March 17, 2021
There is a big batch of clouds streaming in from the west/southwest underneath a low developing off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. This flow is pumping in milder air. In fact, temperatures this afternoon are running 5 to 6 degrees warmer than 24 hours ago, even in spite of the cloud cover. The low will sink a weak trough into northern and central California Thursday night through Friday night with a reasonable risk of light showers
A surface cold front will also move down the valley, issuing in a cooler air mass beginning Friday. Even so, temperatures this weekend will be quite comfortable. A weak trough of low pressure will linger over California Saturday and Sunday. This low will add enough lift to the atmosphere for a chance of scattered showers over the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada, mainly in the afternoon and evening.
The low will shift eastward Sunday night and will be replaced by upper level high pressure from the eastern Pacific. California will be flanked on the northwest portion of the high, putting us under a northwest flow aloft, so even though we will be under an umbrella of high pressure, temperatures will be close to average. Medium range models going all the way out through next weekend are indicating the storm track will remain well north of California, so after Friday night, expect a prolonged period of dry weather.
Forecast: Variable cloudiness tonight through Thursday. Mostly cloudy Thursday night and Friday with a good chance of light showers. A slight chance of a few light showers Friday night. partly cloudy Saturday through Sunday. Clearing Sunday night. mostly clear Monday through Wednesday.
Short Term:
Madera 45/71/50/65 | Reedley 45/72/51/64 | Dinuba 44/70/49/63 |
Porterville 44/72/50/67 | Lindsay 43/72/48/65 | Delano 45/73/51/67 |
Bakersfield 48/73/53/67 | Taft 51/71/56/68 | Arvin 47/73/51/69 |
Lamont 46/73/51/68 | Pixley 45/72/50/65 | Tulare 44/71/48/64 |
Woodlake 43/71/48/64 | Hanford 43/71/51/65 | Orosi 42/71/48/64 |
Winds Discussion: Winds during the late morning and afternoon hours will be generally at or less than 12 MPH and variable in nature. Winds during the night and morning hours will be generally at or less than 6 MPH with periods of near calm conditions through Thursday. Winds late Thursday night and Friday will be out of the northwest at 8 to 15 MPH with stronger gusts. Winds Friday night and Saturday will be variable to 15 MPH.
Rain Discussion: The chance of light showers is high for later Thursday night and Friday, especially Friday morning but there will still be a chance into Friday night. rainfall amounts will by no means be impressive, ranging from a few hundredths in Kern County to perhaps a tenth or two over Fresno and Madera Counties. From Saturday and for at least the following week, dry weather can be expected.
Frost Discussion: Temperatures will be above freezing for at least the next 7 to 10 days.
Next report: March 18/am