February 22, 2018
Summary: Clouds are rapidly increasing over the San Joaquin Valley this afternoon, mainly from Fresno County northward. Doppler radar is indicating light showers as far south as Monterey along the coast and snow showers along the Sierra Nevada down to roughly Kings Canyon. There are light showers showing up over the Sacramento Valley and a few over the northern San Joaquin Valley. The center of circulation with this system is just now moving into extreme northern California and will quickly spread southward tonight, exiting the area Friday morning. This system appears to have a bit more moisture than its predecessors, so I would expect scattered light showers to commence this evening from Fresno north and over the remainder of the area tonight.
This, like its predecessors, is a very cold storm. Snow will fall down to 1,000 to 2,000 feet late tonight and Friday morning. Behind this system is yet another blast of modified Arctic air so Saturday morning will bring the latest challenge in a week’s worth of damaging temperatures.
A weak ridge will build in Sunday into Monday for a bit of modification in our temperatures. The next system will follow a bit more of an overwater trajectory and will spread light showers over the area later Monday night and Tuesday. This storm is also quite cold and it’s possible we may see frost again Wednesday morning. This will be short lived, however, as yet another storm will arrive Thursday of next week. On paper, this one has considerably more moisture and will have a better chance of being a better storm event.
Forecast: Variable cloudiness tonight with a chance of light scattered showers lasting into Friday morning. Clearing later Friday with the exception of portions of Kern County which may remain partly to mostly cloudy into Friday night. Friday night will overall be mostly clear with continued mostly clear skies Saturday through Sunday night. Increasing cloudiness later Monday with an increasing chance of showers later Monday night and Tuesday. Partly cloudy Tuesday night and Wednesday. Increasing cloudiness again Wednesday night with an increasing chance of rain Thursday.
Short Term:
| Madera 33/53/26/58 | Reedley 34/53/26/59 | Dinuba 33/52/26/57 | |
| Porterville 34/54/26/59 | Lindsay 34/53/25/58 | Delano 34/53/27/60 | |
| Bakersfield 36/52/31/60 | Arvin 36/53/28/60 | Taft 39/53/30/60 | |
| Lamont 36/52/27/58 | Pixley 33/53/26/59 | Tulare 33/53/25/59 | |
| Woodlake 34/54/26/58 | Hanford 35/54/27/59 | Orosi 33/53/25/58 | |
Winds: Winds will be mainly out of the northwest today and Friday at 10 to 15 MPH with stronger gusts along the west side. Winds Friday afternoon through Sunday will be generally less than 12 MPH with periods of near calm conditions.
Rain: Scattered light showers have spread as far south as Monterey along the coast with snow showers down to Kings Canyon in the Sierra Nevada with a few scattered shower in the northern San Joaquin Valley. Scattered light showers will spread rapidly southward later this afternoon and evening, reaching Kern County during the later evening hours. Snow will fall in the Sierra Nevada, the Coast Range, and the Kern County mountains down to 1,000 to 2,000 feet. Even though radar is picking up light showers in various places, this is a moisture starved system and I anticipate rainfall amounts will range from nothing to no more than a tenth of an inch. Dry weather will return Friday morning and continue through Monday. The chance for light showers will increase later Monday night, continuing Tuesday. This will not be a blockbuster, either, but rather a light shower event with low snow levels once again. Our next chance at more significant rainfall amounts will be Thursday of next week when a storm will move out of the Gulf of Alaska. Right now, the path of this storm is projected to be over water, giving it better potential.
Frost Discussion: Finally, we’ll get a bit of a break tonight as clouds are already increasing ahead of the next very cold low. The center of this storm is just now entering California so cloudiness will thicken during the course of the evening with light showers possible. This should keep temperatures in the 32 to 37 degree range. If skies do happen to open up for a few hours, a few locations could possibly dip into the upper 20s to the lower 30s, but my feeling is the combination of clouds and wind conditions will keep temperatures at acceptable levels tonight.
Enjoy the break while it lasts as the air mass swinging in behind this system is very cold and, with rapidly clearing skies Friday afternoon and evening, lows Saturday morning may very well drop into the mid to upper 20s with a chance of low lying regions down to 23 to 24. Sunday morning should be a bit milder, but even so, coldest locations could dip down to 27 to 30. Clouds will be increasing ahead of the next weather system Monday, so with a bit of luck readings could be above freezing. Tuesday night is a bit speculative, depending on cloud cover or the lack thereof. It’s possible we could see upper 20s to mid 30s Wednesday with conditions finally rising above freezing Thursday as the next storm to arrive from the Gulf of Alaska heads our way. This storm will be cold, but not as cold as the low will track generally overwater, giving it more moisture and marginally milder temperatures.
Lows Tonight:
All locations will be above 32 tonight.
Next Report: Friday, February 23