February 27, 2024
Summary There remains a great deal of cloud cover over Kings, Tulare, and Tulare Counties as of midday. A northwest push of air behind last night’s frontal passage being lifted by the Kern County mountains and the southern Sierra Nevada is responsible for the generally low level cloud cover. Drier air is pushing in from northern California and will slowly mix out the clouds during the late afternoon and overnight hours. Weak upper high pressure is currently building into California. This high will generate a warming trend for Wednesday and Thursday before a major shift in the pattern returns us to winter mode beginning Friday. A strong low pressure system is gaining speed in the Gulf of Alaska and will dive southeastward, carving out a large low pressure system over the eastern Pacific and western US. The lift of this storm are perfect for monumental amounts of snow for the Sierra Nevada from late Thursday night all the way into Sunday morning. Two to four feet of new snow is certainly obtainable from this storm. Models show yet another atmospheric river flowing into the southeast quadrant of the storm. The bottom line is that the proper ingredients will be in place for one of the strongest winter storms of the year. This system’s origins are in the Gulf of Alaska which means plenty of cold air will plunge southward into California. It still appears Sunday through Tuesday that overnight lows in the 30s will be possible. It does not, however, appear we will see a widespread frost event. Localized low spots may drop into the lower 30s with a slight chance of isolated 20s or two on Monday and Tuesday mornings. Another winter storm is now showing up on models for Tuesday night and Wednesday.
Forecast: Partly cloudy tonight from Kings and Tulare Counties southward. Otherwise, it will be mostly clear. Mostly clear Wednesday through Thursday. Increasing cloudiness Thursday night. rain at times Friday through Saturday night. a chance of showers Sunday morning. Otherwise, it will be mostly to partly cloudy Sunday. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Monday and Monday night. increasing cloudiness Tuesday.
Temperatures: Lows tonight will range in the upper 30s to the lower 40s north of Kern County. Highs Wednesday and Thursday will be in the upper 60s to the lower 70s with lows Wednesday night in the low to mid 40s.