December 8, 2023
Summary: Central California is sandwiched between building upper level high pressure off shore and a trough of low pressure moving through the Great Basin. This is generating a northwest flow aloft which continues to pump colder air down the valley. The freezing level taken a short time ago over Oakland stood at 6,300 feet. This same northwest flow is generating a layer of low clouds against the Sierra Nevada foothills and the valley facing slopes of the Tehachapi Mountains. These clouds will continue to regenerate for the next several hours before drier air mixes down from above. It will begin to erode these clouds later today. The off shore high will continue to build inland over the weekend, resulting in a slow warming trend. Overnight lows will be below freezing in many areas beginning tonight as the high begins to develop an inversion above the valley floor, locking in the current air mass. An even stronger high will develop beginning Tuesday with a ridge building northeastward into the Pacific Northwest. By midweek, daytime temperatures will be roughly 10 degrees above average. Overnight lows will continue to be chilly however due to strong radiational cooling each night. With only 9 hours and 43 minutes of daytime hours, overnight lows will continue to be at or below freezing.
Forecast: Other than patchy late night and early morning fog, it will be mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy through Monday. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy with late night and early morning fog Tuesday through Friday.
Temperatures
| Madera 55/29/58/29/62 | Reedley 56/30//58/29/62 | Dinuba 55/28/57/28/61 |
| Porterville 56/29/58/29/62 | Lindsay 54/28/58/28/62 | Delano 56/30/58/29/62 |
| Bakersfield 55/35/60/34/63 | Taft 51/36//55/38//57 | Arvin 56/34/59/35/63 |
| Lamont 56/32/59/31/62 | Pixley 56//29/58/28/62 | Tulare 55/28/57/28/61 |
| Woodlake 56/29/58/29/62 | Hanford 55/30/58/29/62 | Orosi 54/28/58//28/61 |
Seven Day Forecast
| Monday Patchy fog/mostly clear 30/63 | Tuesday Patchy fog/mostly clear 31/64 | Wednesday Patchy fog/mostly clear 32/65 | Thursday Patchy fog/mostly clear 32/66 | Friday Patchy fog/mostly clear 33/65 |
Two Week Outlook: December 15 through December21 This model indicates the storm track will continue through the Pacific Northwest, clipping northern California from time to time. The chance of rain during this period remains low with above average temperatures.
December: This model continues to favor above average temperatures during the month of December. There’s no trend either way for rainfall, so average amounts of precipitation is our forecast.
December, January, February : If this model has any credence, this winter will experience above average temperatures. This model also favors above average rainfall for the next 90 days.
Wind Discussion: Winds will be generally at or less than 6 mph with periods of near calm conditions through Monday.
Rain Discussion: Expect dry conditions for at least the next 10 days.
Frost Discussion: Tonight will see the beginning of a string of frost nights as a cold northwesterly flow continues to pump colder air down the valley. Lows in the coldest unprotected river bottom type locations will drop to 26 to 28 degrees with most flatland locations ranging from 29 to 32. Hillsides will be marginally above freezing. The inversion tonight will be moderate with temperatures at 34 feet generally from 4 to 7 degrees warmer at most locations. Expect similar conditions Sunday and Monday mornings with perhaps a degree or two of moderation beginning Tuesday. Many locations will remain marginally below freezing Wednesday and Thursday. Long range models continue to show polar air masses being blocked from moving southward, so no freeze is anticipated for now.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella 29 | Porterville 28 | Ivanhoe 27 | Woodlake 29 |
| Strathmore 28 | McFarland 28 | Ducor 29 | Tea pot dome 29 |
| Lindsay 27 | Exeter 27 | Famoso 29 | Madera 29 |
| Belridge 28 | Delano 29 | North Bakersfield 29 | Orosi 28 |
| Orange cove 29 | Lindcove 28 | Lindcove Hillside af | Sanger river bottom 26 |
| Root creek 28 | Venice hill 29 | Rosedale 30 | Jasmine 29 |
| Arvin 32 | Lamont 31 | Plainview 28 | Mettler 30 |
| Edison 31 | Maricopa 31 | Holland creek 31 | Tivy Valley 29 |
| Kite Road South 31 | Kite Road North 29 |
AF=Above Freezing
Mid afternoon dew points: Low to mid 30s. Kern: Upper 20s to the lower 30s.
ET for the past seven days: Stratford, .47, Parlier, .41, Arvin .44, Delano .41.
Soil temperatures: Stratford 56, Parlier 54, Arvin 55, Delano 52
Average Temperatures: 57/37, Record Temperatures: 69/25
Heating Degree Days Season. 402 -144 widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno .21, Monthly .00
Precipitation for Bakersfield: Season: .30, Monthly: .00
Average Temperature this Month 51.8 +4.3 taken at NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Parlier, 276 Arvin, 207 Belridge, 223 Shafter, 236 Stratford, 247 Delano 258. Courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise, 6:59. Sunset, 4:43 hours of daylight, 9:45
NA=Not available
Mid afternoon dew points: Low to mid 30s. Kern: Upper 20s to the lower 30s.
ET for the past seven days: Stratford, .49, Parlier, .44, Arvin .43, Delano .40.
Soil temperatures: Stratford 56, Parlier 54, Arvin 55, Delano 52
Average Temperatures: 56/37, Record Temperatures: 77/25
Heating Degree Days Season. 402 -144 widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno .21, Monthly .00
Precipitation for Bakersfield: Season: .30, Monthly: .00
Average Temperature this Month 51.8 +4.3 taken at NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Parlier, 284 Arvin, 215 Belridge, 231 Shafter, 244 Stratford, 255 Delano 266. Courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise, 7:00. Sunset, 4:43 hours of daylight, 9:44
NA=Not available
Yesterday’s Weather:
MCE : Merced AP 153 : 64 / 42 / 0.00 /
MAE : Madera AP 253 : 66 / 42 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno AP 333 : 65 / 45 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford AP 242 : 66 / 42 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore NAS 234 : 65 / 42 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield AP 496 : 62 / 40 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia AP 292 : 65 / 40 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville AP 442 : 65 / 33 / 0.00 /
Rainfall: 24hr seas. % L.Y % S.Ave. 365
STOCKTON T 0.74 29 2.66 103 2.59 13.45
MODESTO 0.00 0.98 48 2.83 137 2.06 12.27
MERCED 0.00 1.01 50 2.52 125 2.02 11.80
MADERA 0.00 0.43 25 1.50 88 1.71 10.79
FRESNO 0.00 0.21 12 2.35 135 1.74 10.99
HANFORD 0.00 0.13 10 1.63 124 1.31 8.13
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 0.32 33 0.90 92 0.98 6.36
BISHOP 0.00 0.25 33 0.65 86 0.76 4.84
DEATH VALLEY NP 0.00 0.01 4 0.02 7 0.27 2.20
SALINAS 0.00 0.70 30 2.38 103 2.30 12.58
PASO ROBLES 0.00 1.76 99 2.72 153 1.78 12.15
SANTA MARIA T 0.35 17 2.04 101 2.02 13.32
Next report: December 8/pm
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.