January 16, 2024
Summary: Every location from Merced to Bakersfield is reporting a visibility of ½ mile or less. satellite imagery indicates the entire valley is socked by fog and low clouds. A weather system is also bearing down on the northern California coast. This system will move through central California tonight and early Wednesday. Models show this system rapidly weakening as it makes its way south. Even so, light showers are likely from Fresno County north with only a minimal chance of a few light showers as far south as Kern County. A weak ridge of upper level high pressure will develop Wednesday night through Thursday night for dry weather with lots of clouds. Another system will follow a similar path Friday night and Saturday for a chance of light precipitation. from Saturday through Tuesday, there will be a series of storms moving from west to east across California. These are lower latitude storms with fairly high snow levels. Current models show the first one arriving Saturday with the last one a week from today. So, we’ll have four days to hopefully pick up some decent precipitation amounts.
Forecast: Widespread fog and low clouds this morning. increasing cloudiness this afternoon. Light showers will be likely later tonight through Wednesday morning north of Kern County. A chance of showers in Kern County through early Wednesday morning. areas of low clouds and fog nights and mornings, otherwise it will be partly cloudy through Friday. Mostly foggy with an increasing chance of light showers Friday through Saturday. Showers likely Saturday night through Tuesday.
Short Term:
| Madera 58/45/62/40/64 | Reedley 57/45/63/40/62 | Dinuba 57/42/63/41/63 |
| Porterville 61/41/63/42/63 | Lindsay 58/42/62/41/63 | Delano 60/42/62/44/66 |
| Bakersfield 59/46/62/44/66 | Taft 59/54/62/46/63 | Arvin 59/43/63/43/63 |
| Lamont 59/44/63/42/63 | Pixley 60/43/63/41/64 | Tulare 57/43/63/43/63 |
| Woodlake 57/42/63/42/63 | Hanford 57/44/62/43/64 | Orosi 57/42/64/41/62 |
Seven Day Forecast
| Friday PM rain possible 41/66 | Saturday Showers 45/65 | Sunday Showers 42/64 | Monday Showers 43/64 | Tuesday AM showers 46/62 |
Winds: Winds will be generally at or less than 6 mph and variable in nature through Friday.
Rain: The latest weakening trough of low pressure will move down the valley tonight into Tuesday morning.
Precipitation from this event will be likely from Fresno County north with a chance of light showers in Kings and Tulare Counties. The chance of measurable rain in Kern County is low with this system. Rainfall amounts from Fresno County north should add up to .10 to .25. In Kings and Tulare Counties, no more than a tenth or two is likely. Over the valley portion of Kern County, only a few tenths can be expected if precipitation falls there at all. Expect dry weather later Wednesday night through Friday. Showers will again spread down the valley Friday night, becoming likely at times Saturday through Tuesday morning. A series of storms will travel from west to east across the Golden State during this time frame. Although these do not appear to be intense Pacific storms by any means, they will be moving in perpendicular to the Sierra Nevada which generally favors decent precipitation amounts for the chance of heavy snow over the high country. Beginning a week from Tuesday, high pressure will again build off shore, deflecting Pacific storms north of the region.
Frost: Expect above freezing temperatures for at least the next 7 days.
Mid afternoon dew points: Low to mid 30s. Kern: Upper 20s to the lower 30s.
ET for the past seven days: Stratford, .39, Parlier, .29, Arvin .36, Delano .36.
Soil temperatures: Stratford 53, Parlier 47, Arvin 52, Delano 46
Average Temperatures: 55/38, Record Temperatures: 71/20
Heating Degree Days Season. 1012 -299 varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno .1.68, Monthly .79
Precipitation for Bakersfield: Season: 1.20, Monthly: .24
Average Temperature this Month 44.2 -1.0 taken at NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Parlier, 630 Arvin, 553 Belridge, 549 Shafter, 598 Stratford, 596 Delano 624. Courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise, 7:10. Sunset, 5:06 hours of daylight, 9:56
NA=Not available
Yesterday’s Weather:
MCE : Merced AP 153 : 52 / 48 / 0.00 /
MAE : Madera AP 253 : 51 / 47 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno AP 333 : 51 / 46 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford AP 242 : 53 / 47 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore NAS 234 : 55 / 46 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield AP 496 : 61 / 41 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia AP 292 : 50 / 45 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville AP 442 : 58 / 45 / 0.00 /
Rainfall:
STOCKTON 0.00 4.64 80 14.03 241 5.82 13.45
MODESTO 0.00 4.81 94 12.24 240 5.11 12.27
MERCED 0.00 3.73 79 11.98 252 4.75 11.80
MADERA 0.00 2.64 63 4.46 106 4.21 10.79
FRESNO 0.00 1.68 39 8.94 206 4.34 10.99
HANFORD 0.00 1.91 58 6.66 201 3.31 8.13
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 1.20 48 3.86 155 2.49 6.36
BISHOP 0.00 0.61 31 8.32 424 1.96 4.84
DEATH VALLEY NP 0.00 0.41 64 0.39 61 0.64 2.20
SALINAS 0.00 3.32 63 8.32 158 5.25 12.58
PASO ROBLES 0.00 6.50 136 12.58 263 4.79 12.15
SANTA MARIA 0.00 3.73 73 12.91 254 5.09 13.32