April 4, 2024
Summary A very cold upper low is centered just west of Ukiah this morning. showers are already spreading down the Sierra Nevada. On its current path, the center of this cold core low will be right overhead later tonight and on Friday. If the pool of cool unstable air arrives in time, isolated thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon with a higher risk Friday afternoon. The snow level in the mountains will start out at around 6,000 feet this morning, plummeting to 2,000 feet tonight. That, of course, will bring snow levels down into the foothills, not only in the Sierra Nevada but also over the Kern County mountains and even the Coast Range. The low will begin to pull off into the Great Basin later Friday night and will be replaced by a much weaker low which will give a chance of showers in the Sierra Nevada Saturday night and Sunday. The valley should remain dry. Beginning Tuesday, a fairly strong upper high will build in from the west. This will begin a prolonged period of dry and warmer weather. In fact, by next Thursday, temperatures will climb into the low to mid 80s.
Forecast A slight chance of showers this morning. periods of showers this afternoon through Friday evening. Isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and again Friday afternoon. Partly to mostly cloudy later Friday night through Saturday. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Saturday night through Sunday night. mostly clear Monday through Thursday with a warming trend.
Short Term:
| Madera 61/38/58/35/63 | Reedley 62/39/59/37/64 | Dinuba 60/37/58/34/62 |
| Porterville 62/40/59/36/64 | Lindsay 61/39/58/35/62 | Delano 63/40/59/36/65 |
| Bakersfield 62/42/59/40/63 | Taft 59/40/54/47/56 | Arvin 62/40/58/39/63 |
| Lamont 62/40/59/39/63 | Pixley 60/38/58/36/63 | Tulare 60/38/58/34/62 |
| Woodlake 61/39/58/36/62 | Hanford 62/40/59/38/63 | Orosi 62/38/59/36/62 |
Seven Day Forecast
| Sunday Partly cloudy 37/63 | Monday Mostly clear 40/65 | Tuesday Mostly clear 42/67 | Wednesday Mostly clear 47/77 | Thursday Mostly clear 50/82 |
Two Week Forecast: April 9 through April 16: For a change, upper level is dominant over the western states during this period. As a result, expect above average temperatures with very little chance of rain.
Thirty Day Report: This model gives equal chances of above and below average temperatures for the month of April. The chance of precipitation is slightly above average for the month.
Ninety Day Report: As we enter the dry season, this model predicts precipitation will be above or below average. There is no real trend to grab onto so temperatures are expected to be near seasonal average.
Winds: Winds through Friday will be generally out of the northwest at 8 to 15 mph at times. Gusts to near 30 mph are possible in the vicinity of thunderstorms. Winds Friday night through Sunday will be mainly out of the northwest at 5 to 12 mph with stronger gusts possible, mainly in the afternoon and evening.
Rain: The chance for showers will increase this afternoon with a chance of showers through tonight and through the day Friday. Isolated thunderstorms will be possible during the mid to late afternoon hours today then again Friday afternoon and evening. Rainfall totals are expected to be very spotty, ranging from a tenth or two at some locations to as much as a half inch or more where thunderstorms break out. Hail will accompany thunderstorm activity. The chance of showers will begin to abate by Friday evening. Expect dry weather beginning Saturday and lasting through all of next week.
Frost The air mass associated with a very cold upper low will overspread central California today through tonight. Most, but not all, locations will be above 32 tonight. Temperatures Saturday and Sunday mornings will generally range between 33 and 40. It’s possible a few isolated cold spots could drop to 30 to 31 degrees. By Monday, the air mass will have moderated sufficiently for above freezing temperatures. Expect above freezing temperatures to prevail for the remainder of next week. there’s currently nothing on longer range models to suggest a pattern resulting in below average temperatures.
Mid afternoon dew points: Mid to upper 40s. Kern: Mid to upper 40s
ET for the past seven days: Stratford, .93, Parlier, .93, Arvin 1.13, Delano .1.05.
Soil temperatures: Stratford 58, Parlier 72, Arvin NA, Delano 65
Average Temperatures: 71/46, Record Temperatures: 88/33
Heating Degree Days Season. 1728 -548 varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno 8.29, Monthly .00
Precipitation for Bakersfield: Season: 5.95, Monthly: .00
Average Temperature this Month 61.8 +2.8 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, 6:38. Sunset, 7:25, hours of daylight, 12:45
NA=Not available
Yesterday’s Weather:
MCE : Merced 153 : DH1700 / 78 / 46 / 0.00 /
MAE : Madera 253 : DH1700 / 81 / 47 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno Airport 333 : DH1700 / 80 / 53 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford Airport 242 : DH1700 / 81 / 49 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore Naval AS 234 : DH1700 / 82 / 46 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield Airport 496 : DH1700 / 82 / 52 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia Airport 292 : DH1700 / 80 / 50 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville Airport 442 : DH1700 / 81 / 48 / 0.00 /
TFTC1 : Taft 759 : DH1651 / 82 / 56 / 0.00 /
LOSC1 : Los Banos 120 : DH1600 / 78 / 51 / 0.00 /
Rainfall: 24hr 2024 % l.y. % ave Yearly ave
STOCKTON 0.00 11.75 100 22.73 194 11.74 13.45
MODESTO 0.00 15.17 144 19.71 187 10.54 12.27
MERCED 0.00 12.94 128 20.08 199 10.11 11.80
MADERA 0.00 8.31 89 10.83 116 9.36 10.79
FRESNO 0.00 8.29 88 17.48 187 9.37 10.99
HANFORD 0.00 7.25 103 14.48 206 7.03 8.13
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 5.95 108 9.74 177 5.50 6.36
BISHOP 0.00 4.44 113 13.66 347 3.94 4.84
DEATH VALLEY NP 0.00 2.93 179 1.06 65 1.64 2.20
SALINAS 0.00 13.01 116 13.70 122 11.25 12.58
PASO ROBLES 0.00 16.31 146 20.51 183 11.18 12.15
SANTA MARIA 0.00 14.52 121 23.18 193 12.03 13.32