December 30, 2019
Summary: Skies have cleared up nicely this afternoon with the exception of a band of low clouds along the Sierra Nevada foothills, mainly in Fresno and Madera Counties and some broken clouds in Kern County. The center of circulation of the low pressure system which brought scant amounts of precipitation to the valley is now roughly 300 miles west of the northern Baja, California coastline and it continues to pull south. High pressure at the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere over the eastern Pacific is building a ridge into northern California, creating a northeast flow aloft and an off shore flow at the surface. Dew points this afternoon are ranging in the low to mid 40s, which is quite high. So, we will end the decade and begin a new one with the challenges of the tule fog on the valley floor nights and mornings and afternoon sunshine.
The high to our west will continue to build into California as the week progresses, strengthening the warm air inversion above the valley floor. The combination of a sharp low level inversion and a warm bubble of high pressure aloft should create fog and low clouds at the ground each morning with some afternoon clearing each day through Friday.
Over the weekend, models indicate the high will flatten out then will allow a trough of low pressure to move through northern and central California Saturday night and Sunday. I think it’s time to add a chance of light showers to the forecast, mainly from Fresno County north, during the second half of the weekend. Most models show another high building in behind the trough for a return to dry weather early next week.
Forecast: Widespread fog and low clouds later nights and mornings through Friday with hazy afternoon sunshine possible each afternoon. Partly cloudy Friday night and Saturday with patchy night and morning fog Friday. Increasing clouds Saturday evening with a chance of light showers after midnight Saturday through Sunday, mainly from Fresno County northward. Mostly cloudy Sunday night and Monday.
Short Term:
| Madera 31/55/31/57 | Reedley 33/56/33/57 | Dinuba 31/54/32/55 | |
| Porterville 32/56/33/57 | Lindsay 31/56/32/57 | Delano 32/57/33/57 | |
| Bakersfield 40/58/38/59 | Taft 40/56/40/58 | Arvin 35/57/35/59 | |
| Lamont 35/57/35/59 | Pixley 32/56/32/57 | Tulare 31/55/32/56 | |
| Woodlake 32/55/32/56 | Hanford 34/55/34/57 | Orosi 31/55/32/56 | |
Winds: Winds will be generally at or less than 6 MPH with extended periods of near calm conditions through Thursday.
Rain: Dry conditions will continue through at least Saturday. I do want to add a chance of light showers to the forecast for Saturday night and Sunday as models are trending towards a weak trough of low pressure moving through northern and central California. This trough will be followed by another several days of dry weather.
Frost Discussion: Dew points this afternoon range in the low to mid 40s from Madera County down to Kern County. As of 1:00pm, air temperatures were in the mid 50s. From tonight through Friday night, there will be a race between fog formation and radiational cooling with local areas of frost possible. My feeling is fog will become a major factor as the week wears on. Coldest readings tonight will only fall into the low 30s with widespread low to mid 30s expected, possibly even lower 40s in Kern County if lingering clouds stick around. Each night that begins relatively clear will have the potential for low to mid 30s this week, but no seriously cold weather is expected.
Above freezing conditions will return by Sunday and Monday of next week due to increasing cloud cover and a chance of rain. For now, it appears we’ll begin the new decade with no ominously cold weather patterns on the horizon.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella
32 |
Porterville
32 |
Ivanhoe
31 |
Woodlake
32 |
| Strathmore
31 |
Mcfarland
31 |
Ducor
33 |
Tea Pot Dome
32 |
| Lindsay
31 |
Exeter
31 |
Famoso
33 |
Madera
31 |
| Belridge
31 |
Delano
32 |
North Bakersfield
33 |
Orosi
31 |
| Orange Cove
31 |
Lindcove
30 |
Lindcove Hillside
Af |
Sanger River Bottom
29 |
| Root Creek
30 |
Venice Hill
32 |
Rosedale
32 |
Jasmine
32 |
| Arvin
Af |
Lamont
Af |
Plainview
31 |
Mettler
Af |
| Edison
Af |
Maricopa
Af |
Holland Creek
Af |
Tivy Valley
31 |
| Kite Road South
Af |
Kite Road North
31 |
AF=Above Freezing
Next report: December 31/morning