January 11, 2024
Summary: Temperatures at midday were in the upper 40s t o the lower 50s up and down the line. Dew points are generally in the low to mid 30s. With mostly clear skies tonight, strong radiational cooling will commence with widespread subfreezing weather. The freezing level taken earlier today was just 4,500 feet, meaning the air aloft is also fairly chilly. In the broad picture, we find ourselves on the eastern periphery of a ridge of high pressure located off shore. That ridge will build northward into the Gulf of Alaska as a bitterly cold air mass slides southward into the Rockies and Midwest. Over Montana, midday temperatures are in the teens below zero. Fortunately, this air mass will remain to our east, otherwise we would be dealing with a critical air mass. The off shore high will build inland with dry weather through Friday night. the last in a series of Pacific disturbances will drop into northern and central California late Saturday and early Sunday. This storm’s characteristics are from a lower latitude so snow levels will rise from 3,000 feet to around 6,500 feet by early Sunday. Models continue to show a strong ridge of upper level high pressure building along the Pacific coast, creating a very amplified pattern with above average temperatures along the west coast and bitterly cold weather from the Rockies eastward.
Forecast: Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy tonight with areas of dense fog developing after midnight. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Friday and Friday night with areas of morning clouds and fog. Increasing cloudiness Saturday morning. A chance of light showers by Saturday afternoon. Light showers likely north of Kern County Saturday night and early Sunday. A chance of light showers in Kern County. Partly cloudy Sunday with areas of morning fog and low clouds. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Monday through Thursday with increasing amounts of night and morning valley fog.
Short Term:
| Madera 29/53/33/51 | Reedley 30/52/32/53 | Dinuba 28/52/31/52 |
| Porterville 28/53/32/53 | Lindsay 27/52/31/54 | Delano 29/54/33/55 |
| Bakersfield 33/53/34/55 | Taft 38/51/40/53 | Arvin 30/53/33/55 |
| Lamont 31/53/33/55 | Pixley 29/52/32/53 | Tulare 28/52/31/53 |
| Woodlake 28/52/31/52 | Hanford 29/54/33//54 | Orosi 29/52/32/53 |
Winds: Winds through early this evening will be out of the northwest at 10 to 20 mph at times, diminishing later this evening. Winds late this evening through Saturday will be generally at or less than 6 mph with periods of near calm conditions. From Saturday night through Sunday winds will be mainly out of the northwest at 5 to 12 mph with periods of lighter winds.
Rain: Dry weather will continue through Saturday morning. the chance of light showers will increase by late Saturday afternoon, continuing into the early morning hours Sunday. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Sunday through Thursday with potentially dense ground fog.
Frost: With mostly clear skies tonight, and a pool of cold air now settling to the valley floor, strong radiational cooling will occur. Dew points are generally in the low to mid 30s this afternoon, indicating the air mass on the valley floor is dry enough for a strong radiational cooling event. Coldest locations will chill into the 25 to 27 degree range with most flatland locations ranging from 28 to 31. Hillsides will range in the low to mid 30s. the inversion tonight will be a little tighter with temperatures at 34 feet generally ranging from 4 to 7 degrees warmer at mmost locations. Temperatures Saturday morning should be 1 to 3 degrees warmer, assuming higher level clouds arrive in time to slow the radiational cooling process. A weather system will move through the area late Saturday into early usunday. A warmer dome of high pressure will follow with temperatures generally ranging in the 30s each night next week. as a warmer air inversion develops under that high, lowo clouds and fog will no doubt play an important role. Regardless, conditions will be safe for all of next week. long range models are not showing a cold pattern.
| Terra Bella 29 | Porterville 28 | Ivanhoe 29 | Woodlake 29 |
| Strathmore 28 | McFarland 29 | Ducor 28 | Tea pot dome 29 |
| Lindsay 28 | Exeter 27 | Famoso 29 | Madera 29 |
| Belridge 28 | Delano 29 | North Bakersfield 31 | Orosi 28 |
| Orange cove 28 | Lindcove 27 | Lindcove Hillside 32 | Sanger river bottom 25 |
| Root creek 26 | Venice hill 29 | Rosedale 30 | Jasmine 29 |
| Arvin 30 | Lamont 31 | Plainview 28 | Mettler 30 |
| Edison 31 | Maricopa 29 | Holland creek 31 | Tivy Valley 28 |
| Kite Road South 31 | Kite Road North 28 |
AF=Above Freezing