February 18, 2021
Summary: currently, there is a weak weather system racing through the Pacific Northwest. High pressure off shore will efficiently keep central California high and dry. Light showers have spread over roughly the northern ¼ of California and down the Sierra Nevada to roughly Lake Tahoe. Another weather system, which is somewhat stronger, is rapidly moving out of the northeast Pacific and will be just off the northwest coast of California Friday night. it will race into the Great Basin Saturday. light precipitation will spread southward to roughly a Monterey/Merced/Yosemite line later Friday night and Saturday with some showers possibly spreading down the Sierra Nevada to Kings Canyon National Park.
The most noteworthy part of this system will be sharp differences in pressure between northern California and the Desert Southwest Friday night and Saturday. winds will increase out of the northwest generally into the 15 to 25 MPH range with gusts to 35 MPH possible, mainly along the west side. This same push of northwesterly winds are lifted when they come up against the valley facing slopes of the Kern County mountains and the southern Sierra Nevada, forming our old friends the upslope clouds. Those clouds will blanket Kern County and much of Tulare County Friday night through Saturday morning. it’s possible some of these clouds may linger into Sunday morning, especially in Kern County.
Sunday through Friday will be dominated by a flat zone of high pressure off shore. The storm track will move into the Pacific Northwest. Models are still indicating we’re in for a major change next weekend, however exactly what kind of change is still up in the air, no pun intended.
Forecast: partly cloudy tonight and Friday morning. becoming mostly cloudy late Friday through Saturday. remaining mostly cloudy in southeastern Tulare and Kern Counties Saturday afternoon into early Sunday with partly cloudy skies elsewhere. Otherwise, mostly clear Sunday through Thursday.
Short Term:
| Madera 34/65/41/61 | Reedley 34/67/40/62 | Dinuba 33/66/41/61 | |
| Porterville 33/68/42/60 | Lindsay 32/67/40/60 | Delano 34/68/42/62 | |
| Bakersfield 41/68/47/59 | Taft 47/64/49/66 | Arvin 38/70/43/60 | |
| Lamont 35/68/43/59 | Pixley 33/67/41/60 | Tulare 32/65/41/59 | |
| Woodlake 33/65/40/59 | Hanford 34/67/42/60 | Orosi 32/64/41/58 | |
Winds: Winds will be light tonight and through Friday morning, mainly out of the southeast. Late Friday through Saturday evening, winds will increase out of the northwest, averaging 15 to 25 MPH at times. Local gusts to 35 MPH are possible, mainly in western Fresno and Kings Counties, but locally elsewhere. Winds will decrease Saturday night, becoming light after midnight. Winds Sunday will be variable to no more than 10 MPH.
Rain: Expect dry conditions for at least the next week to ten days.
Frost: Temperatures this afternoon have moved into the low to mid 60s. Dew points, however, are generally lower and range in the low to mid 30s with some locations in Kern County down into the 20s. Somewhat of an increase in cloud cover tonight should mitigate the lower dew points with another night generally in the low to mid 30s. Expect the usual cold spots to dip to 30 to 31 or so. All locations will be above freezing Saturday morning due to cloud cover and wind conditions. The air mass swinging in behind Saturday’s system is similar in character to what we have now, meaning low 30s in the frost pockets will be again possible Sunday and Monday mornings. The remainder of the week will see above freezing temperatures.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella
Af |
Porterville
Af |
Ivanhoe
32 |
Woodlake
32 |
| Strathmore
Af |
Mcfarland
Af |
Ducor
Af |
Tea Pot Dome
Af |
| Lindsay
32 |
Exeter
32 |
Famoso
Af |
Madera
Af |
| Belridge
31 |
Delano
Af |
North Bakersfield
Af |
Orosi
32 |
| Orange cove
32 |
Lindcove
Af |
Lindcove Hillside
Af |
Sanger River Bottom
30 |
| Root Creek
32 |
Venice Hill
Af |
Rosedale
Af |
Jasmine
Af |
| Arvin
Af |
Lamont
Af |
Plainview
Af |
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: February 19/am