The correct recipe for a very hot day is now in place. At the upper levels of the atmosphere, high pressure is right overhead. Couple that with a weak off shore flow and weak down slope heating will be the result off the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Mountains. The altimeter reading at Las Vegas currently stands at 29.85 inches of mercury while San Francisco is reporting 29.77. That’s not enough for a strong off shore flow, but it’s enough to create a very hot day. Typically in May, these heat waves do not last very long and this event will be no exception. The cooling progress will begin Thursday and it will be enough to bring temperatures into the upper 90s north of Merced then into the lower 90s Friday as marine air initially spills through the Delta then through other gaps and passes in the Coast Range. By Thursday evening, that trough will already be moving on shore followed by another stronger trough over the second half of the weekend and into early next week. this will lower temperatures into the upper 70s and lower 80s throughout the entire valley Monday through Wednesday. Next weekend will be somewhat warmer as a flat zone of high pressure extends into the eastern Pacific and mainly into California and the Great Basin.
Forecast: Clear and hot through Thursday. Mostly clear Thursday night through Wednesday of next week and cooler.
Short Term:
| Madera 104/62/99/59/91 | Reedley 104/62/101/61/92 | Dinuba 103/60/100/61/91 |
| Porterville 104/59/101/58/92 | Lindsay 103/58/102/58/92 | Delano 105/63/101/62/93 |
| Bakersfield 105/72/101/67/91 | Taft 102/72/99/65/88 | Arvin 105/73/101/65/91 |
| Lamont 104/65/101/62/92 | Pixley 104/64/101/62/100 | Tulare 101/59/99/58/92 |
| Woodlake 104/58/100/57/90 | Hanford 103/61/100/59/92 | Orosi 102/61/101/60/100 |
Seven Day Forecast
| Saturday
Mostly clear 57/90 |
Sunday
Mostly clear 54/88 |
Monday
Mostly clear 51/88 |
Tuesday
Mostly clear 52/78 |
Wednesday
Mostly clear 55/86 |
Two Week Outlook: May 30 through June 5: a flat zone of upper level high pressure will be over the eastern Pacific and California, resulting in somewhat above average temperatures with dry weather prevailing.
May: This model shows a dominant high stretching from Texas to southern California, resulting in somewhat above average temperatures for the month. It also gives an equal chance of above or below normal precipitation.
May, June, July: This model shows an early season high over the Four Corners region of the desert southwest, stretching westward to California, causing temperatures as we head into summer to be marginally above average. Since this is the dry season, the chances of precipitation will be very low
Wind Discussion: Winds will be generally light and variable this morning, becoming out of the northwest at 5 to 15 mph this afternoon and 5 to 12 mph tonight. Winds Thursday and Friday will increase out of the northwest at 10 to 20 mph with stronger gusts, especially along the west side where gusts to near 30 mph will be possible. Winds Saturday will be mainly out of the northwest at 8 to 15 mph with stronger gusts.
Rain: Expect dry conditions for at least the next 7 to 10 days.
Frost: All locations will be above freezing tonight and each night for the foreseeable future.
Actual Humidity Range Yesterday: Delano, 66%/20% Porterville, 61%/16%. Midafternoon dew points: Mid to upper 40s. Low to mid 40s.
Percentage of Sunshine Today/Tomorrow: Visalia: Today: 100%, tomorrow 100%. Bakersfield: Today: 100%/. Tomorrow, 100%.
ET Rates Over the Past Seven Days: Stratford 2,34, Parlier 1.88, Arvin 2.13, Orange Cove 2.08, Porterville 1.87, Delano 1.84. Courtesy University of California *=estimate, NA=not available.
Seven Day Soil Temperatures: Stratford, 64, Parlier 72, Arvin, 73, Orange Cove 75, Porterville 80, Delano NA. *=data missing.
Average Temperatures: 85/57. Record Temperatures: 102/42
Cooling Degree Days This Season. 168 +13. Varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno, 6.29 or -4.28. Monthly .01 -.33
Precipitation for Bakersfield, Season, 5.40 or -.82. Monthly, .T -.211
Average Temperature this month: 68.4. -0.1 Taken NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Orange Cove, Parlier, Arvin, Belridge, 1016, Shafter, Stratford, Delano, Porterville. Courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise. 5:44, Sunset, 8:08, hours of daylight, 14.23
Yesterday’s Weather:
MCE : Merced AP 153 : 97 / 59 / 0.00 /
MAE : Madera AP 253 : 96 / 61 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno AP 333 : 97 / 70 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford AP 242 : 97 / 60 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore NAS 234 : 98 / 58 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield AP 496 : 96 / 72 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia AP 292 : 95 / 62 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville AP 442 : 97 / 64 / 0.00 /
Rainfall: 24h Seas % LY % Ave 365
- STOCKTON 00 9.75 74 7.88 60 13.16 13.45
- MODESTO 00 8.99 75 7.12 60 11.93 12.27
- MERCED 00 7.44 64 7.00 61 11.54 11.80
- MADERA 00 M M M M 10.50 10.79
- FRESNO 00 6.29 59 6.59 62 10.58 10.99
- HANFORD 00 6.34 80 4.29 54 7.93 8.13
- BAKERSFIELD 00 5.40 87 2.77 45 6.22 6.36
- BISHOP 00 4.75 110 1.62 38 4.30 4.84
- SALINAS 00 7.31 59 5.75 47 12.36 12.58
- PASO ROBLES 00 8.70 73 6.74 57 11.92 12.15
- SANTA MARIA 00 7.79 59 6.87 52 13.10 13.32
Next report: May 26
At John Hibler Weather Forecasting, it is our goal to provide the most accurate forecasts available. Weather forecasting, unlike any other business, invites errors. Weather, by nature, is chaotic. It is our goal to be as accurate as humanly possible.