January 5, 2023
Another significant area of showers and isolated thunderstorms is currently moving over the northern 2/3 of the valley with scattered showers further south. The cold front has now cleared the Sierra Nevada with the colder sector now arriving. Thunderstorms will be possible through the early evening hours. Rainfall amounts from the current storm range from nearly 1.50 in Merced to .25 in Bakersfield. With a few thunderstorms roaming around, isolated pockets will receive considerably more. The action will draw to a close this evening with both Friday and Saturday being dry. It won’t last long. Lighter rain will spread over the valley Saturday night and Sunday. Yet another major storm will track from west to east into California Monday through Tuesday. Even though it will not be as intense as the current storm, it will be accompanied by yet another atmospheric river, resulting in another round of heavy precipitation. showers from this event will last into Wednesday. This far out, it now appears Thursday will be dry. Medium range models show an active pattern continuing.
Forecast: Showers through the early evening hours with a chance of thunderstorms. Partly cloudy Friday through Friday night. Increasing cloudiness Saturday. Mainly light rain will fall Saturday afternoon, continuing off and on through Sunday. Expect rain Monday through Tuesday, possibly locally heavy at times. Showers likely Tuesday night with a chance of showers Wednesday morning. Partly cloudy Wednesday afternoon through evening.
Temperatures:
| Madera 40/56/38/58 | Reedley 41/57/38/58 | Dinuba 40/56/38/56 |
| Porterville 43/57/39/58 | Lindsay 42/56/37/57 | Delano 43/57/40/58 |
| Bakersfield 45/56/42/58 | Taft 43/55/43/58 | Arvin 44/58/42/58 |
| Lamont 43/57/42/57 | Pixley 41/56/39/58 | Tulare 40/57/38/57 |
| Woodlake 41/57/39/58 | Hanford 41/57/41/57 | Orosi 40/57/38/57 |
Wind Discussion: Winds through this evening will be mainly out of the northwest at 5 to 12 mph. Winds later tonight through Friday night will be generally at or less than 10 mph with periods of near calm conditions. Winds Saturday will be mainly out of the southeast at 5 to 15 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph Sunday.
Rain: The following are storm totals as of 12:30pm: Bakersfield .25, Shafter .42, Wasco .51, Delano .49, Corcoran .43, Hanford .51, Lemoore .68, Tulare .60, Visalia .64, Fresno .81, and Merced 1.42.
Numerous showers and isolated thunderstorms are moving from southwest to northeast across the valley this afternoon. The chance of thunderstorms between now and roughly 6:00pm is relatively high providing we see some sky to destabilize the atmosphere even more. Believe it or not, we may get roughly 48 hours of dry conditions between now and Saturday. Mainly light rain will over spread the valley Saturday night, continuing at times through Sunday. The next significant storm event will begin Monday as another relatively strong storm moves across California. This event will last through Tuesday evening with a chance of showers lasting into Wednesday. Currently, it appears next Wednesday night and Thursday may be dry, although that’s not set in stone as these systems evolve as they track across the Pacific.
Frost: Expect above average conditions.
Lows Tonight:
All locations will be above freezing tonight.
Next report: January 6 morning
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.