December 6, 2022
Light showers are drifting through Merced County at this hour. This activity is due to a weak upper air disturbance which will be moving through during the course of the. The best chance of measurable rain will be from now through this evening, mainly due to the daytime heating process. On Wednesday, we’ll be between the current system and a stronger trough of low pressure which will move out of the Gulf of Alaska and into California Friday night into Sunday. This system has stronger dynamics and could potentially drop another inch or so along the Sierra Nevada and perhaps a tenth to a quarter of an inch in the valley north of Kern County. The current snow level for today’s system is around 5,000 feet as the latest balloon sounding pegs the freezing level at 1,500 feet. High pressure will take over for at least the first half of next week which will result in two main challenges. The first is at least local frost Tuesday and Wednesday of next week or extensive fog and low clouds, or perhaps a combination of both. The important thing is the pattern will remain active. Fresno has received its average rainfall for December already.
Forecast: Variable cloudiness with scattered showers today, mainly during the afternoon. Partly to mostly cloudy tonight with areas of fog forming. Partly cloudy Wednesday with areas of fog and low clouds. Mostly clear Wednesday night through Thursday night with areas of fog and low clouds. Increasing cloudiness Friday with a chance of afternoon rain. Showers likely at times Saturday through Sunday. Mostly cloudy Monday. partly cloudy Monday night and Tuesday with areas of fog and low clouds.
| Madera 58/37/56/32/56 | Reedley 58/38/55/33/57 | Dinuba 57/36/56/31/56 |
| Porterville 59/37/57/32/57 | Lindsay 58/36/56/31/56 | Delano 58/40/56/33/57 |
| Bakersfield 58/45/57/38/57 | Taft 57/45/55/39/55 | Arvin 59/42/56/38/57 |
| Lamont 59/40/57/35/57 | Pixley 58/37/57/32/56 | Tulare 56/36/56/31/57 |
| Woodlake 57/37/57/31/57 | Hanford 58/38/57/33/56 | Orosi 58/36/56/33/56 |
Seven Day Forecast
| Friday
Pm rain possible 37/57 |
Saturday
Showers 38/58 |
Sunday
Showers 40/58 |
Monday
AM showers 35/55 |
Tuesday
AM fog/PM sun 32/53 |
Two Week Outlook: December 13 through December 19: This model shows that the storm track will continue to affect northern and central California from time to time. It also holds onto below average temperatures so it appears most of these storms will be out of the Gulf of Alaska.
December: This model shows above average temperatures from the Desert Southwest through the southern half of California, including the valley. Precipitation is forecast to be above average in the Pacific Northwest and northern California and near average in central California.
December, January, February: This model predicts above average temperatures for most of California eastward all the way through the southeastward US with below average precipitation for much of California and the Desert Southwest while above average rainfall will occur over the Pacific Northwest eastward to the Great Lakes. This would be a pretty typical La Nina winter pattern.
Wind Discussion: Winds during the later morning and afternoon hours will be generally at or less than 18 mph and variable in nature. Winds during the night and morning hours will be light and variable with extended periods of near calm conditions.
Rain: A chance of showers will prevail today due to a weak upper air disturbance moving through. Later tonight through at least Thursday night will be dry. A stronger system could arrive as early as Friday, but there is some suggestion that it may be Saturday. At any rate, this is a stronger storm which could possibly dump another inch of precipitation or water equivalent up and down the Sierra Nevada. This far out, it appears the valley floor north of Kern County could pick up between a tenth and a quarter of an inch or so. Currently, most of Monday through Wednesday of next week look dry with possibly another system moving in Thursday or Friday.
Frost: All locations will be above 32 degrees tonight. We could see at least local frost coming up Thursday morning as skies clear, however we could see residual cloud cover and the possibility of fog and low clouds in some areas, so two great protectors will be with us. Similar conditions could be with us Friday morning. Expect above freezing temperatures over the weekend then another shot of at least local frost Monday through Wednesday of next week.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella
Af |
Porterville
af |
Ivanhoe
af |
Woodlake
af |
| Strathmore
af |
McFarland
af |
Ducor
af |
Tea Pot Dome
af |
| Lindsay
af |
Exeter
af |
Famoso
af |
Madera
af |
| Belridge
af |
Delano
af |
North Bakersfield
af |
Orosi
af |
| Orange Cove
af |
Lindcove
af |
Lindcove Hillside
af |
Sanger River Bottom
af |
| Root creek
af |
Venice Hill
af |
Rosedale
af |
Jasmine
af |
| Arvin
af |
Lamont
af |
Plainview
af |
Mettler
af |
| 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, 98%/54% Porterville, 100%/68%
Midafternoon dew points: Mid to upper 40s. Kern: Mid to upper 40s
Percentage of Sunshine Today/Tomorrow: Visalia: Today 20% tomorrow 50% Bakersfield: Today 10% tomorrow 60%
ET for the past seven days: Stratford, .34 Parlier, .32 Arvin .30 Porterville .21 Delano .25
Soil temperatures: Stratford 56, Parlier 53 Arvin 55 Porterville .53, Delano 52 *=data missing.
Sky cover: Visalia 80% today, tomorrow 90% Bakersfield 90% today tomorrow 90%,
Average of the past seven days soil temperatures: Stratford 58, Parlier 54, Arvin 58, Porterville 52, Delano 50 *=data missing.
Soil Temperatures:
Average Temperatures: 57/37 Record Temperatures: 70/28
Heating Degree Days This Season. 586 +58 Varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno 2.35, 142% of average, Monthly .1.69
Precipitation for Bakersfield: Season: .82, 88% of average, Monthly: .16
Average Temperature This Month: 51.3 +3.7 Taken NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st Through February 28: Orange Cove 322, Parlier 364 Arvin 252 , Belridge 300, Shafter 317, Stratford 336, Delano 333, Porterville 349 courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise 6:58, Sunset, 4:42, hours of daylight, 9:45
Yesterday’s Weather:
MCE : Merced AP 153 : 61 / 40 / 0.00 /
MAE : Madera AP 253 : 62 / 39 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno AP 333 : 62 / 42 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford AP 242 : 64 / 41 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore NAS 234 : 63 / 43 / T /
BFL : Bakersfield AP 496 : 61 / 43 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia AP 292 : 62 / 40 / T /
PTV : Porterville AP 442 : 62 / 40 / 0.03 /
Rainfall totals from October 1st through September 30th
SEAS. % LY % AVE YEAR
MERCED 0.00 2.52 132 1.99 104 1.91 11.80
MADERA 0.00 1.50 94 0.65 41 1.60 10.79
FRESNO 0.00 2.35 142 1.57 95 1.65 10.99
HANFORD 0.00 1.63 131 1.24 100 1.24 8.13
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 0.82 88 0.95 102 0.93 6.36
BISHOP 0.00 0.62 85 0.78 107 0.73 4.84
DEATH VALLEY NP 0.00 0.02 8 M M 0.25 2.20
SALINAS 0.10 2.32 107 2.19 101 2.17 12.58
PASO ROBLES 0.05 2.55 152 1.58 94 1.68 12.15
SANTA MARIA 0.00 2.03 106 1.40 73 1.91 13.32
Next report: December 6 afternoon
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.