April 18, 2018
Summary: High clouds are already increasing, mainly over the northern half of the valley, this morning ahead of the latest weather system. This is a relatively cold weather system and it is approaching the northern California coast. This storm does not have nearly as much moisture as its predecessor, so as it moves into central California tonight and Thursday, only light showers at best can be expected, mainly north of Kern County. Even though it doesn’t have much moisture, the westerly flow ahead of the low itself should squeeze out a quarter to a half inch of rain over the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada. This will be a rather short event as upper level high pressure will begin to build in from the west as early as Friday. Temperatures this afternoon will climb back into the low to mid 70s but will drop into the low to mid 60s Thursday as the colder air behind the front moves down the valley.
As pressures fall over the interior, northwesterly winds will increase with gusts possibly exceeding 30 MPH along the west side and locally elsewhere. As the high begins to shift eastward into California Friday through Monday, a rapid warming trend will occur. Models are still pointing to mid to upper 80s as early as Sunday with possibly the warmest locations approaching the 90 degree mark Sunday and Monday.
Models are still having a difficult time in nailing down a specific pattern for the middle of next week and into next weekend. They do agree that some kind of low pressure system will be over or off the west coast. Latest projections are that a large low will develop off shore, but too far off shore to have a direct impact on central California. Therefore, the forecast will continue to be for dry weather for all of next week and possibly through next weekend, as well.
Forecast: Increasing high clouds today. Mostly cloudy tonight and Thursday with a chance of light showers. Mostly to partly cloudy Thursday night and Friday morning. Becoming mostly clear Friday afternoon through Monday with a rapid warming trend. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Monday night through Wednesday.
Short Term:
| Madera 70/46/65/44/75 | Reedley 71/46/66/46/75 | Dinuba 70/44/65/46/74 | |
| Porterville 72/47/66/44/76 | Lindsay 72/44/66/44/75 | Delano 73/45/65/46/74 | |
| Bakersfield 73/48/66/46/76 | Arvin 74/45/65/46/77 | Taft 73/49/67/48/75 | |
| Lamont 73/45/66/47/77 | Pixley 72/46/66/44/75 | Tulare 70/44/65/44/74 | |
| Woodlake 71/45/65/45/74 | Hanford 70/45/66/44/75 | Orosi 71/45/66/44/75 | |
Seven Day Forecast:
| Saturday
Mostly clear 51/83 |
Sunday
Mostly clear 54/87 |
Monday
Mostly clear 55/88 |
Tuesday
Partly cloudy 57/88 |
Wednesday
Partly cloudy 57/87 |
Two Week Outlook: April 25 through May 1: For the first time in a while, this model is indicating the development of a strong ridge over the Pacific and much of the western United States. This will revert us into a pattern resulting in above average temperatures with very little, if any, chance of precipitation.
March: Not much encouragement as far as rainfall is concerned as this model is indicating below average precipitation, especially over the second half of the month. So far, this model predicts near average temperatures.
March, April, May: The ninety-day outlook doesn’t exactly make one happy if rain is the desired outcome. It does show a better than average chance of above average temperatures, mainly due to high pressure off shore, and below average precipitation.
Winds: Winds will be generally less than 12 MPH today. Later tonight through Thursday evening, winds will be generally out of the northwest at 10 to 20 MPH with local gusts to near 30 MPH, mainly in western Fresno and Kings Counties. Winds Thursday night will decrease to 5 to 15 MPH with winds of generally less than 12 MPH Friday through Sunday.
Rain: The next low pressure system and its associated cold front will move through our region later tonight and Thursday. Models indicate that this system will have minimal moisture to work with so only a chance of light showers is expected, mainly north of Kern County. As far as rainfall amounts are concerned, I would anticipate generally less than .10 of an inch with perhaps just a few hundredths along the west side and in Kern County, if any at all. The chance of light showers will end Thursday evening with dry weather Friday and, if models are correct, through the weekend. Next week, at this time, looks dry as well.
Frost: All locations will be above 32 degrees.
Afternoon Dew Points Today: Mid to upper 30s. Kern: Mid to upper 30s.
Humidity: Visalia: 25%/85% Bakersfield: 25%/80%
Actual Humidity April 16, 2018: Delano, 92%/39%, Porterville, 97%/48%
Percentage of Sunshine Today/Tomorrow: Visalia: Today: 50% tomorrow 20% Bakersfield: Today: 80% Tomorrow: 10%
ET Rates Over the Past Seven Days April 16, 2018: Stratford 1.47, Parlier 1.21, Blackwell 1.58 Lindcove 1.15, Arvin 1.36, Orange Cove 1.22, Porterville 1.25, Delano 1.28, Madera Two 1.16. Courtesy University of California *=estimate, NA=not available.
Seven Day Soil Temperatures: Stratford 63, Parlier 65, Blackwell 67, Lindcove, 64, Arvin, 65, Orange Cove 64, Porterville 67, Delano 69, Madera Two 64
Record Temperatures: 94/34. Average Temperatures: 75/48
Cooling Degree Days this Season: 27 +12 Courtesy of the NWS
Average temperatures for April so far, 63.6 +4.6
Precipitation: Seasonal total/average/above or below average:
Since October 1, 2017 Fresno: 6.73 season. or -3.56. Month to Date: .64
Since October 1, 2017, Bakersfield: 3.93, or -1.97, Month to Date: .20
Water year season is from October 1st through September.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Orange Cove, Parlier, Arvin, Shafter, Stratford, Madera two, Lindcove, Porterville, Hours at 45 or below 45.
Sunrise: 6:21 am Sunset: 7:36 pm. Hours of Daylight: 13:12
Yesterday’s Weather:
MAE : Madera 253 : DH1700 / 63 / 36 / 0.04 /
FAT : Fresno Airport 333 : DH1700 / 64 / 41 / 0.07 /
HJO : Hanford Airport 242 : DH1700 / 65 / 37 / 0.08 /
NLC : Lemoore Naval AS 234 : DH1700 / 64 / 34 / 0.15 /
BFL : Bakersfield Airport 496 : DH1700 / 66 / 42 / 0.07 /
VIS : Visalia Airport 292 : DH1700 / 63 / 36 / 0.01 /
ATEC1 : Avenal 787 : DH1654 / 61 / 35 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville Airport 442 : DH1700 / 64 / 36 / 0.06 /
TFTC1 : Taft 759 : DH1652 / 61 / 44 / 0.00 /
LOSC1 : Los Banos 120 : DH1600 / M / 39 / 0.08 /
Rainfall
STOCKTON 0.00 9.09 71 21.33 167 12.80 14.06
MODESTO 0.00 8.00 68 16.50 141 11.72 13.11
MERCED T 6.91 62 15.46 139 11.09 12.50
MADERA 0.00 7.22 68 14.04 132 10.66 12.02
FRESNO 0.00 6.73 65 16.86 163 10.32 11.50
HANFORD 0.00 4.70 52 10.27 114 8.97 10.10
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 3.93 66 7.43 126 5.92 6.47
BISHOP 0.00 1.13 27 8.79 208 4.23 5.18
SALINAS 0.00 7.13 60 16.28 137 11.89 12.83
PASO ROBLES 0.00 9.62 81 15.76 132 11.95 12.78
SANTA MARIA 0.00 5.83 45 17.24 132 13.10 13.95
Next report: Thursday, April 19