Fortunately, John’s ailment wasn’t Covid or the flu, just a nasty run of the mill virus. We’re relieved. John is feeling a little better so is back in the saddle. He meets with his oncologist next week. Prayers appreciated. (We know you’ve got him covered.)
February 7, 2023
Central California has settled into a pattern which will maintain stable weather through the weekend. A ridge of upper level high pressure is centered off the central and southern California coast and is building northward into the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. A weak trough will muddle through Friday with little more than an increase in high clouds, but little else. With the valley largely remaining capped this week, we will have to contend with the usual patchy fog during the night and morning hours. Otherwise, hazy sunshine will prevail with a warming trend. Another trough will move through California Saturday. This one will knock temperatures down a tad during the second half of the weekend only for them to rebound some early next week. a closed low will form over southern California which may set off some scattered showers over the mountain areas. The low will drift southward over the mountain areas an Arizona Tuesday. Energy will then move along the eastern side of high pressure in the Gulf of Alaska, possibly bringing precip to northern and central California around the 14th and 15th of February. If this pattern sets up, it does not appear to be one which would result in heavy precipitation, rather just light showers primarily over the mountain areas.
Forecast: Other than patchy fog during the night and morning hours, mainly up the center of the valley north of Delano, hazy sunshine will prevail each day through Tuesday.
Temperatures:
| Madera 60/33/61/34/65 | Reedley 61/33/62/35/67 | Dinuba 59/32/62/33/66 |
| Porterville 61/31/62/33/67 | Lindsay 61/31/62/32/67 | Delano 60/33/62/34/66 |
| Bakersfield 61/39/62/40/67 | Taft 60/42/60/42/65 | Arvin 63/34/63/36/67 |
| Lamont 62/35/62/37/67 | Pixley 61/32/61/34/66 | Tulare 60/31/62/33/65 |
| Woodlake 61/32/62/34/65 | Hanford 61/34/62/36/65 | Orosi 60/31/61/33/65 |
Seven Day Forecast
| Friday
Patchy fog/Mostly clear 37/66 |
Saturday
Patchy fog/Mostly clear 37/68 |
Sunday
Patchy fog/Mostly clear 34/57 |
Monday
Patchy fog/Mostly clear 34/59 |
Tuesday
Patchy fog/Mostly clear 34/64 |
Two Week Outlook: February 14 through February 20: This model shows an overall northwest flow during this time frame, resulting in slightly below average temperatures. It doesn’t show a trend towards wet or dry weather so we’ll call it like it is and go with near average precipitation.
January: This model continues the trend of the season with a favorable pattern for rain for California. The best chance of rain in January will be over the northern half of the state. Temperatures will run marginally below average.
January, February, March: This model nudges the storm track further north with near average rainfall for northern California but somewhat below average for central and southern California. Temperatures will run marginally above average.
Wind Discussion: Winds will be generally at or less than 6 mph with periods of near calm conditions through Friday.
Rain Discussion: currently, there’s no strong signature of a pattern which would move precipitation back into the forecast. Around the 14th through the 17th, some models are showing energy moving out of the Gulf of Alaska, most of which will remain in northern California. However, this far out, it’s just something to study, which we will do in the coming days. For now, though, no clear trend has developed to favor adding precipitation to the forecast.
Frost Discussion: The air mass now in place over the valley floor is cold enough where a generally clear sky will result in radiational cooling strong enough to lower those cold spots down to 30-32. Most locations, however, will cool into the low to mid 30s. minor modification will result Wednesday through Saturday as high pressure builds. A minor cooling trend will set up Sunday as a weak, dry trough moves through. The bottom line is safe conditions will prevail for the nest week to possibly ten days.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella
Af |
Porterville
32 |
Ivanhoe
31 |
Woodlake
32 |
| Strathmore
33 |
McFarland
Af |
Ducor
Af |
Tea Pot Dome
32 |
| Lindsay
31 |
Exeter
30 |
Famoso
Af |
Madera
32 |
| Belridge
32 |
Delano
Af |
North Bakersfield
Af |
Orosi
32 |
| Orange Cove
Af |
Lindcove
31 |
Lindcove Hillside
Af |
Sanger River Bottom
30 |
| Root Creek
31 |
Venice Hill
Af |
Rosedale
Af |
Jasmin
Af |
| Arvin
Af |
Lamont
Af |
Plainview
32 |
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 values for Porterville 100%/67%, Delano 98%61%. Mid afternoon dew points: Upper 30s to the lower 40s. Kern: Upper 30s to the lower 40s.
ET for the past seven days: Stratford, .49, Parlier, .46, Arvin .52, Porterville .46, Delano .46 Soil temperatures: Stratford 50, Parlier 49, Arvin 51, Porterville 47, Delano 49 *=data missing.
Average Temperatures: 59/39 Record Temperatures: 79/24
Heating Degree Days This Season. 1655 -35 Varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno 9.83, 170% of average, Monthly .63
Precipitation for Bakersfield: Season: 4.50, 136% of average, Monthly: .18
Average Temperature This Month 49.2 +0.3 Taken NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st Through February 28: Parlier 1023, Arvin 879 Belridge 956, Shafter 996, Stratford 998, Delano 1015, Porterville 986 courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise 6:55 Sunset, 5:32, hours of daylight, 10:35
Yesterday’s Weather: H L R
MCE : Merced AP 153 : 56 / 37 / 0.00 /
MAE : Madera AP 253 : 51 / 37 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno AP 333 : 52 / 38 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford AP 242 : 54 / 34 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore NAS 234 : 54 / 33 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield AP 496 : 54 / 37 / 0.01 /
VIS : Visalia AP 292 : 52 / 36 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville AP 442 : 54 / 34 / 0.00 /
Rainfall totals from October 1st through September 30th
SEAS. % LY % AVE YEAR
STOCKTON 0.00 15.75 204 8.21 106 7.71 13.45
MODESTO 0.00 13.54 197 8.15 118 6.88 12.27
MERCED 0.00 13.46 210 5.85 91 6.40 11.80
MADERA 0.00 5.14 91 1.52 27 5.67 10.79
FRESNO 0.00 9.83 170 5.21 90 5.78 10.99
HANFORD 0.00 6.99 163 4.61 108 4.28 8.13
BAKERSFIELD 0.01 4.50 136 3.56 107 3.32 6.36
BISHOP 0.00 8.73 331 4.50 170 2.64 4.84
DEATH VALLEY NP 0.00 0.39 41 M M 0.95 2.20
SALINAS 0.00 9.13 128 6.11 86 7.14 12.58
PASO ROBLES 0.00 12.94 194 7.34 110 6.67 12.15
SANTA MARIA 0.00 13.61 194 6.26 89 7.03 13.32
Nest report: February 7 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.