March 6, 2024
Summary A weak upper level low is situated just to the west of Santa Maria this morning. Doppler radar shows light showers rotating around the center. A few showers are showing up on doppler radar to just south of Monterey. These showers are rotating from; south to north and are not making much inland progress. The low is forecast to speedily move eastward, resulting in a chance of light showers today through the evening hours. The best chance of measurable rain today will be along the west side, especially in Kern and Kings Counties. Where precipitation does occur, no more than a tenth or two is possible. High pressure aloft will build in from the west Thursday through Friday night for dry weather and a warming trend. A weak trough of low pressure will move through northern and central California Thursday but there will be no active weather. Another similar trough of low pressure will move through Monday, again with no active weather. For the past few days, models have been depicting a stronger high covering the eastern Pacific and the western one-third of the US, beginning a period of long, dry weather with above average temperatures.
Forecast: Mostly cloudy with a chance of light showers today and tonight, ending by midnight. Partly cloudy Thursday night through Friday night. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Saturday through Wednesday.
Short Term:
| Madera 65/44/62/40/67 | Reedley 66/42/63/41/67 | Dinuba 64/43/62/40/68 |
| Porterville 66/43/64/40/68 | Lindsay 65/42/62/39/67 | Delano 66/45/62/41/67 |
| Bakersfield 66/49/66/47 | Taft 63/49/59/47/63 | Arvin 67/45/62/44/67 |
| Lamont 66/45/65/44/67 | Pixley 65/44/62/41/67 | Tulare 63/40/62/39/66 |
| Woodlake 63/39/62/38/67 | Hanford 65/45/62/40/68 | Orosi 64/42/62/40/66 |
Seven Day Forecast
| Saturday Partly cloudy 43/67 | Sunday Mostly clear 46/68 | Monday Partly cloudy 44/66 | Tuesday Partly cloudy 44/66 | Wednesday Partly cloudy 48/68 |
Two Week Forecast: March 13 through March 19: This model depicts a strong high center over the western one-third of the US and off shore. This, in turn, will drive the storm track well north of California for day weather with above average temperatures.
Thirty Day Report: If this model has much credence, rainfall will remain above average, especially in northern and central California, stretching into the interior west. Temperatures however, look to be marginally below average.
Ninety Day Report: This model indicates near to marginally above average rainfall over the next three months. Equal chances are given for temperatures being above or below average.
Winds: Winds will be generally out of the east to southeast at no more than 10 mph today through this evening. Winds later today through Saturday will be generally at or less than 8 mph with periods of near calm conditions.
Rain: A weak upper low is currently just off the central coast and is moving southeastward towards southern California. There will be a risk of light showers today through the evening hours. The best chance of light showers in the valley will be in Kings and Kern Counties. Where rain does occur, no more than a tenth or two can be expected. Dry weather returns tonight and will continue through the weekend. Models indicate dry weather will continue through at least Wednesday of next week. Wednesday will also be the first day of a pattern with high pressure over the west and off shore. On paper, dry weather will prevail all of next week and possibly into the following week.
Frost: The coldest reading I could find as of 5;00 this morning was 35 at Sanger. Most other locations ranged from 36 to 40. Above freezing temperatures can be expected tonight and each night through the remainder of the week. longer range models all reflect above average temperatures for this week and next week as well.
Mid afternoon dew points: Mid to upper 40s. Kern: Mid to upper 40s
ET for the past seven days: Stratford, .66, Parlier, .67, Arvin .73, Delano .74.
Soil temperatures: Stratford 56, Parlier 57, Arvin NA, Delano 57
Average Temperatures: 66/43, Record Temperatures: 86/31
Heating Degree Days Season. 1529 -509 varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno 7.00, Monthly .84
Precipitation for Bakersfield: Season: 4.96, Monthly: .13
Average Temperature this Month 53.8 -0.6 taken at NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Parlier, 793 Arvin, 692 Belridge, 690 Shafter, 741 Stratford, 784 Delano 783. Courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise, 6:20. Sunset, 6:00, hours of daylight, 11:37
NA=Not available
Yesterday’s Weather:
MCE : Merced AP 153 : 63 / 46 / 0.00 /
MAE : Madera AP 253 : 63 / 44 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno AP 333 : 63 / 45 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford AP 242 : 66 / 42 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore NAS 234 : 66 / 43 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield AP 496 : 66 / 43 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia AP 292 : 64 / 47 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville AP 442 : 66 / 40 / 0.00 /
Rainfall: 24hr 2024 % l.y. % ave Yearly ave
STOCKTON 0.00 10.73 107 17.87 178 10.03 13.45
MODESTO 0.00 13.59 152 15.82 177 8.95 12.27
MERCED 0.00 11.66 138 15.87 187 8.47 11.80
MADERA 0.00 7.38 97 8.12 107 7.61 10.79
FRESNO 0.00 7.00 92 14.19 186 7.63 10.99
HANFORD 0.00 6.33 111 10.78 189 5.69 8.13
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 4.96 111 6.91 155 4.46 6.36
BISHOP 0.00 4.36 126 9.97 287 3.47 4.84
DEATH VALLEY NP 0.00 2.38 166 0.95 66 1.43 2.20
SALINAS 0.00 10.26 109 10.84 115 9.42 12.58
PASO ROBLES 0.00 14.85 164 15.93 176 9.07 12.15
SANTA MARIA 0.00 12.12 124 18.43 189 9.76 13.32