January 10, 2021
The fog is not quite as widespread this morning, especially in Kern County where the Santa Ana winds have mixed out the low clouds from portions of the south valley. Further north, fog is widespread up the center of the valley but has been nudged away from the Sierra Nevada foothills by weak off shore drainage winds along the west facing slopes. Temperatures at most locations today will have a better chance of moving into the mid 50s to even near 60 degrees in Kern County. Currently, there is a weak weather system moving through the Pacific Northwest and northern California.
Models portray a high center developing west of the central and southern California coast beginning Tuesday and remaining through this coming weekend. The high will expand over California and into the Great Basin and Desert Southwest while the storm track remains over the Pacific Northwest.
From midweek on, pressures aloft will be considerably stronger with temperatures possibly exceeding the 70 degree mark in the foothills surrounding the valley. Even on the valley floor, where the morning fog and low clouds clear, readings could potentially move into the mid to upper 60s. if the fog and low clouds completely take over, upper 40s and lower 50s would be the best that can be expected.
I keep looking for something on medium range models that would at least hint at rain, however for now it appears dry weather will continue through at least the 20th.
Forecast: Widespread low fog and overcast this morning, mainly north of Kern County. Clearing in most areas this afternoon. Widespread fog and low overcast tonight and each night through Tuesday with partial afternoon clearing. Widespread fog and low clouds nights and mornings with partial afternoon clearing Tuesday night through Sunday.
Due to widespread fog and low clouds, individual temperature forecasting is very tentative. If your location remains under a low overcast, expect mid to upper 40s for highs. If your location observes hazy sunshine, upper 50s to even lower 60s are likely.
Short Term:
| Madera 55/34/56/35/58 | Reedley 56/32/57/34/60 | Dinuba 56/31/58/33/58 |
| Porterville 58/32/59/34/62 | Lindsay 57/31/58/33/59 | Delano 58/31/59/34/62 |
| Bakersfield 60/38/61/41/64 | Taft 55/44/59/46/62 | Arvin 60/35/61/37/64 |
| Lamont 59/35/61/37/63 | Pixley 57/33/59/35/61 | Tulare 55/32/59/34/60 |
| Woodlake 57/33/59/35/60 | Hanford 57/33/59/35/61 | Orosi 56/33/59/35/59 |
Seven Day Forecast:
| Wednesday
AM fog/partial clearing 36/58 |
Thursday
AM fog/partial clearing 37/61 |
Friday
AM fog/partial clearing 37/63 |
Saturday
AM fog/partial clearing 37/62 |
Sunday
AM fog/partial clearing 38/64 |
Two Week Outlook: January 16 through January 22: A blocking ridge pattern definitely shows up on this model outlook. The storm track will move well north of central California, bringing the chance of rain down into the low category with above average temperatures.
January: This model doesn’t really show a trend for temperatures at all. We’ll call it near average this time around. Not surprisingly, it does indicate January will have below average precipitation, as has been the case this La Nina year.
January, February, March: This model does not really offer much hope for a decent rainy season as below average precipitation is indicated over the Golden State. Temperatures over this 90 day period will be generally above seasonal average.
Winds Discussion: Winds through Wednesday will be at or less than 10 MPH and variable in nature during the late mornings and afternoons and generally less than 5 MPH during the night and early morning hours with extended periods of near calm conditions.
Rain Discussion: Expect dry conditions for the next week to possibly ten days.
Frost Discussion: Lows this morning are in the low to mid 30s all the way up and down the line. As of 6:30, the coldest location I could find was 30 degrees at Reedley. Fowler, Ivanhoe, Lindsay, and Porterville each came in at 31. Throughout the citrus belt, there is less fog and low clouds than anticipated as an off shore flow nudged the fog bank closer to the center of the valley. Like previous nights, lows tonight and each night for the foreseeable future will generally range from32 to 37 with river bottom and other low lying regions down to 30 to 31. If the low clouds completely take over, temperatures will be above freezing.
Currently, there is nothing on models that would point to a model conducive for subfreezing weather.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella
32 |
Porterville
32 |
Ivanhoe
31 |
Woodlake
Af |
| Strathmore
Af |
McFarland
32 |
Ducor
Af |
Tea Pot Dome
32 |
| Lindsay
31 |
Exeter
32 |
Famoso
Af |
Madera
Af |
| Belridge
31 |
Delano
32 |
North Bakersfield
Af |
Orosi
32 |
| Orange Cove
Af |
Lindcove
32 |
Lindcove Hillside
Af |
Sanger River Bottom
30 |
| Root Creek
31 |
Venice Hill
Af |
Rosedale
Af |
Jasmine
Af |
| Arvin
Af |
Lamont
Af |
Plainview
32 |
Mettler
Af |
| Edison
Af |
Maricopa
Af |
Holland Creek
af |
Tivy Valley
32 |
| Kite Road South
Af |
Kite Road North
32 |
AF=Above Freezing
Afternoon Dew Points Today: Low to mid 40s. Low to mid 40s.
Actual Humidity Range Yesterday: Delano, 99%/77% Porterville, NA
Percentage of Sunshine Today/Tomorrow: Visalia: Today: 30%, tomorrow 30%. Bakersfield: Today: 50% Tomorrow: 50%
ET Rates Over the Past Seven Days: Stratford .33, Parlier .41, Blackwell Corners .NA, Arvin .39, Orange Cove .24, Porterville .NA, Delano .30. Courtesy University of California *=estimate, NA=not available.
Seven Day Soil Temperatures: Stratford 53, Parlier 50, Blackwell 53, Arvin, 52, Orange Cove 52, Porterville NA, Delano 46
Record Temperatures: 68/18. Average Temperatures: 54/35
Heating Degree Days This Season: 1088. Varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
Average Temperature for this month So Far: 48.5 +4.5 courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno, 1.42, or -2.69, Month to Date: .T or -.64
Precipitation for Bakersfield, Season, .74, +or- -1.55 Month to date .00, or -.33
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Orange Cove, 591, Parlier, 696, Arvin, 565, Belridge, 645, Shafter, 655, Stratford, 674, Delano, 717, Porterville, 753
Hours at 45 or below 45. Courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise: 7:11 am Sunset: 5:03 pm Hours of Daylight: 9:50
Yesterday’s Weather
MCE : Merced 153 : DH1600 / 53 / 38 / 0.00 /
MAE : Madera 253 : DH1600 / M / M / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno Airport 333 : DH1600 / 50 / 45 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford Airport 242 : DH1600 / 53 / 43 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore Naval AS 234 : DH1600 / 57 / 38 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield Airport 496 : DH1600 / 53 / 42 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia Airport 292 : DH1600 / 54 / 37 / 0.00 /
ATEC1 : Avenal 787 : DH1600 / 57 / 47 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville Airport 442 : DH1600 / 55 / 34 / 0.00 /
Rainfall: 24hr W.Y. % Last Y. % Ave. Year ave.
STOCKTON 0.00 2.09 38 4.66 85 5.48 14.06
MODESTO 0.00 1.54 32 3.48 73 4.79 13.11
MERCED 0.00 1.08 24 5.17 116 4.46 12.50
MADERA 0.00 0.16 3 2.57 55 4.68 12.02
FRESNO 0.00 0.28 7 3.10 75 4.11 11.50
HANFORD 0.00 0.13 3 2.61 66 3.98 10.10
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 0.39 17 2.64 115 2.29 6.47
BISHOP 0.00 0.21 11 1.10 55 1.99 5.18
SALINAS 0.00 0.96 21 5.14 111 4.62 12.83
PASO ROBLES 0.00 0.99 22 6.04 136 4.43 12.78
SANTA MARIA 0.00 1.77 37 4.25 89 4.80 13.95
Next report: January 11/am