February 24, 2018
Summary: The latest very cold low pressure system is now sweeping through the Great Basin. High clouds are spilling into California along the far western side of the system. It’s possible some light snow showers could occur this afternoon and evening, mainly over the highest elevations of the Sierra Nevada. One of the challenges for tonight will be to try to determine how much high clouds will be over the valley floor from time to time and when they will completely exit. The high clouds streaming over northern California appear quite thin, so my feeling is at least upper 20s will occur in coldest locations tonight.
The next storm will drop rapidly southward Sunday night and Monday. The track of this low is partially over water so it has somewhat higher potential for measurable rain at many locations. Perhaps a tenth to fifteen hundredths of an inch would be a high estimate of possible rainfall. Snow will again fall down to very low elevations Monday afternoon and night. The air mass behind this system is cold, as you might expect, but it may not be quite as critical as past nights. We’ll discuss this more below.
Yet another low pressure system will take a northwest to southeast trajectory over California Thursday into Friday. With a little luck we may have somewhat higher rainfall totals. Even though snow levels will be low, they won’t be as low as with its predecessors.
Once we get past Friday, so far it appears we may return to dry weather through probably the early part of next week. This will, however, be subject to change.
Forecast: Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy tonight. Mostly clear Sunday through Sunday evening. Increasing cloudiness late Sunday night with light showers becoming likely Monday afternoon and night. Partly cloudy Tuesday. Mostly clear Tuesday night through Wednesday. Increasing clouds Wednesday night with an increasing chance of showers Thursday into Friday. Partly cloudy Friday night and Saturday.
Short Term:
Madera 28/60/33/56 | Reedley 28/60/34/57 | Dinuba 27/59/33/57 | |
Porterville 28/60/33/58 | Lindsay 27/60/32/58 | Delano 30/61/34/59 | |
Bakersfield 33/61/35/58 | Arvin 29/61/34/59 | Taft 37/61/39/57 | |
Lamont 29/61/34/58 | Pixley 28/60/33/57 | Tulare 27/59/32/57 | |
Woodlake 28/61/33/58 | Hanford 29/60/34/58 | Orosi 29/60/33/57 |
Winds: Winds later this evening will decrease to no more than 10 MPH through the evening hours, becoming light with periods of near calm conditions after midnight. Winds Sunday through Sunday evening will be generally less than 10 MPH with periods of near calm conditions. Winds late Sunday night and Monday will be out of the northwest at 10 to 20 MPH with stronger gusts. Winds will diminish by late Monday night and become generally light Tuesday.
Rain: The chance for light showers will begin to increase by midday Monday, lasting through Monday night. This next storm will track southward partially over water, giving it a greater possibility for measurable rain. For now, it looks like amounts could range from .10 to .15. Obviously nothing to write home about, but by the standards of this season, it’s a downpour. Dry weather will return late Monday night or early Tuesday, continuing through Wednesday night. The next low will probably arrive Thursday. This one will have its origins in the Gulf of Alaska. This will be a cold system, but not as cold as we’ve been accustomed to. There’s at least a slightly better possibility of higher rainfall amounts with a chance of showers lasting into Friday. Expect dry weather Friday afternoon through next weekend and into the following week.
Frost Discussion: Temperatures should be a tad milder tonight but certainly fairly impressively low by the standards of late February. Coldest overnight lows tonight will range between about 26 to 28 with most locations between 28 and 32. There is a low diving into the Great Basin which is spreading some high clouds over northern and central California which are quite thin. They may not have an impact on tonight’s low temperatures.
Durations at or below 28 degrees will be much shorter than we’ve become used to and the inversion will again be weak with temperatures generally 2 to 4 degrees warmer at 34 feet.
On Monday morning, with a little bit of luck, clouds will begin to increase ahead of the next system which should bring some light showers Monday and Monday night. For now, I’m thinking low to mid 30s at most locations, though clouds may arrive quite late, especially in the south valley. We will again be dealing with a cold air mass Tuesday morning, but it doesn’t appear to be quite as cold as the critically low temperatures we’ve dealt with this week. Even so, upper 20s to lower 30s are possible Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. For Thursday and beyond, temperatures should remain above freezing as a new storm will move in on Thursday and believe it or not the flow aloft will become either north/northwest or northwest. This is a far cry from that Canadian air we’ve been dealing with this week. With Mother’s Nature’s cooperation, temperatures next week and into the following week should be above freezing.
Lows Tonight:
Terra Bella
28 |
Porterville
28 |
Ivanhoe
29 |
Woodlake
29 |
Strathmore
29 |
Mcfarland
30 |
Ducor
29 |
Tea Pot Dome
28 |
Lindsay
27 |
Exeter
27 |
Famoso
29 |
Madera
28 |
Belridge
28 |
Delano
29 |
North Bakersfield
29 |
Orosi
28 |
Orange Cove
28 |
Lindcove
27 |
Lindcove Hillside
31 |
Sanger River Bottom
24 |
Root Creek
26 |
Venice Hill
27 |
Rosedale
29 |
Jasmine
28 |
Arvin
29 |
Lamont
29 |
Plainview
27 |
Mettler
31 |
Edison
29 |
Maricopa
29 |
Holland Creek
31 |
Tivy Valley
28 |
Kite Road South
30 |
Kite Road North
28 |
Next Report: Sunday, February 25