January 20, 2022
Another quiet morning in the world of weather. All of the usual reporting weather stations are reporting a visibility between 2 and 3 miles. However, infrared satellite imagery depicts a finger of fog stretching from just north of Bakersfield, basically running parallel to Highway 99 to west of Fresno. So, most of the fog this morning is towards the center and west side of the valley.
Upper level high pressure is located off the northern California coast with a big ridge extending northward into western Canada. A low will develop over the interior west, making it over southern California and Arizona by Friday night and into northern Baja Saturday. This feature is dry, but the circulation pattern around the low combined with the circulation around that high pressure system will turn the winds aloft out of the northeast, creating strong winds over the high Sierra, eventually into the Kern County mountains. It’s possible that somewhat drier air could make it down to the valley floor, potentially lowering dew points enough for isolated frost pockets to chill into the lower 30s over the weekend.
Overall, the big high will remain over the west and off shore with bitterly cold air sliding into the eastern half of the US. A weak trough will penetrate the northern portion of the high this weekend, weakening it enough for a minor cooling trend. If models are correct, January could turn out to be completely dry. Thank goodness for the fortune of December precipitation.
Forecast: Outside of areas of night and morning fog and low clouds and occasional high clouds, it will be mostly clear and hazy through next Thursday.
Short Term:
| Madera 64/35/60/35/61 | Reedley 63/34/59/34/62 | Dinuba 62/34/59/34/60 |
| Porterville 65/36/61/34/61 | Lindsay 64/33/60/34/60 | Delano 65/37/60/36/61 |
| Bakersfield 66/42/61/40/60 | Taft 62/47/59/43/59 | Arvin 65/37/61/37/60 |
| Lamont 65/37/59/36/61 | Pixley 64/37/59/37/61 | Tulare 63/34/59/34/60 |
| Woodlake 63/35/59/35/61 | Hanford 64/37/59/36/61 | Orosi 63/34/60/34/59 |
Seven Forecast:
| Sunday
Patchy fog/partly cloudy 34/62 |
Monday
Patchy fog/partly cloudy 33/63 |
Tuesday
Patchy fog/partly cloudy 35/63 |
Wednesday
Patchy fog/partly cloudy 36/64 |
Thursday
Patchy fog/partly cloudy 35/65 |
Two Week Outlook: January 26 through February 1: This model has flip flopped back to showing a blocking ridge pattern with high pressure dominating the western 1/3 of the US. The chance of precipitation will remain low with above average temperatures.
January: This model doesn’t really indicate a trend that would favor above or below precipitation. The active storm track in the Pacific Northwest will continue. Both temperatures and precipitation should be close to seasonal averages.
January, February, March: The trend of below average temperatures of late continues on the 90 day forecast which indicates temperatures will be slightly below average. Below average precipitation is anticipated over the Desert Southwest and the southern half of California with near average precipitation from Fresno County north.
Wind Discussion: Winds will be generally at or less than 6 MPH with periods of near calm conditions through Sunday.
Rain: Expect dry weather for the next 7 to possibly 10 days.
Frost: All locations will be above 32 degrees tonight. It’s possible enough dry air could mix down to the valley floor Friday and Saturday potentially allow dew points to lower for a chance of river bottom type locations dipping down into the low
+++++++++30s Saturday and Sunday mornings. Most locations will chill into the 33 to 37 degree range Saturday and Sunday. Still no pattern on paper which would allow for any freeze situation to occur.
Actual Humidity Range Yesterday: Delano, 97%/64% Porterville, 100%/67%. Dew points: Mid to upper 40s. Kern: Mid to upper 40s.
Percentage of Sunshine Today/Tomorrow: Visalia: Today: 80%, tomorrow 90%. Bakersfield: Today: 90%/. Tomorrow, 90%.
ET Rates Over the Past Seven Days: Stratford .30, Parlier .30, Arvin .36, Orange Cove .32, Porterville .32, Delano .31. Courtesy University of California *=estimate, NA=not available.
Seven Day Soil Temperatures: Stratford, 53, Parlier 51, Arvin, 53, Orange Cove 51, Porterville 51, Delano 46. *=data missing.
Average Temperatures: 56/38. Record Temperatures: 72/24
Heating Degree Days This Season. 1277 -106 Varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno, 5.21 or +.60. Monthly .T -1.39
Precipitation for Bakersfield, Season, 3.56 or +91. Month to date .01 -.75
Average Temperature this month: 47.8, +1.5 Taken NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Orange Cove, 558, Parlier, 667, Arvin, 562, Belridge, 625, Shafter, 599, Stratford, 688, Delano, 663, Porterville, 680 courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise. 7:08, Sunset, 5:13, hours of daylight, 10:03
Yesterday’s Weather:
MCE : Merced AP 153 : 63 / 38 / 0.00 /
MAE : Madera AP 253 : 62 / 39 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno AP 333 : 63 / 43 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford AP 242 : 64 / 38 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore NAS 234 : 64 / 37 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield AP 496 : 62 / 44 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia AP 292 : 62 / 40 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville AP 442 : 64 / 39 / 0.00 /
CLIMATE STATION TOTAL 2022 PON 2021 PON NORMAL NORMAL
STOCKTON 0.00 8.21 133 2.09 34 6.16 13.45
MODESTO 0.00 8.15 150 1.54 28 5.45 12.27
MERCED 0.00 5.85 115 2.28 45 5.07 11.80
MADERA 0.00 1.52 34 0.77 17 4.48 10.79
FRESNO 0.00 5.21 113 1.42 31 4.61 10.99
HANFORD 0.00 4.61 132 0.67 19 3.50 8.13
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 3.56 134 0.74 28 2.65 6.36
BISHOP 0.00 4.50 213 0.21 10 2.11 4.84
SALINAS 0.00 6.11 109 0.96 17 5.59 12.58
PASO ROBLES 0.00 7.34 143 0.99 19 5.14 12.15
SANTA MARIA 0.00 6.26 115 1.77 33 5.44 13.32
Next report: January 20 pm