March 19, 2021
A weak cold front moved down the valley and is moving into the Kern County mountains at this hour. Just very light amounts of precipitation fell with the front, however a cool, unstable air mass is following the front, resulting in a chance of light showers through this evening. The freezing level above Oakland had dropped to 6,100 feet. If you recall, with the previous storm, the freezing level dropped to 3,000 feet. The main area of cold air will stay around the parent low just west of the Washington/Oregon coastline. The flow into central California is out of the southwest, perpendicular to the Sierra Nevada, meaning lift will squeeze out some decent precipitation amounts along the Sierra Nevada from Kings Canyon north. The trough will weaken and move into southern California Saturday as a weak trough of low pressure lingers over central California, continuing the risk of light showers over the southern Sierra Nevada.
By Sunday evening, upper level high pressure over the eastern Pacific will build northeastward into California. That will put us under the northeast quadrant of the high, placing us under a northwesterly flow aloft. That will keep temperatures close to average through the middle of next week. By Thursday, a low will move through the Pacific Northwest then will dive into the Great Basin as an inside slider. It will be too far to the east to pose the possibility of active weather for central California.
Forecast: Mostly cloudy through tonight with periods of light showers. Partly cloudy Saturday. mostly clear Saturday night and on through Friday of next week.
Short Term:
| Madera 64/42/63/36/65 | Reedley 63//43/63/36/65 | Dinuba 64/42/64/46/55 |
| Porterville 67/43/63/37/66 | Lindsay 66/41/64/45/65 | Delano 68/44/65/38/66 |
| Bakersfield 71/49/63/43/63 | Taft 71/52/62/46/63 | Arvin 72/47/62/41/64 |
| Lamont 71/47/62/40/64 | Pixley 68/43/65/37/66 | Tulare 63/42/64/42/65 |
| Woodlake 64/42/64/36/65 | Hanford 65/43/64/37/65 | Orosi 64/42/64/36/65 |
Seven Day Forecast:
| Monday
Mostly clear 40/68 |
Tuesday
Mostly clear 41/71 |
Wednesday
Mostly clear 43/75 |
Thursday
Mostly clear 45/74 |
Friday
Mostly clear 44/75 |
Two Week Outlook: March 25 through March 31: Don’t expect much in the way of precipitation during this time frame. Models show a generally weak zone of high pressure over California and off shore. Temperatures will likely be marginally above average.
March: This model indicates the Pacific Northwest and northern California will have below average temperatures for the month while just the opposite will be true for southern California and the Desert Southwest. Central California is between these two zones, theoretically experiencing near average temperatures and drier than average conditions.
March, April, May: As usual, this model shows California and most of the country with above average temperatures. This same model indicated pretty much the same for the current month of February which will go down as one of the coldest February on record. Precipitation over the next 90 days should run below average.
Winds Discussion: Winds through tonight will be mainly out of the west or northwest at around 8 to 15 MPH. Locally stronger gusts are possible, especially near showers. Saturday through Monday, winds will be generally at or less than 12 MPH late mornings and afternoons and at or less then 6 mph during the night and early morning hours.
Rain Discussion: Periods of showers are likely through the late evening hours tonight with a slight chance of showers after midnight, mainly in Kern County. Rainfall amounts from this event will tally up to between .25 and .33in easter Fresno and Madera Counties and generally between .10 and .25 in western Fresno and Kings Counties.. In Tulare County, about .25 is a good guesstimate. The usual rai shadow will reduce rainfall amounts in the valley portion of Kern County to a .19 or less. Dry weather will return Saturday and, from all appearances will last for at least a week thereafter.
Frost Discussion: Expect above freezing conditions for the next seven to ten days, at least.
Afternoon Dew Points Today: Mid to upper 50s. Low to mid 50s.
Actual Humidity Range Yesterday: Delano, 87%/20% Porterville, 93%/32%
Percentage of Sunshine Today/Tomorrow: Visalia: Today: 10%, tomorrow 80%. Bakersfield: Today: 40% Tomorrow: 50%
ET Rates Over the Past Seven Days:. Stratford .84, Parlier .79, Arvin .88, Orange Cove .74, Porterville .79, Delano .83. Courtesy University of California *=estimate, NA=not available.
Seven Day Soil Temperatures: Stratford 54, Parlier 56, Blackwell 52, Arvin, 56, Orange Cove 55, Porterville 56, Delano 51.
Record Temperatures: 86/32. Average Temperatures: 68/43
Heating Degree Days This Season: 2034. Varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
Average Temperature for this month So Far: 51, -2.9 courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno, 6.02 or -2.96 or 67% of average. Month to Date: .91 or -.37
Precipitation for Bakersfield, Season, 2.32, +or- -2.81 or 45% of average. Month to date .51 or -.26
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Orange Cove, 982, Parlier, 1128, Arvin, 882, Belridge, 1029, Shafter, 1008, Stratford, 1082, Delano, 1157, Porterville, 1108
Hours at 45 or below 45. Courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise: 7:02 am Sunset: 7:11 Hours of Daylight: 12:06
Yesterday’s Weather
MCE : Merced 153 : DH1700 / 69 / 48 / T /
MAE : Madera 253 : DH1700 / 72 / 47 / T /
FAT : Fresno Airport 333 : DH1700 / 73 / 54 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford Airport 242 : DH1700 / 73 / 49 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore Naval AS 234 : DH1700 / 76 / 48 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield Airport 496 : DH1700 / 76 / 49 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia Airport 292 : DH1700 / 72 / 49 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville Airport 442 : DH1700 / 75 / 45 / 0.00 /
TFTC1 : Taft 759 : DH1700 / 76 / 50 / 0.00 /
LOSC1 : Los Banos 120 : DH1600 / 69 / 39 / 0.00 /
Rainfall: 24hr W.Y. % Last Y. % Ave. Year ave.
STOCKTON 0.05 7.65 67 7.05 62 11.40 14.06
MODESTO 0.01 6.96 67 5.35 51 10.42 13.11
MERCED T 6.80 69 M M 9.85 12.50
MADERA T M M M M 9.58 12.02
FRESNO 0.00 6.02 67 M M 8.97 11.50
HANFORD 0.00 3.86 48 M M 8.02 10.10
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 2.32 45 M M 5.13 6.47
BISHOP 0.00 1.62 42 1.73 45 3.88 5.18
SALINAS 0.11 5.61 54 7.12 68 10.46 12.83
PASO ROBLES 0.00 6.53 61 8.76 82 10.70 12.78
SANTA MARIA 0.00 6.82 59 7.57 66 11.53 13.95
Next report: March 19/pm