March 18, 2022
As of 1:00pm, temperatures were again topping the 70 degree mark for what is another very pleasant afternoon. Upper level high pressure is sliding eastward and will be replaced by a trough of low pressure which will begin spreading precipitation over the valley in the form of light showers Saturday afternoon through the late evening hours. Current models bring showers as far south as the Bay Area by sunrise, Fresno County around noon then spreading southward during the course of the afternoon. Precipitation amounts will be light as the trend we’ve seen on recent model runs has reduced precipitation estimates. Even the wetter locations may record less than .25 from this event. The best chance of .10 to .20 will be from Fresno County north. This will be a fast moving system and will quickly be replaced by upper level high pressure which will be moving eastward from the eastern Pacific Ocean. Some fairly cool days are coming up for Saturday and Sunday, however a rapid warming trend will begin Monday as the high moves overhead and builds a ridge into the Pacific Northwest. By Wednesday, temperatures will be topping the 80 degree mark with possible mid to upper 80s Thursday and Friday of next week as the high reaches its pinnacle. After tomorrow’s event, a prolonged period of dry weather will begin. Models have been trending, though, on a trough of low pressure moving through around the 27th or 28th.
Forecast: Increasing cloudiness tonight. Mostly cloudy Saturday morning with a chance of light showers after 11:00am. Periods of light rain Saturday afternoon through the late evening hours Saturday. Mostly cloudy later Saturday night and Sunday. Clearing Sunday afternoon. Remaining mostly cloudy into Monday morning in eastern Tulare County and Kern County. Mostly clear Monday afternoon through Friday with a warming trend.
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Short Term:
| Madera 44/67/44/65 | Reedley 46/66/44/64 | Dinuba 45/65/43/65 |
| Porterville 44/67/43/65 | Lindsay 44/66/43/65 | Delano 46/67/44/64 |
| Bakersfield 52/68/45/63 | Taft 56/67/47/62 | Arvin 48/66/44/65 |
| Lamont 47/67/48/65 | Pixley 47/67/43/64 | Tulare 45/67/42/64 |
| Woodlake 46/66/43/66 | Hanford 48/65/43/65 | Orosi 45/66/42/64 |
Wind Discussion: Winds will be at or less than 10 mph today. Winds late tonight and Saturday morning will be out of the southeast at 8 to 15 mph with stronger gusts, mainly from Fresno County north. Later Saturday afternoon and night, winds will be out of the northwest at 10 to 20 mph. wind gusts to near 30 mph will be possible, diminishing late Saturday night. Winds Sunday will be out of the northwest at 8 to 15 mph. winds Sunday night and Monday will be generally less than 10 mph.
Rain: The chance of light showers will begin to increase by late morning Saturday. Light showers will spread over the valley Saturday afternoon and will continue on and off through the late evening hours. Models this afternoon continue the trend of reduced precipitation with no more than .25 along the eastern side of the valley from Porterville north. The west side of the valley southward through Kings County will record no more than .10 to .15 and probably near .10 or less over the valley portion of Kern County. Dry weather will return late Saturday night and continue for at least a week thereafter. Models still point to the 27th or 28th for our next possibility of precipitation. That’s a week from Monday so there’s plenty of time to tweak the forecast.
Frost: All locations will be above freezing tonight and for at least the next week.
Next report: March 19