January 18, 2023
As of 1:00pm, this morning’s areas of fog were dissipating from the center of the valley. Satellite imagery was also depicting well the clouds which are increasing over northern California ahead of the next Pacific storm. This system is very minor compared to the storms that battered California in recent weeks. The parent low will move through British Columbia then into the Pacific Northwest, sliding into the Great Basin just to the east of the Sierra Nevada. Light snow showers will spread down the Sierra tonight up through the early morning hours. As pressures fall over Nevada, winds will begin to pick up tonight, especially along the west side of the valley. This is a fairly fast moving, system so what wind we do receive tonight will quickly subside tomorrow morning. And, what shower activity does develop over the valley floor will be light with areas in the south valley not receiving any precipitation at all. On Thursday night and Friday, a large ridge will build over the eastern Pacific and will ridge northward into the Gulf of Alaska and northwest Canada. This will generate a north/northwest flow which will pump colder air into California. Frost will become likely, at least in some areas, beginning Friday morning and continuing each morning thereafter. As high pressure builds over California, a downward push of air will occur, creating a warm air inversion over the valley floor resulting in increasing amounts of night and morning valley fog and low clouds. It’s questionable at this time whether or not the fog will completely take over. That possibility is certainly there due to the fact that we have plenty of moisture on the valley floor.
Forecast: Increasing cloudiness this evening leading to a chance of light showers tonight and Thursday morning. Mostly to partly cloudy Thursday after patchy morning fog clears. Mostly clear Thursday night through Wednesday of next week with extensive fog and low clouds during the night and morning hours with some afternoon clearing.
Temperatures:
| Madera 39/51/33/50 | Reedley 40/52/33/51 | Dinuba 38/51//32/51 |
| Porterville 39/52/32/51 | Lindsay 38/51/32/51 | Delano 40/50/34/52 |
| Bakersfield 41/50/37/51 | Taft 40/51/36/49 | Arvin 38/50/34/52 |
| Lamont 39/52/34/51 | Pixley 38/51/33/51 | Tulare 38/51/31/51 |
| Woodlake 40//52/32/52 | Hanford 39/52/34/51 | Orosi 39/52/32/52 |
Wind Discussion: Winds later this evening will be out of the northwest at 8 to 15 mph with local gusts to 25 mph, mainly along the west side. Winds Thursday will be mainly out of the northwest at 5 to 15 mph, becoming light Thursday evening. Winds Thursday night through Saturday will be generally at or less than 5 mph with periods of near calm conditions.
Rain: There is a chance of light showers tonight and into the early morning hours Thursday. Most of the measurable rain will be from Fresno County north, but even there amounts are expected to be .10 or less.. Friday wlll mark the beginning of an extended period of dry weather which will last a week to possibly ten days. Thee are a few models suggesting the possibility of wet weather towards the end of the month.
Frost: All locations will be above 32 tonight, but only slightly above in the coldest locations. A north/northwest flow will begin Friday behind a weak weather system moving through. Beginning Friday morning, local frost will be possible with most locations in the low to mid 30s. Beginning Saturday morning and lasting for several mornings thereafter, coldest river bottom and similar locations could potentially drop to 27 to 28 degrees for short durations with most unprotected locations down to 29 to 34. Hillsides will be above freezing. Beginning Friday morning, the inversion will be moderate with temperatures at 34 feet ranging from 4 to 7 degrees warmer.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella
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Porterville
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Ivanhoe
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Woodlake
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| Strathmore
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McFarland
af |
Ducor
af |
Tea Pot Dome
af |
| Lindsay
af |
Exeter
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Famoso
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Madera
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| Belridge
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Delano
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North Bakersfield
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Orosi
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| Orange Cove
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Lindcove
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Lindcove Hillside
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Sanger River Bottom
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| Root creek
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Venice Hill
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Rosedale
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Jasmine
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| Arvin
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Lamont
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Plainview
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Mettler
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| Edison
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Maricopa
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Holland Creek
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Tivy Valley
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| Kite Road South
af |
Kite Road North
af |
Next report: January 19 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.