August 18, 2018
Summary: Temperatures yesterday afternoon jumped right back into triple digits, ranging from about 101 to about 105. Similar conditions will prevail through Monday as upper level high pressure builds over central and southern California. In fact, the center of circulation of this high will park right over southern California this afternoon through Monday night. The marine layer has shrunk back to 1,100 feet and the freezing level is now 16,000 feet. With this, expect widespread triple digits through Monday and possibly Tuesday.
By midweek, a weak trough of low pressure will move into the Pacific Northwest and will clip northern California. The high will shift back towards the Four Corners region, weakening above central California a tad and allowing for a marginal cooling trend. It’s possible we could reap the benefits of a marine air intrusion about Wednesday or Thursday. This far out, it’s pretty much a balancing act to discern, but that possibility does exist. Also, the monsoon will work its way back into parts of southern California about Tuesday night and beyond. For now, however, the winds aloft will remain out of the west to southwest, keeping any moisture from the monsoon east of the Sierra Nevada with mostly clear skies for the foreseeable future.
Forecast: Mostly clear and hot through Tuesday. Mostly clear and not quite as hot Tuesday night through Saturday.
Short Term:
| Madera 103/66/103/65/103 | Reedley 103/66/102/65/102 | Dinuba 102/65/101/65/102 | |
| Porterville 103/66/103/66/103 | Lindsay 103/65/102/66/103 | Delano 104/71/104/73/104 | |
| Bakersfield 104/75/104/76/104 | Arvin 104/73/104/74/103 | Taft 103/78/103/78/104 | |
| Lamont 104/73/104/74/104 | Pixley 103/67/103/67/103 | Tulare 102/65/102/66/103 | |
| Woodlake 103/67/103/67/103 | Hanford 104/67/103/67/104 | Orosi 102/65/102/66/102 | |
Seven Day Forecast:
| Tuesday
Mostly clear 66/101 |
Wednesday
Mostly clear 65/100 |
Thursday
Mostly clear 64/99 |
Friday
Mostly clear 66/99 |
Saturday
Mostly clear 64/97 |
Two Week Outlook: August 25 through September 1: For a change, a nice trough of low pressure shows up moving through the Pacific Northwest and northern California. The winds aloft will be out of the west/southwest for generally clear skies. This pattern could bring enough marine air into the valley to lower temperatures to seasonal averages and, with a little bit of luck, perhaps even below.
September: This model indicates there will be a higher than active monsoon over the Desert Southwest and possibly central and southern California. This typically does not affect the valley floor other than cloud cover, but could result in a larger number of days of thunderstorms over the Sierra Nevada and possibly even the Kern County mountains. With generally high pressure over the southwest, temperatures will likely be somewhat above seasonal average.
September, October, November: The first part of this time frame will see a more active than usual monsoon in place for above average rain over the Sierra Nevada and possibly the mountains and deserts of southern California. October and November’s conditions aren’t as easy to determine. At this time we’ll call for generally average values for both rain and temperatures.
Winds: Winds will be generally less than 15 MPH and mainly out of the northwest afternoons and evenings through Tuesday.
Rain: Expect dry conditions indefinitely.
Afternoon Dew Points Today: Low to mid 50s. Kern: Low to mid 50s.
Humidity: Visalia: 20%/70% Bakersfield: 20%/50%
Actual Humidity August 17, 2018: Delano, 86%/22%, Porterville, 78%/19%
Percentage of Sunshine Today/Tomorrow: Visalia: Today: 100% tomorrow 100% Bakersfield: Today: 100% Tomorrow: 100%
ET Rates Over the Past Seven Days: Stratford 1.65, Parlier 1.80, Blackwell 2.13, Lindcove 1.78, Arvin 2.14, Orange Cove 1.97, Porterville 1.75, Delano 1.80, Madera Two NA. Courtesy University of California *=estimate, NA=not available.
Seven Day Soil Temperatures: Stratford 75, Parlier 80, Blackwell 87, Lindcove, 78, Arvin, NA, Orange Cove 81, Porterville 85, Delano 81, Madera Two, NA
Record Temperatures: 112/52. Average Temperatures: 97/64
Cooling Degree Days this Season: 1550 +394
. Courtesy of the NWS
Average temperatures for August so far, 82.4 +3.5
Precipitation: Seasonal total/average/above or below average:
Since Oct 1, 2017 Fresno: 6.73 season. or -4.59. Month to Date: .00
Since Oct 1, 2017, Bakersfield: 3.93, or -2.40. Month to Date: .00
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: 6:19 am Sunset: 7:45 pm. Hours of Daylight: 13:28
Yesterday’s Weather:
MAE : Madera 253 : DH1700 / 105 / 66 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno Airport 333 : DH1700 / 103 / 71 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford Airport 242 : DH1700 / 102 / 67 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore Naval AS 234 : DH1700 / 103 / 66 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield Airport 496 : DH1700 / 101 / 75 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia Airport 292 : DH1700 / 99 / 66 / 0.00 /
ATEC1 : Avenal 787 : DHM / 99 / 71 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville Airport 442 : DH1700 / 100 / 67 / 0.00 /
TFTC1 : Taft 759 : DH1649 / 102 / 77 / 0.00 /
LOSC1 : Los Banos 120 : DH1600 / 101 / 64 / 0.00 /
Rainfall: Water year Oct 1st through September 30th
Year % Last Y. % Ave. Annual ave.
STOCKTON 0.00 9.22 67 21.78 158 13.76 14.06
MODESTO 0.00 8.17 64 16.93 132 12.84 13.11
MERCED 0.00 7.06 58 16.03 131 12.20 12.50
MADERA 0.00 7.22 61 14.18 121 11.75 12.02
FRESNO 0.00 6.73 59 17.20 152 11.32 11.50
HANFORD 0.00 4.70 47 11.05 112 9.91 10.10
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 3.95 62 7.82 123 6.37 6.47
BISHOP 0.00 3.02 61 9.18 187 4.92 5.18
SALINAS 0.00 7.16 57 16.45 130 12.65 12.83
PASO ROBLES 0.00 9.62 77 16.14 129 12.49 12.78
SANTA MARIA 0.00 6.01 44 18.44 134 13.80 13.95
Next report: August 20