December 11, 2017
Summary: What has become an ongoing theme for central California continues today. There’s a veil of high clouds based at 20,000 feet and very hazy conditions with most locations reporting a visibility of 3 to 4 miles. Two high pressure systems remain over the Great Basin while a disorganized cut off low remains over northern Baja. The combination of the clockwise flow around the surface high and the counterclockwise pattern around the low near Baja is maintaining an easterly flow at the surface.
Highs are anywhere from 1 to 3 degrees cooler than 24 hours ago. This is due to the high clouds filtering the sunshine. Models show these clouds moving out during the night for mostly clear skies expected later tonight and for Tuesday and beyond.
Strong radiational cooling will again occur this evening with below freezing conditions at most locations north of Kern County.
There’s really not much more I can say as the medium range outlook continues to show that blockading high, albeit farther west. One model does place a strong low off the coast of the Pacific Northwest about the 20th with the possibility of rain for northern California, but other models are still showing dry conditions through Christmas Day.
Forecast: Other than high clouds at times, it will be mostly clear tonight. Mostly clear Tuesday and on through Monday of next week.
Short Term:
| Madera 30/62/30/64 | Reedley 29/63/30/64 | Dinuba 28/62/29/64 | |
| Porterville 30/65/30/64 | Lindsay 28/63/29/65 | Delano 31/65/32/66 | |
| Bakersfield 37/65/37/65 | Arvin 35/67/36/65 | Taft 41/66/40/65 | |
| Lamont 34/65/35/65 | Pixley 29/64/30/64 | Tulare 28/62/29/64 | |
| Woodlake 29/63/29/64 | Hanford 31/63/31/64 | Orosi 28/63/29/64 | |
Winds: Winds will be less than10 MPH with periods of near calm conditions through Thursday.
Rain: Expect dry weather for at least the next seven to ten days.
Frost Information: Air temperatures are actually one to three degrees cooler than yesterday at this time. Dew points are in the mid 30s with the exception of Madera which is at 40. The only wild card tonight is an area of high clouds based at 20,000 feet which are currently overhead. Satellite imagery shows only minor movement of these clouds, so it is possible they could modify temperatures by a degree or two. However, I’m not going to bet on it, so I look for coldest overnight low temperatures to range between 27 to 28 degrees with most flatland terrain around 29 to 32 with hillsides being well above freezing.
The inversion tonight will be strong with temperatures at 34 feet anywhere from 5 to 8 degrees warmer.
Conditions for Wednesday through Friday will largely depend on dew points, which have been generally stuck in the mid 30s during the middle of the afternoon. Models show a slow rise in dew points, but under the current weather pattern, I’m a bit skeptical. I’m still leaning on coldest locations being in the mid to upper 20s with low to mid 30s elsewhere.
Over the weekend, unless cloud cover or rising dew points come into play, I see very little change in the outlook.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella
29 |
Porterville
30 |
Ivanhoe
29 |
Woodlake
29 |
| Strathmore
30 |
McFarland
28 |
Ducor
29 |
Tea Pot Dome
30 |
| Lindsay
28 |
Exeter
28 |
Famoso
31 |
Madera
30 |
| Belridge
29 |
Delano
31 |
North Bakersfield
AF |
Orosi
28 |
| Orange Cove
29 |
Lindcove
27 |
Lindcove hillside
AF |
Sanger River Bottom
26 |
| Root Creek
28 |
Venice Hill
29 |
Rosedale
AF |
Jasmine
30 |
| Arvin
35 |
Lamont
AF |
Plainview
29 |
Mettler
AF |
| Edison
AF |
Maricopa
AF |
Holland Creek
33 |
Tivy Valley
29 |
| Kite Road South
34 |
Kite Road North
31 |
Next Report: Tuesday morning, December 12