March 5, 2022
The center of circulation of a cold upper level low is just north of Lake Tahoe this morning. The pool of cold unstable air has caused the freezing level to rocket down to 2,600 feet. That will lower the snow level to between 1,500 and 2,000 feet. The low will track southeastward, centering over southern Inyo County this afternoon. Pockets of light showers have already spread over the valley and will continue through the morning hours before tapering off. It’s still possible scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms will occur this afternoon. This storm is a fast mover, so dry weather will return tonight. The other element to this storm is much colder weather. Readings will fall from the lower 80s a couple of days ago to the low to mid 50s today. By tonight, the storm will already be centered by the Utah/Arizona border then into the Four Corners region Sunday. Upper level high pressure over the eastern Pacific will gradually push inland. A northerly flow will prevail between the off shore high and the cold low over the interior west. This will continue to pump cold air into California through Monday. Areas of frost will be likely beginning tonight and lasting through the next few nights. The high will continue to push inland as a northwest flow sets up over California. Daytime highs will push into the 60s by Tuesday. By this coming weekend, upper level high pressure will be right overhead and highs will push into the 70s.
Forecast: Scattered light showers today. A slight chance of isolated thunderstorms this afternoon. Partly cloudy tonight and Sunday morning. Mostly clear Sunday afternoon through Saturday.
Short Term:
| Madera 55/34/60/31/64 | Reedley 56/33/61/31/64 | Dinuba 54/32/60/31/64 |
| Porterville 55/33/61/31/65 | Lindsay 54/32/61/30/64 | Delano 56/34/62/33/65 |
| Bakersfield 55/39/59/40/65` | Taft 54/45/57/45/62 | Arvin 54/37/60/34/65 |
| Lamont 54/38/62/33/65 | Pixley 54/32/59/31/63 | Tulare 53/33/62/31/64 |
| Woodlake 54/33/62/32/64 | Hanford 54/34/62/32/65 | Orosi 53/32/60/31/65 |
Seven Forecast
| Tuesday
Mostly clear 32/64 |
Wednesday
Mostly clear 35/68 |
Thursday
Mostly clear 36/70 |
Friday
Mostly clear 35/69 |
Saturday
Mostly clear 38/72 |
Two Week Outlook: March 11 through March 17: Upper level high pressure will build into the western ¼ of the US, resulting in a period of dry weather with temperatures rising to above average.
March: The 30 day outlook for the month of March really does not show much guidance for either precipitation or temperatures. Essentially what it says is near average temperatures with near average precipitation.
March, April, May: The March, April, May period moves us into the traditional beginning of the dry season. This model is showing below average precipitation for most of the state. Guidance is fairly flat as far as temperatures are concerned as it indicates near average temperatures.
Wind Discussion: Winds through this evening will be mainly out of the northwest at 10 to 20 mph with stronger gusts possible. Winds will diminish by midnight. Winds later tonight through Tuesday will be mainly at or less than 8 mph with periods of near calm conditions, mainly during the night and morning hours.
Rain: Pockets of light showers are moving through the valley at this hour and will continue to do so today. The chance of isolated thunderstorms this afternoon is low, but still high enough to mention it here. The active weather will come to an end this evening. Expect dry weather tonight and for at least the next week thereafter. Rainfall from the current storm should add up to no more than a tenth or two at most locations. If isolated thunderstorms develop, then up to a third of an inch is possible.
Frost: a pool of very cold air has moved over central California. The freezing level has dropped to 2,600 feet. Widespread low to mid 30s can be expected the next couple of nights. For tonight, if breaks occur in the clouds and winds die off, coldest locations in river bottom like locations will drop down to 27 or 28. Most typical flatland topography will drop down to mainly 30 to 35 or so. We may have enough upslope clouds against the Tehachapi and the southern Sierra Nevada to maintain at least some cloud cover over Kern and Tulare Counties to keep temperatures there a bit milder, though that’s not a guarantee. Lows Monday and Tuesday will be similar. By Wednesday two to three degrees of modification should take place with above freezing conditions beginning Thursday.
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 |
Lindcocve
31 |
Lindcove Hillside
Af |
Sanger River Bottom
29 |
| Root Creek
31 |
Vennice 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
Actual Humidity range Yesterday: Delano, 95%/60% Porterville, 100%/70%. Midafternoon dew points: Mid to upper 30s. Kern: Mid to upper 30s.
Percentage of Sunshine Today/Tomorrow: Visalia: Today: 20%, tomorrow 70%. Bakersfield: Today: 10%/. Tomorrow, 60%.
ET Rates Over the Past Seven Days: Stratford .76, Parlier .73, Arvin .79, Orange Cove .71, Porterville .71, Delano .77. Courtesy University of California *=estimate, NA=not available.
Seven Day Soil Temperatures: Stratford, 52, Parlier 57, Arvin, 55, Orange Cove 54, Porterville 55, Delano 52. *=data missing.
Average Temperatures: 66/43. Record Temperatures: 84/31
Heating Degree Days This Season. 1895 -123, Varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno, 5.36 or -2.21. Monthly .11 -.19
Precipitation for Bakersfield, Season, 4.35 or -.07. Monthly, .68 +.52
Average Temperature this month: 58.3 +4.3 Taken NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Orange Cove, 973, Parlier, 1129, Arvin, 953, Belridge, 1016, Shafter, 934 Stratford, 1116, Delano, 1113, Porterville, 1157. courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise. 6:23, Sunset, 5:58, hours of daylight, 11:33
Yesterday’s weather:
MCE : Merced AP 153 : 65 / 37 / T /
MAE : Madera AP 253 : 60 / 36 / T /
FAT : Fresno AP 333 : 57 / 41 / 0.11 /
HJO : Hanford AP 242 : 58 / 36 / 0.09 /
NLC : Lemoore NAS 234 : 61 / 38 / 0.25 /
BFL : Bakersfield AP 496 : 60 / 41 / 0.29 /
VIS : Visalia AP 292 : 55 / 40 / 0.53 /
PTV : Porterville AP 442 : 55 / 36 / 0.67 /
Rainfall: 24h Seas % LY % Ave 365
STOCKTON T 8.21 82 6.86 69 9.96 13.45
MODESTO T 8.16 92 6.38 72 8.89 12.27
MERCED 0.00 5.87 70 5.92 70 8.40 11.80
MADERA T M M M M 7.54 10.79
FRESNO 0.11 5.36 71 5.11 68 7.57 10.99
HANFORD 0.10 4.88 87 3.05 54 5.64 8.13
BAKERSFIELD 0.68 4.35 98 1.81 41 4.42 6.36
BISHOP T 4.50 131 1.61 47 3.44 4.84
SALINAS T 6.18 66 4.73 51 9.35 12.58
PASO ROBLES 0.00 7.37 82 5.96 66 8.99 12.15
SANTA MARIA 0.00 6.33 65 6.08 63 9.67 13.32
Next report: March 5 PM