Summary: Visalia, Lemoore, and Hanford are reporting visibilities of less than ¼ of a mile as of 7:00am. Most other locations has a visibility ranging from 1 to 3 miles.
California is on the far eastern side of upper level high pressure over the eastern Pacific with a north/northwest flow aloft. The high will shift inland through Friday with a continuation of areas of night and morning fog and low clouds and hazy afternoon sunshine. Satellite imagery indicates high clouds are embedded within this flow and will be visible from time to time.
The high will be suppressed southward Friday night into northern Mexico, allowing a weak trough of low pressure to move through California. Any precipitation will be north of a Bay Area/Stockton line, but increasing clouds can be expected over central California.
Following this trough will be a flat zone of high pressure over the eastern Pacific, extending inland into California with generally a west to east flow of moist air moving into the Pacific Northwest. Since we will remain south of the main storm track, areas of night and morning fog and low clouds can be expected along with variable cloudiness from time to time, but no precipitation. In fact, it now appears the first 10 days of the new year will be dry.
Forecast: Expect areas of night and morning fog and low clouds with hazy afternoon sunshine through Friday night. high thin clouds will also mix in from time to time. Mostly cloudy Saturday and Saturday night. partly cloudy Sunday with patchy morning fog. Variable cloudiness at times Monday through Wednesday with areas of night and morning fog and low clouds.
Short Term:
Madera 58/34/58/35/59 | Reedley 58/34/58/35/59 | Dinuba 57/33/58/34/58 | |
Porterville 59/34/58/35/61 | Lindsay 59/33/58/35/60 | Delano 59/35/58/36/61 | |
Bakersfield 61/42/60/42/64 | Taft 58/44/59/45/62 | Arvin 61/36/58/37/65 | |
Lamont 59/37/58/39/65 | Pixley 59/35/58/36/61 | Tulare 58/34/58/35/59 | |
Woodlake 58/34/58/35/61 | Hanford 58/35/58/37/61 | Orosi 59/33/58/35/62 |
Seven Day Forecast:
Saturday
Mostly cloudy 41/59 |
Sunday
Patchy fog/partly cloudy 37/55 |
Monday
Patchy fog/partly cloudy 34/57 |
Tuesday
Patchy fog/partly cloudy 33/58 |
Wednesday
Patchy fog/partly cloudy 33/59 |
Two Week Outlook: January 6 through January 12: This model continues to indicate a cold trough of low pressure will affect the eastern pacific and much of the western U.S. during this time frame. The chance for precipitation is relatively high with temperatures falling below average.
January: This model is rather inconclusive on precipitation and temperature trends. If anything, precipitation will be close to average with temperatures that are marginally above average. It does appear there will be potentially extended periods of dry weather, leading to episodes of fog and low clouds from time to time.
February, March, April: If this model has any kind of a grip on the situation, temperatures will run somewhat above average during the late winter/early spring period. This model would really dash the hopes of a wet winter as it does indicate below average rain for the three month period.
Winds: Winds through Saturday will be generally at or less than 6 MPH with periods of near calm conditions.
Rain: Expect dry weather for the next week to possibly ten days.
Frost Discussion: All locations will be above freezing tonight, but at or slightly above in the coldest river bottom and similar terrain. The combination of in and out high clouds and a slowly modifying air mass will keep temperatures generally in the 33 to 37 range each night through Thursday night and Friday morning. above freezing conditions can be expected Saturday and Sunday mornings. Models portray a rather robust off shore flow late Sunday through Monday which, theoretically, could mix drier air down to the valley floor. More often than not, however, this does not occur so I’ll stick with above freezing conditions for now right through the middle part of next week.
Afternoon Dew Points Today: Low to mid 40s. Kern: Low to mid 40s. Humidity values ranging from 60%/100% at Hanford. Bakersfield 55%/95%
Actual Humidity range December 31, 2019: Delano, 100%/66% Porterville, 99%/66%
Percentage of Sunshine Today/Tomorrow: Visalia: Today: 60%, tomorrow 70%. Bakersfield: Today: 70% Tomorrow: 80%
ET Rates Over the Past Seven Days: Stratford .28, Parlier .27, Blackwell Corner .29, Arvin .NA, Orange Cove .32, Porterville .30, Delano .30. Courtesy University of California *=estimate, NA=not available.
Seven Day Soil Temperatures: Stratford 53, Parlier 49, Blackwell 50, Arvin, 52, Orange Cove 51, Porterville 50, Delano 45
Record Temperatures: 69/21. Average Temperatures: 53/35
Heating Degree Days this Season: 849 -283
Courtesy of the NWS
Average temperature for December so far: 49.7 +5.2
Precipitation: Seasonal total/average/above or below average:
Since Oct 1, 2019 Fresno: 2.88 season. or -.59. Month to Date: 2.16 +.39
Since Oct 1, 2019, Bakersfield: 2.59, or +.63. Month to Date: 1.52 +.50
Water year season is from October 1st through September.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Orange Cove 369, Parlier 442, Arvin 306, Shafter 352, Stratford 374, Delano 421, Lindcove 473, Porterville 688
Hours at 45 or below 45.
Sunrise: 7:12 Sunset: 4:54 pm. Hours of Daylight: 9:42
Yesterday’s Weather:
MAE : Madera 253 : DH1600 / 58 / 33 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno Airport 333 : DH1600 / 58 / 36 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford Airport 242 : DH1600 / 56 / 35 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore Naval AS 234 : DH1600 / 57 / 31 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield Airport 496 : DH1600 / 58 / 41 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia Airport 292 : DH1600 / 55 / 33 / 0.00 /
ATEC1 : Avenal 787 : DH1551 / 56 / 36 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville Airport 442 : DH1600 / 58 / 34 / 0.00 /
TFTC1 : Taft 759 : DH1600 / 57 / 41 / 0.00 /
LOSC1 : Los Banos 120 : DH1600 / 57 / 35 / 0.00 /
Rainfall: Water year Oct 1st through September 30th
24hr season % last year % Ave. 365 day ave.
STOCKTON 0.00 4.32 91 5.88 124 4.73 14.06
MODESTO 0.00 3.23 79 4.49 110 4.08 13.11
MERCED 0.00 4.96 141 3.87 110 3.51 12.50
MADERA 0.00 2.26 61 2.99 80 3.73 12.02
FRESNO 0.00 2.88 83 2.33 67 3.47 11.50
HANFORD 0.00 2.31 74 1.87 60 3.13 10.10
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 2.59 132 1.30 66 1.96 6.47
BISHOP 0.00 1.10 68 1.57 97 1.62 5.18
SALINAS 0.00 5.06 129 4.77 122 3.91 12.83
PASO ROBLES 0.00 6.01 164 3.60 98 3.66 12.78
SANTA MARIA 0.00 4.16 103 2.74 68 4.05 13.95
Next report: January 2/AM