With no active weather or sign of frost, we will be taking the afternoon off both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We wish you a blessed Christmas holiday.
December 24, 2023
Summary: A low overcast continues to be parked mainly over Tulare, Kings, and Kern Counties this morning. further north, areas of dense fog are prevalent. Some higher level clouds are also moving into the northern half of California from a weather system currently moving into the pacific Northwest. Overall, upper level high pressure covers the eastern Pacific Ocean off the California coast and extends inland over California. The high will break down over the Pacific Northwest but will remain in control of California’s weather through Tuesday night. The high will break down Wednesday as a trough of low pressure moves into the northern half of California. The system’s dynamics will really begin to fall apart as it moves southward through California. There will be a chance of light showers from mainly Fresno County north late Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night with a slight chance in the south valley. Another trough will move through Saturday. On paper, it appears to have a bit more air support for a chance of showers throughout the valley Saturday afternoon and Saturday night. models are inconsistent regarding a pattern for the first week in January. The two week model shows an active weather pattern while the GFS model shows active weather over northern California with largely a dry pattern further south.
Forecast; Widespread fog and/or low clouds nights and mornings through Tuesday. Becoming mostly clear to partly cloudy in the afternoon. Areas of fog and low clouds Tuesday morning with increasing clouds Tuesday afternoon and night. a chance of light showers from mainly Fresno County north, mainly Wednesday afternoon and night. partly cloudy Thursday and Friday with areas of night and morning fog and low clouds. Increasing cloudiness Friday night leading to a chance of showers Saturday and Saturday night. partly cloudy Sunday with areas of partly cloudy skies and low clouds.
Temperatures
High temperatures through Monday will be n the upper 50s to lower 60s where fog clears and the low to mid 50s in areas that remain overcast. Overnight lows will drop into the mid 30s to the lower 40s except in the upper 40s to the lower 50s where it remains overcast.
Seven day forecast:
| Wednesday Chance of pm showers 39/62 | Thursday Am fog/partly cloudy 39/62 | Friday Increasing clouds 38/62 | Saturday Chance of showers 40/64 | Sunday Am fog/partly cloudy 39/63 |
Two Week Outlook: December 30 through January 5 This model shows a westerly flow across the Pacific and into California. This is typically a mild pattern with above average temperatures. The risk of precipitation is fairly high with this pattern
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 at or less than 6 mph with periods of near calm conditions through Wednesday
Rain Discussion: Expect dry weather to continue through at least Wednesday morning. there will be a slight chance of showers Wednesday afternoon from mainly Fresno County north and a chance over the entire valley Wednesday night and early Thursday. Rainfall amounts, if any, should be no more than a couple tenths of an inch. Thursday and Friday will be dry then a second trough of low pressure will move through late Friday night and Saturday. On paper, this system is more promising for rain. Medium range models for the first week in January are inconclusive. The two week model indicates an active pattern while the GFS model depicts only a minimal chance of precipitation.
Frost Discussion: All locations will be above 32 degrees for at least the next 7 days and more than likely beyond. Even on a clear night, lows will get no colder than the mid 30s with afternoon dew points running in the low to mid 50s. fog and/or low clouds will play their roles nicely. There is nothing yet to indicate a particularly cold pattern on the horizon with safe conditions through the first week in January. This has so far been a very mild winter and for now, there’s nothing to indicate a change.
Mid afternoon dew points: Low to mid 30s. Kern: Upper 20s to the lower 30s.
ET for the past seven days: Stratford, .15, Parlier, .18, Arvin .23, Delano .18.
Soil temperatures: Stratford 55, Parlier 54, Arvin 54, Delano 54
Average Temperatures: 54/36, Record Temperatures: 68/18
Heating Degree Days Season. 630 -244 varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno .73, Monthly .52
Precipitation for Bakersfield: Season: .79, Monthly: .47
Average Temperature this Month 51.5 +5.3 taken at NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Parlier, 431 Arvin, 343 Belridge, 365 Shafter, 383 Stratford, 384 Delano 399. Courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise, 7:09. Sunset, 4:48 hours of daylight, 9:39
NA=Not available
Yesterday’s Weather:
MCE : Merced AP 153 : 62 / 38 / 0.00 /
MAE : Madera AP 253 : 62 / 38 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno AP 333 : 59 / 44 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford AP 242 : 60 / 46 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore NAS 234 : 60 / 37 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield AP 496 : 60 / 51 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia AP 292 : 58 / 47 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville AP 442 : 60 / 48 / T /
Rainfall: 24hr seas. % L.Y % S.Ave. 365
STOCKTON 0.00 2.26 59 4.47 116 3.84 13.45
MODESTO 0.00 2.61 82 4.48 140 3.20 12.27
MERCED 0.00 2.33 77 3.77 125 3.01 11.80
MADERA 0.00 1.45 55 2.04 77 2.66 10.79
FRESNO 0.00 0.73 27 3.25 122 2.67 10.99
HANFORD 0.00 1.01 50 2.34 116 2.01 8.13
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 0.79 51 1.10 71 1.55 6.36
BISHOP 0.00 0.61 57 2.15 201 1.07 4.84
DEATH VALLEY NP 0.00 0.28 70 0.03 8 0.40 2.20
SALINAS 0.00 1.78 52 3.77 111 3.40 12.58
PASO ROBLES 0.00 4.64 166 4.34 156 2.79 12.15
SANTA MARIA 0.00 2.48 81 3.27 107 3.05 13.32
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Next report: Christmas 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.