February 8, 2024
Summary: The lower Sacramento Valley to the southern San Joaquin Valley is largely overcast. most locations reported the cloud deck based at 4,000 to 5,000 feet. These clouds are due to a northwest flow pushing down the valley behind yesterday’s storm which is now over northern Arizona. Offshore, a ridge of upper level high pressure extends from off the southern California coast northward to just west of the British Columbia coast. The high will slowly push its way inland Friday and through the weekend. Even though we’re entering a dry period of time, it will be chilly with below average temperatures through Monday. overnight lows will chill into the 30s at most locations, but no widespread frost or freeze are anticipated. The high will dominate our pattern through at least Wednesday of next week. Models show a low pressure system moving into the pacific northwest and northern California. Right now, this looks like a weak system for central and southern California. It appears showers will fall from roughly Fresno County north. However, we’re still a week away. The GFS model places a huge low off the coast of the Pacific Northwest next Friday and Saturday, and models are showing it to be similar to the system we just experienced. Models show an atmospheric river and also indicates this will be a multi day event. No doubt, much will change between now and then but with a strong El Nino driving the weather this winter, it would not be at all surprising.
Forecast: Mostly cloudy tonight with areas of fog developing before sunrise. Areas of fog and low clouds Friday morning, otherwise it will be mostly clear to partly cloudy through Saturday night. mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Monday through Wednesday with patchy late night and early morning fog. Increasing cloudiness Wednesday night. a slight chance of showers Thursday from Fresno north.
Short Term:
| Madera 34/54/33/56 | Reedley 33/55/33/56 | Dinuba 32/54/32/57 |
| Porterville 35/54/32/56 | Lindsay 31/54/32/57 | Delano 35/54/34/57 |
| Bakersfield 39/55/37/56 | Taft 40/52/41/53 | Arvin 37/54/34/57 |
| Lamont 36/54/34/56 | Pixley 35/54/35/56 | Tulare 32/53/32/55 |
| Woodlake 34/54/33/56 | Hanford 36/54/35/55 | Orosi 32/54/33/56 |
Winds: Winds will be generally in the 5 to 12 mph range through Sunday. Local gusts to 20 mph are possible near showers today and tonight.
Rain: Expect dry weather through at least Wednesday of next week. A weak weather system will spread showers over the northern half of California Thursday. So we’ve added a slight chance of showers to the forecast for Thursday. Models for the period beginning Saturday of next week are eerily similar to those of the systems that pounded southern California for the past few days. A strong low will be off the coast of the Pacific Northwest and northern California while an atmospheric river plunges from northwest to southeast into California. Could it happen twice in two weeks.
Frost: No question about it, the current air mass is quite cold. However, dew points at most locations are near the 40 degree mark. So, considering we have temperatures in the mid 50s, there is plenty of low level moisture. Satellite imagery depicts widespread cloud cover over the lower Sacramento Vally southward to the base of the Kern County mountains. These clouds will regenerate during the course of the night, playing a role in keeping temperatures above freezing. I’ll go ahead and forecast typically colder locations in the lower 30s tonight. Lows ranging in the 30s will continue through Monday morning. It is possible isolated cold pockets could dip into the upper 20s to lower 30s but no general frost or freeze is seen at this time for the foreseeable future. Temperatures will begin to moderate beginning Sunday with above freezing temperatures all of next week.
Lows Tonight:
| Terra Bella Af | Porterville Af | Ivanhoe 32 | Woodlake af |
| Strathmore af | McFarland 32 | Ducor Af | Tea pot dome 32 |
| Lindsay 31 | Exeter 32 | Famoso af | Madera af |
| Belridge 32 | Delano af | North Bakersfield af | Orosi 32 |
| Orange cove af | Lindcove 32 | Lindcove Hillside AF | Sanger river bottom 30 |
| Root creek 32 | Venice hill af | Rosedale af | Jasmine af |
| Arvin af | Lamont af | Plainview af | Mettler af |
| Edison af | Maricopa af | Holland creek af | Tivy Valley af |
| Kite Road South af | Kite Road North af |
AF=Above Freezing