February 20, 2021
Summary: As of 1:00pm, winds out of the northwest were gusting to 23 MPH at Fresno, 29 MPH at Lemoore, 26 MPH at Hanford, 24 MPH at Visalia, and 23 MPH at Bakersfield. at the Porterville airport, winds were out of the northwest gusting to 16 MPH. The current barometric pressure at San Francisco is 30.36 inches of mercury while at Las Vegas the current reading is 29.94, illustrating the surface pressure gradient which is, in part, responsible for the gusty northwesterly winds.
The main low pressure system has now raced into northern Arizona. Pressure differences will relax this evening, bringing the winds to an end overnight. Surface high pressure Sunday and Monday will build over the Great Basin, generating a moderate off shore flow.
In the meantime, over the eastern Pacific high pressure will begin to build into California for the start of a warming trend which will nudge afternoon highs into the lower 70s by Tuesday. All of the medium range model information now indicates a blocking ridge pattern will be in place for the remainder of this week. If this is accurate, the remainder of February will be dry with dry conditions possibly lasting into early March.
Forecast: Partly cloudy tonight in Kern and southeastern Tulare Counties with mostly clear skies elsewhere. Mostly clear skies Sunday through Wednesday. mostly clear skies continuing Wednesday night through Saturday with occasional high clouds.
Short Term:
| Madera 32/63/34/68 | Reedley 33/63/35/69 | Dinuba 31/61/34/67 | |
| Porterville 32/62/34/69 | Lindsay 31/62/34/68 | Delano 33/63/35/70 | |
| Bakersfield 37/65/40/71 | Taft 42/61/44/68 | Arvin 35/63/37/71 | |
| Lamont 34/63/36/70 | Pixley 32/62/34/69 | Tulare 31/61/34/68 | |
| Woodlake 32/62/33/68 | Hanford 33/62/35/69 | Orosi 31/63/34/68 | |
Winds: Winds through the early evening hours will continue out of the northwest at 10 to 20 MPH with stronger gusts, diminishing this evening and becoming light to calm after midnight. Winds Sunday through Tuesday will be variable to no more than 12 MPH with periods of near calm conditions, especially during the night and morning hours.
Rain: Expect dry conditions for at least the next week to ten days.
Frost: Gusty northwesterly winds continue to blow down the valley this afternoon. They will diminish during the evening hours, becoming light to near calm after midnight. Temperatures at this hour are generally in the upper 50s to near 60 with dew points in the low to mid 30s. there are some upslope clouds against the Sierra Nevada foothills and the Kern County mountains. Some cloud cover may prevail through the night with mostly clear skies elsewhere.
Coldest low lying regions will potentially drop down to 29 to 30 tonight with most locations ranging in the low to mid 30s. Similar conditions can be expected Monday morning. the much stronger, late February sun will push highs to near 70 by Tuesday, dragging low temperatures up, as well, for above freezing conditions for the remainder of this upcoming week.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella
32 |
Porterville
32 |
Ivanhoe
31 |
Woodlake
31 |
| Strathmore
32 |
Mcfarland
32 |
Ducor
32 |
Tea Pot Dome
32 |
| Lindsay
30 |
Exeter
31 |
Famoso
32 |
Madera
32 |
| Belridge
30 |
Delano
Af |
North Bakersfield
Af |
Orosi
31 |
| Orange Cove
31 |
Lindcove
30 |
Lindcove Hillside
Af |
Sanger River Bottom
28 |
| Root Creek
30 |
Venice Hill
32 |
Rosedale
32 |
Jasmine
Af |
| Arvin
Af |
Lamont
Af |
Plainview
32 |
Mettler
Af |
| Edison
Af |
Maricopa
Af |
Holland Creek
32 |
Tivy Valley
Af |
| Kite Road South
32 |
Kite Road North
Af |
AF=Above Freezing
Next update: February 21/am