January 19, 2021
Summary: We began mentioning a wind event for California and Kern County about a week ago. The fact that a rare occurrence was about to take place with the development of a powerful off shore flow. For a brief time, the winds from ground level up to 30,000 feet were aligned out of the east. I could easily do a 30 page report, but you’ll be hearing in the news about widespread damage throughout California. In Kern County, the peak wind gust was at a place called Digier Road Hilltop with a gust of 83 MPH. there were numerous places in the Kern County mountains ranging in the 50 and 60 MPH range. On the Kern County valley floor, Lamont has had a peak of 63 MPH, the bottom of the Grapevine 56 MPH, near Arvin 70 MPH, with just 29 MPH gusts at Meadows Field where the winds have just recently begun.
Here are a few highlights from up and down the Sierra Nevada: The top of the ski lift at Mammoth Mtn 114 MPH. this next reading may or may not be legitimate, but if it verifies, it would be one of the strongest wind events recorded in California. A place called Clair Six Ridge at last report had sustained winds of 99 MPH, gusting to 121 MPH at an elevation of 9,200 feet. Earlier in the day, they reported a gust of 188 MPH. This peak is roughly 25 miles to the southwest of Lake Tahoe.
The winds will continue into the evening hours then will quickly begin to die off by midnight with generally light winds returning Wednesday through Thursday night. the low which is now located off of northern Baja is rotating bands of showers into Arizona and inland sections of southern California too far to the south to affect the forecast region. The low will finally shift eastward into the Desert Southwest late Wednesday night and Thursday.
I’m becoming more confident that rain is finally on the way as the first in what will become a series of cold low pressure systems moves out of the Gulf of Alaska, sliding south/southeast into California. Showers will spread over the valley Friday with snow in the mountains, continuing into Saturday night with fairly low snow levels. A narrow ridge of high pressure will follow this system for a dry Sunday and Sunday night. the next, even colder storm will follow a similar path, centering near Crescent City by early Monday morning then into central California Monday afternoon and night with more widespread showers and snow into the higher foothills.
For the fourth day in a row, models point towards a powerful low off the Oregon/northwest California coast with a moist feed of air coming in from the southwest into northern and central California, possibly even developing a pineapple connection. We will also have to watch the possibility of another high wind event about the middle of next week.
Models give hope for additional precipitation next week, also.
Forecast: Partly cloudy tonight with diminishing winds. Mostly clear to occasioinally partly cloudy tonight through Wednesday night. mostly clear Thursday. Increasing cloudiness Thursday night. a chance of showers Friday morning. becoming likely late afternoon through Saturday evening. Mostly to partly cloudy late Saturday night through Sunday. Increasing cloudiness Sunday night. periods of rain Monday through Tuesday.
Short Term:
| Madera 33/64/31/65 | Reedley 32/65/30/65 | Dinuba 31/64/30/63 | |
| Porterville 32/65/30/65 | Lindsay 31/64/30/64 | Delano 34/65/31/65 | |
| Bakersfield 43/66/40/67 | Taft 47/62/48/65 | Arvin 39/66/38/67 | |
| Lamont 37/65/36/66 | Pixley 35/65/32/65 | Tulare 32/63/30/64 | |
| Woodlake 33/64/31/64 | Hanford 33/65/32/65 | Orosi 32/65/30/64 | |
Winds: In Kern County, through the evening hours wind gusts in excess of 50 to 60 MPH are still possible in the Edison/Arvin area, also Lamont with gusts to near 50 MPH possible as far north as Bakersfield. north of Kern County, mainly in western Fresno and Kings Counties gusts to 30 to 40 MPH are possible, also diminishing later this evening. Winds Wednesday through Thursday night, winds will be generally at or less than 15 MPH, becoming out of the southeast at 8 to 15 MPH Friday.
Rain: Expect dry conditions through Thursday night. showers will spread over the valley Friday, especially during the second half of the day, and will continue off and on through Saturday evening. A brief dry slot will occur Saturday night through Sunday night then the next very cold low will drop out of the Gulf of Alaska and into California with periods of rain Monday and Tuesday with snow down into the higher foothills. Models continue to indicate a powerful low will develop off the Oregon/northwest California coast about the middle of next week which could lead to heavy precipitation over both northern and central California with a pineapple connection possibly developing. Models for weekend after next are pointing to the possibility of more active weather.
Frost: It is possible that some wind sheltered river bottom or such could dip down into the upper 20s tonight. with very strong wind energy above the valley floor, enough mixing should be taking place to keep temperatures in the 30s. the strong winds have played havoc with dew points which range from the mid to upper teens over the northern half of the valley, mid teens in Tulare County but are still in the 30s in Kern County. On Thursday morning, there will be a greater risk of upper 20s and lower 30s with the wind factor gone. For Friday and beyond, even though a cold weather pattern is beginning, it will be active with periods of on and off showers through the first half of the weekend then again from Monday and beyond, maintaining above freezing conditions.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella
31 |
Porterville
32 |
Ivanhoe
30 |
Woodlake
32 |
| Strathmore
31 |
McFarland
31 |
Ducor
33 |
Tea Pot Dome
32 |
| Lindsay
30 |
Exeter
31 |
Famoso
Af |
Madera
33 |
| Belridge
Af |
Delano
Af |
North Bakersfield
Af |
Orosi
31 |
| Orange Cove
Af |
Lindcove
32 |
Lindcove Hillside
Af |
Sanger River Bottom
29 |
| Root Creek
30 |
Venice Hill
32 |
Rosedale
Af |
Jasmine
Af |
| Arvin
Af |
Lamont
Af |
Plainview
32 |
Mettler
Af |
| Edison
Af |
Maricopa
Af |
Holland Creek
af |
Tivy Valley
Af |
| Kite Road South
Af |
Kite Road North
Af |
AF=Above Freezing
Next update: January 20/am