that time.

Separate storm-related electricity incidents

The Fresno and Selma area experienced documented utility interruptions on October 21. Read Sanger News’ original Fresno County electricity report for those earlier events. The new October 22 Kings County thunderstorm statement is a separate bulletin; the two should not be confused.

Source: National Weather Service Hanford Special Weather Statement issued at 2:00 p.m. PDT October 22, 2026 for southwestern Fresno and central Kings counties, including Stratford. Radar-indicated wind and hail threat; no independently confirmed local outage or damage is asserted.

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