February 26, 2022
The cloud cover moving in did not arrive in time to prevent another very cold night. Several locations again chilled into the mid 20s. last night will be the last of this event, however. A weak trough of low pressure off shore will spread more and more high level clouds over the valley tonight to keep most locations in the low to mid 30s. the trough is a temporary fixture as upper level high pressure will rebound, leading to above average temperatures beginning Sunday with readings moving into the low to mid 70s as early as Tuesday and the mid to upper 70s Wednesday and Thursday. The high will temporarily break down Thursday and Friday in response to a weak trough of low pressure moving through California. It appears light showers will spread over California Thursday down to a Monterey/Merced/Yosemite line. For now we’ll forecast dry conditions for the southern half of the valley and see if any trend develops which would allow us to put showers in the forecast.
After Friday, a large ridge will build off shore with a cold trough of low pressure building over the interior west during the weekend. Currently, this doesn’t appear to be a cold weather event such as we just experienced. However, a northerly flow will drop temperatures below average next weekend and into the following week.
Forecast: partly cloudy today. Variable cloudiness tonight through Sunday. Partly cloudy Sunday night. Mostly clear Monday through Wednesday night. Increasing cloudiness Thursday with a chance of showers from Merced north Thursday night and Friday morning. Partly cloudy Friday afternoon through Saturday.
Short Term:
| Madera 65/34/68/37/72 | Reedley 66/34/69/37/73 | Dinuba 65/33/68/34/72 |
| Porterville 67/33/68/37/73 | Lindsay 66/33/69/34/72 | Delano 67/36/68/37/72 |
| Bakersfield 67/41/68/47/72 | Taft 64/47/65/46/68 | Arvin 67/36/70/37/73 |
| Lamont 67/38/68/38/73 | Pixley 66/35/68/37/72 | Tulare 65/33/67/36/71 |
| Woodlake 65/34/68/36/ 71 | Hanford 66/35/69/36/73 | Orosi 64/33/68/35/72 |
Seven Forecast
| Tuesday
Mostly clear 36/72 |
Wednesday
Mostly clear 40/76 |
Thursday
Mostly cloudy 44/77 |
Friday
Partly cloudy 35/65 |
Saturday
Mostly clear 34/63 |
Two Week Outlook: March 3 through March 9: This model is indicating a trough of low pressure may be stretching from the Gulf of Alaska into the western US. The signature for rain, however, is small with temperatures returning to below average.
February: The guidance on this model does not show any particular pattern that would favor temperatures or precipitation. Basically, what it’s saying is there’s equal chances of above or below average rain as well as above or below average temperatures. Flip a coin.
February, March, April: There are no dominant trends on this model favoring above or below average precipitation. Temperatures during this period should be fairly close to seasonal values.
Wind Discussion: Winds will be generally at or less than 8 mph with periods of near calm conditions, mainly during the night and morning hours, through Tuesday.
Rain: Expect dry conditions for at least the next 7 days.
Frost: The strongest freeze event of this winter is now over. Clouds will increase during the course of the day ahead of a weak off shore trough which will spread plenty of cloud cover over the valley tonight, ending the series of frost nights. Also, moisture will mix down to the valley floor, dragging up dew points. Above freezing conditions can be expected this upcoming week. A pattern change towards next weekend will generate a northerly flow. Currently, it appears the bulk of that cold air mass will move into the interior west. However, temperatures will turn cooler though there will not be a freeze event such as the one that’s just ended.
Actual Humidity Range Yesterday: Delano, 88%/32% Porterville, 100%/38%. Midafternoon dew points: Mid to upper 20s. Kern: Mid to upper 20s.
Percentage of Sunshine Today/Tomorrow: Visalia: Today: 40%, tomorrow 20%. Bakersfield: Today: 60%/. Tomorrow, 30%.
ET Rates Over the Past Seven Days: Stratford .76, Parlier .65, Arvin .68, Orange Cove .63, Porterville .59, Delano .65. Courtesy University of California *=estimate, NA=not available.
Seven Day Soil Temperatures: Stratford, 52, Parlier 51, Arvin, 53, Orange Cove 52, Porterville 51, Delano NA. *=data missing.
Average Temperatures: 64/42. Record Temperatures: 83/25
Heating Degree Days This Season. 1835 -116, Varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno, 5.25 or -1.86. Monthly .00 -1.69
Precipitation for Bakersfield, Season, 3.67 or -.46. Monthly, .00 -.94
Average Temperature this month: 50.3 -0.3 Taken NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Orange Cove, 932, Parlier, 1084, Arvin, 908, Belridge, 967, Shafter, 904 Stratford, 1076, Delano, 1068, Porterville, 1109. courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise. 6:33, Sunset, 5:50, hours of daylight, 11:17
Yesterday’s weather:
MCE : Merced AP 153 : 62 / 30 / 0.00 /
MAE : Madera AP 253 : 60 / 30 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno AP 333 : 61 / 37 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford AP 242 : 62 / 31 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore NAS 234 : 63 / 27 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield AP 496 : 62 / 36 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia AP 292 : 60 / 35 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville AP 442 : 61 / 31 / 0.00 /
Rainfall: 24h Seas % LY % Ave 365
STOCKTON 0.00 8.2 Add Form1 87 6.86 73 9.42 13.45
MODESTO 0.00 8.16 97 6.38 76 8.40 12.27
MERCED 0.00 5.87 74 5.92 75 7.91 11.80
MADERA 0.00 M M 1.19 17 7.04 10.79
FRESNO 0.00 5.25 74 5.11 72 7.11 10.99
HANFORD 0.00 4.78 91 3.05 58 5.28 8.13
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 3.67 89 1.81 44 4.13 6.36
BISHOP 0.00 4.50 138 1.61 49 3.26 4.84
SALINAS 0.00 6.18 70 4.73 54 8.78 12.58
PASO ROBLES 0.00 7.37 88 5.96 71 8.36 12.15
SANTA MARIA 0.00 6.33 70 6.08 68 9.00 13.32
Next report: February 26 PM