January 2, 2020
Summary: Visibilities at the usually reporting weather stations are generally anywhere from 3 to 10 miles. Madera is an exception at this hour with a visibility of less than ¼ of a mile. Strong upper level high pressure over the eastern Pacific is shifting into the eastern U.S. and will firm up the warm air inversion above the valley floor through Friday night. I wouldn’t be surprised to see fog become more widespread over the next couple of mornings. However, for much of the valley it’s been a while since rain has occurred and even with the seasonally weak afternoon sunshine, available moisture is not as great as it could be for fog formation.
Very stable weather will prevail through the weekend. The high will then flatten out and eventually be suppressed into northern Mexico. A west to east flow aloft will keep the storm track in the Pacific Northwest with light showers down into parts of northern California Saturday due to a weak trough of low pressure quickly moving through.
Surface high pressure will jump up over the Great Basin Sunday and Monday, generating an off shore flow. However it does not look like it will disturb the valley floor. Dry weather will continue through at least the middle of next week. There’s really no solid consensus on model information from next Thursday and beyond. Some models are showing systems trying to move out of the Gulf of Alaska, affecting the Pacific Northwest and northern California, but for now I believe it’s wise to go with a dry forecast for the next week.
Forecast: Other than areas of night and morning fog and low clouds, it will be mostly clear through Friday night. variable cloudiness Saturday through Sunday with patchy night and morning fog. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Monday through Thursday with areas of night and morning fog and low clouds.
Short Term:
| Madera 57/34/61/36/62 | Reedley 58/34/62/37/63 | Dinuba 57/34/63/35/61 | |
| Porterville 58/35/63/36/62 | Lindsay 58/34/62/36/62 | Delano 59/36/64/37/64 | |
| Bakersfield 60/43/66/45/65 | Taft 58/34/62/37/63 | Arvin 60/37/66/38/65 | |
| Lamont 60/38/66/38/64 | Pixley 59/35/63/37/64 | Tulare 57/34/63/36/61 | |
| Woodlake 57/34/63/36/61 | Hanford 58/36/62/39/63 | Orosi 57/34/63/36/61 | |
Seven Day Forecast:
| Sunday
Variable clouds 38/55 |
Monday
Partly cloudy 34/55 |
Tuesday
Areas of fog/partly cloudy 34/60 |
Wednesday
Areas of fog/partly cloudy 35/62 |
Thursday
Patchy fog/mostly Cloudy 37/55 |
Two Week Outlook: January 9 through January 15: 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 Sunday 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 32 degrees each night for the foreseeable future. Even though there is some model indication of a colder pattern beginning around the 10th or so, the configuration does not support a chance of a critical weather pattern.
Afternoon Dew Points Today: Low to mid 40s. Kern: Low to mid 40s. Humidity values ranging from 55%/100% at Hanford. Bakersfield 45%/95%
Actual Humidity range January 1, 2020: Delano, 100%/66% Porterville, 99%/59%
Percentage of Sunshine Today/Tomorrow: Visalia: Today: 80%, tomorrow 70%. Bakersfield: Today: 70% Tomorrow: 80%
ET Rates Over the Past Seven Days: Stratford .27, Parlier .29, Blackwell Corner .30, Arvin .NA, Orange Cove .31, Porterville .30, Delano .31. Courtesy University of California *=estimate, NA=not available.
Seven Day Soil Temperatures: Stratford 52, Parlier 49, Blackwell 50, Arvin, 52, Orange Cove 50, Porterville 49, Delano 45
Record Temperatures: 70/20. Average Temperatures: 53/35
Heating Degree Days this Season: 867 -286
Courtesy of the NWS
Average temperature for January so far: 46.5 +2.5
Precipitation: Seasonal total/average/above or below average:
Since Oct 1, 2019 Fresno: 2.88 season. or -.67. Month to Date: .00 -.08
Since Oct 1, 2019, Bakersfield: 2.59, or +.59. Month to Date: .00 -.04
Water year season is from October 1st through September.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Orange Cove 382, Parlier 454, Arvin 322, Shafter 363, Stratford 385, Delano 432, Lindcove 486, Porterville 704
Hours at 45 or below 45.
Sunrise: 7:12 Sunset: 4:55 pm. Hours of Daylight: 9:42
Yesterday’s Weather:
MAE : Madera 253 : DH1600 / 58 / 37 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno Airport 333 : DH1600 / 60 / 39 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford Airport 242 : DH1600 / 58 / 35 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore Naval AS 234 : DH1600 / 59 / 36 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield Airport 496 : DH1600 / 59 / 39 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia Airport 292 : DH1600 / 58 / 34 / 0.00 /
ATEC1 : Avenal 787 : DH1600 / 59 / 37 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville Airport 442 : DH1600 / 60 / 35 / 0.00 /
TFTC1 : Taft 759 : DH1554 / 61 / 41 / 0.00 /
Rainfall: Water year Oct 1st through September 30th
24hr season % last year % Ave. 365 day ave.
STOCKTON 0.00 4.32 90 5.88 122 4.81 14.06
MODESTO 0.00 3.23 78 4.49 108 4.16 13.11
MERCED 0.00 4.96 137 3.87 107 3.62 12.50
MADERA 0.00 2.26 59 2.99 78 3.85 12.02
FRESNO 0.00 2.88 81 2.33 66 3.55 11.50
HANFORD 0.00 2.31 72 1.87 58 3.23 10.10
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 2.59 130 1.30 65 2.00 6.47
BISHOP 0.00 1.10 66 1.57 94 1.67 5.18
SALINAS 0.00 5.06 127 4.77 120 3.99 12.83
PASO ROBLES 0.00 6.01 160 3.60 96 3.75 12.78
SANTA MARIA 0.00 4.16 100 2.74 66 4.14 13.95
Next report: January 2/PM