March 5, 2022
The center of circulation around a very cold low is now in southern Nevada and is pulling away to the east rapidly. Doppler radar is still indicating light showers are falling over the Sierra Nevada and the Coast Range. However, most of the action over the valley floor has died off. The flow aloft later tonight through Monday will be out of the north which will continue to pump cold air southward into California between upper level high pressure off shore and the cold low now over the interior west. The main concern over the next few nights will be overnight low temperatures. This is outlined below in the frost summary.
Upslope clouds against the north facing slopes of the Tehachapi Mountains will be slow to clear overnight. But, as that dry northerly flow pumps a drier air mass into the region, the cloud cover will dissipate sometime Monday. Upper level high pressure will bulge in from the west Sunday and Monday for the beginning of a slow warming trend.
A cold trough of low pressure will dive southward from western Canada into the interior west Thursday and Friday with a chance of light snow showers over the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada. No precipitation is expected on the valley floor.
That ridge of high pressure will be right overhead this weekend, pushing temperatures at least into the lower 70s. models show an active pattern for the Pacific Northwest and possibly northern California next week. So far, though, it looks like the rain line will be too far to the north for precipitation in our region.
Forecast: Still a chance of widely scattered light showers this afternoon, ending this evening. Partly to mostly cloudy tonight and Sunday morning. Clearing Sunday afternoon. Mostly clear Sunday night through Wednesday night. Partly cloudy Thursday through Friday. Mostly clear Friday night and Saturday.
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Short Term:
| Madera 32/59/31/62 | Reedley 33/61/31/64 | Dinuba 31/61/30/64 |
| Porterville 33/63/32/65 | Lindsay 31/61/31/65 | Delano 33/63/32/65 |
| Bakersfield 39/59/40/64 | Taft 43/55/44/61 | Arvin 35/62/33/65 |
| Lamont 34/61/33/66 | Pixley 33/61/32/65 | Tulare 31/60/31/63 |
| Woodlake 33/61/32/65 | Hanford 34/61/33/65 | Orosi 32/61/31/64 |
Wind Discussion: Winds this evening will be out of the northwest at 10 to 20 MPH, diminishing by midnight. Winds later tonight through Tuesday will be generally at or less than 8 mph with periods of near calm conditions, mainly during the night and early morning hours.
Rain: A few widely scattered showers are possible but not likely through the early evening hours. Otherwise expect dry weather tonight and for the remainder of next week.
Frost: Most locations will be either at or slightly above freezing overnight. Colder air continues to be funneled in along the back side of a cold low currently over southern Nevada. Upslope clouds will bank up against the north facing slopes of the Kern County mountains and, to a lesser extent, the southern Sierra Nevada, mainly in Tulare County. This regeneration of upslope clouds may continue through the night, buffering the cold in Kern County and possibly Tulare County.. even so, this is a cold air mass. Under the right conditions, clear skies and no wind, low lying territory could fall down to 27 to 29 degrees with most flat terrain ranging from 30 to 36. Hillsides will generally be above freezing. More locations may be at or below freezing Monday morning because of a lack of cloud cover and near calm wind conditions. However, lows then will probably be very much like Sunday morning’s lows. Look for 2 to 3 degrees of modification Wednesday morning with most locations being above freezing through the remainder of the week.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella
Af |
Porterville
32 |
Ivanhoe
31 |
Woodlake
Af |
| Strathmore
Af |
McFarland
31 |
Ducor
Af |
Tea Pot Dome
32 |
| Lindsay
31 |
Exeter
32 |
Famoso
Af |
Madera
32 |
| Belridge
31 |
Delano
Af |
North Bakersfield
Af |
Orosi
Af |
| Orange Cove
Af |
Lindcove
31 |
Lindcove Hillside
Af |
Sanger River Bottom
29 |
| Root Creek
31 |
Venice Hill
32 |
Rosedale
Af |
Jasmine
Af |
| Arvin
Af |
Lamont
Af |
Plainview
31 |
Mettler
Aff |
| Edison
Af |
Maricopa
Af |
Holland Creek
af |
Tivy Valley
Af |
| Kite Road South
Af |
Kite Road North
Af |
AF=Above Freezing
Next report: March 6