February 18, 2023
Both temperatures and dew points are near where they were yesterday at this time. Temperatures are nearing 60 at the warmer locations on the valley floor while dew points range from the mid 20s to the lower 30s. Skies are generally clear over central California. Plenty of cloud cover has moved into southern California from a low center which is now west of southern Baja. Meanwhile, to our north, high clouds are streaming over the region well ahead of the system that will eventually bring light showers to the valley and snow to the mountains and foothills down to 1,000 to 2,000 feet. Currently, there is a high center in the Gulf of Alaska which will back up, allowing a very cold low to develop over British Columbia and just off shore. This system will slide southward into California late Tuesday and Wednesday. Models this afternoon are showing the same trend we’ve seen recently of a very cold but rather dry system. It will be cold and unsettled Wednesday through Friday with a chance of light showers each day. A brief ridge of high pressure will build in next weekend for a dry Saturday and Sunday. Another cold low will then drop out of the Gulf of Alaska and into California Monday and Tuesday for another chance of precipitation. this system will have a better chance of producing rain and mountain snow as it is projected to track over the Pacific instead of overland.
Forecast: Mostly clear to possibly partly cloudy at times later tonight. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Sunday night through Monday night. Increasing cloudiness Tuesday leading to a slight chance of showers in the afternoon. A chance of light showers from Tuesday night through Friday. partly cloudy Friday night and Saturday.
Temperatures:
| Madera 31/65/35/67 | Reedley 30/65/35/68 | Dinuba 30/66/33/68 |
| Porterville 29/66/32/70 | Lindsay 29/67/32/69 | Delano 31/67/33/70 |
| Bakersfield 38/66/39/70 | Taft 41/65/43/68 | Arvin 33/67/36/69 |
| Lamont 33/66/34/69 | Pixley 30/65/35/67 | Tulare 29/65/33/68 |
| Woodlake 30/66/33/68 | Hanford 31/66/34/70 | Orosi 29/66/33/68 |
Wind Discussion: Winds through Monday will be generally at or less than 10 mph during the late mornings and afternoons. During the night and morning hours, winds will be at or less than 5 mph with periods of near calm conditions. Winds Tuesday will be out of the southeast at 5 to 15 mph with stronger gusts from Fresno County north. Winds later Tuesday through Wednesday will be out of the north to northwest at 10 to 20 mph with stronger gusts in the vicinity of showers.
Rain: Models this afternoon continue the trend of a moisture starved low and its very cold air moving into the region late Tuesday and remaining through Friday. The Sierra Nevada and the Kern County mountains will receive snow from this event down to 1,000 to 2,000 feet. On the valley floor, I don’t anticipate much more than light, scattered showers. Amounts of rain from late Tuesday through Friday will generally not be more than .10 to .25 at any given location. the best chance of showers will be along the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and the Tehachapi Mountains. Dry weather will return this coming weekend. A second cold low will drop out of the Gulf of Alaska and into California roughly a week from Monday. modeling for week after next also shows an active pattern with strong energy moving out of the Gulf of Alaska and towards California from time to time.
Frost: Temperatures and dew points are roughly the same as they were 24 hours ago. Last night, several locationsj made it into the upper 20s with even some mid 20s in isolated pockets. A low off the northern Baja, California coast is spreading some mid and high level clouds over Kern County this afternoon, however most of the models indicate this cloud deck will be from the Kern County mountains south, leaving central California largely clear. More high clouds are spreading into northern California on a northerly flow aloft. These clouds may affect portions of the valley overnight to theoretically slow the radiational cooling process. Still, with low dew points and a reasonably decent chance of mostly clear skies, temperatures tonight will again chill into the upper 20s to the lower 30s. coldest regions tonight will drop down to 27 to 28 with most flatland locations coming in between 29 and 32. theses readings may be a tad mild as they will depend on the potential cloud cover. On Monday morning, most locations will be in the low to mid 30s with perhaps a river bottom or two perhaps dipping into the upper 20s. readings Tuesday and Wednesday will be above freeing due to increasing cloud cover and wind. A very cold air mass will again overspread the region Monday night through Friday. Models show this will be an unsettled period of time with a chance of light showers and snow possible down into the lower foothills. Any night, however, between Wednesday and Saturday that has mostly clear skies could potentially see readings dipping down into the upper 20s to the lower 30s with a slight chance of mid 20s if the elements sst up just right.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella
29 |
Porterville
29 |
Ivanhoe
28 |
Woodlake
30 |
| Strathmore
29 |
McFarland
28 |
Ducor
30 |
Tea Pot Dome
29 |
| Lindsay
27 |
Exeter
27 |
Famoso
29 |
Madera
28 |
| Belridge
28 |
Delano
29 |
North Bakersfield
29 |
Orosi
28 |
| Orange Cove
29 |
Lindcove
28 |
Lindcove Hillside
Af |
Sanger River Bottom
26 |
| Root Creek
27 |
Venice Hill
28 |
Rosedale
30 |
Jasmin
29 |
| Arvin
32 |
Lamont
31 |
Plainview
29 |
Mettler
29 |
| Edison
31 |
Maricopa
32 |
Holland Creek
32 |
Tivy Valley
29 |
| Kite Road South
32 |
Kite Road North
29 |
Next report: February 18 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.