December 19, 2022
Temperatures between Bakersfield and Merced are all within 2 degrees of one another, ranging from 38 to 40. Fresno had a high yesterday of 41 which tied the record for the coldest maximum for the date. This morning, from the lower Sacramento valley to the base of the Kern County mountains is just one big wall of dense fog. Like yesterday, it’s doubtful that any clearing will occur as the sun angle is at its lowest plus there’s a veil of high clouds above the fog which will inhibit sunlight even more. Therefore, it’s doubtful we’ll see any frost tonight and at least through Friday as the fog layer is well entrenched. In the big picture, upper level high pressure is building northward along the west coast and will build as far north as Alaska. This will send a bitterly cold air mass southeastward, initially into Montana then the Dakotas, eventually encompassing much of the eastern 2/3 of the US. Florida may receive some frost challenges later in the week. for now, it’s a bit too difficult how far south this air mass will expand. We get the flip side in the western US with tranquil weather under a bubble of high pressure. The only exception will be the frog shrouded areas such as the central valley which will remain cold during the day and only slightly colder at night.
Forecast: Fog and low clouds through Friday night with a chance of local clearing in the afternoons. Increasing cloudiness Saturday with a slight chance of showers Sunday and Monday.
Temperatures:
| Madera 44/38/44/37/43 | Reedley 46/40/45/39/45 | Dinuba 44/38/45/38/45 |
| Porterville 45/37/44/37/45 | Lindsay 44/43/45/41/44 | Delano 46/40/45/42/42 |
| Bakersfield 46/40/45/40/45 | Taft 50/43/52/42/52 | Arvin 53/41/52/41/51 |
| Lamont 50/41/50//41/51 | Pixley 44/39/45/39/45 | Tulare 43/40/44/39//45 |
| Woodlake 45/39/44/39/44 | Hanford 45/40/47/41/44 | Orosi 44//39/44/39/45 |
Seven Day Forecast
| Thursday
Fog and low clouds 38/45 |
Friday
Fog and low clouds 38/46 |
Saturday
Increasing clouds 41/58 |
Sunday
Slight chance of showers 42/55 |
Monday
Slight chance of showers 45/60 |
Two Week Outlook: December 24 through December 30: This model shows a strong signature of dry weather continuing. A large high will be over the eastern Pacific covering roughly the western 1/3 of the US. This will result in above average temperatures.
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 late morning and afternoons will be variable to 6 mph with periods of near calm conditions. Winds during the night and early morning hours will be light with periods of calm conditions through Thursday.
Rain: Expect dry weather through at least Friday night and probably Saturday. Models are reverting into a westerly flow beginning Sunday which is a west to east flow across the eastern Pacific. It will have at least a chance of bringing rain back to northern California and possibly central California by early next week.
Frost: All locations will be above 32 degrees tonight and more than likely through Saturday morning. The valley is shrouded in fog and low clouds. It will take a storm of suitable strength to begin to mix up the bottom of the valley to rid the valley of its fog and low clouds. This may occur Sunday and Monday of this coming week as a series of storms moves into the Pacific Northwest and northern California. This will be a mild westerly flow so little chance of frost is seen through at least the middle of next week.
Lows Tonight:
All locations will be above freezing.
Actual Humidity Range Yesterday: Delano, 100%/92% Porterville, 100%/99%
Midafternoon dew points: Upper 30s to the lower 40s. Kern: Upper 30s to the lower 40s.
Percentage of Sunshine Today/Tomorrow: Visalia: Today 0% tomorrow 0% Bakersfield: Today 0% tomorrow 0%
ET for the past seven days: Stratford, .24, Parlier, .24 Arvin .28 Porterville .22 Delano .20
Soil temperatures: Stratford 55, Parlier 49 Arvin 53 Porterville .46, Delano 46 *=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: 54/36 Record Temperatures: 74/25
Heating Degree Days This Season. 831 +57 Varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno 3.25 139% of average, Monthly 2.59
Precipitation for Bakersfield: Season: .1.10, 81% of average, Monthly: .44
Average Temperature This Month: 47.4 +0.9 Taken NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st Through February 28: Orange Cove 382, Parlier 509 Arvin 382 Belridge 447, Shafter 468, Stratford 466, Delano 486, Porterville 482 courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise 7:07, Sunset, 4:46, hours of daylight, 9:39
Yesterday’s Weather:
MAE : Madera AP 253 : 40 / 38 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno AP 333 : 41 / 37 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford AP 242 : 42 / 38 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore NAS 234 : 41 / 38 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield AP 496 : 47 / 40 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia AP 292 : 39 / 37 / T /
PTV : Porterville AP 442 : 43 / 38 / T /
IYK : Inyokern AP 2455 : 55 / 24 / 0.00 /
MHV : Mojave AP 2785 : 48 / 27 / 0.00 /
Rainfall totals from October 1st through September 30th
SEAS. % LY % AVE YEAR
MERCED 0.00 3.77 141 3.71 138 2.68 11.80
MADERA 0.00 2.04 87 0.69 29 2.35 10.79
FRESNO 0.00 3.25 139 3.34 143 2.33 10.99
HANFORD 0.00 2.34 133 2.64 150 1.76 8.13
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 1.10 81 2.07 152 1.36 6.36
BISHOP 0.00 2.15 229 2.67 284 0.94 4.84
DEATH VALLEY NP 0.00 0.03 9 M M 0.35 2.20
SALINAS 0.00 3.77 124 4.59 151 3.04 12.58
PASO ROBLES 0.00 4.34 178 3.49 143 2.44 12.15
SANTA MARIA 0.00 3.27 122 3.55 132 2.68 13.32
Next report: December 19 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.