March 28, 2022
A relatively strong cold front moved through central California this morning, dumping anywhere from .25 to .66 on the valley floor. From this point on, the precipitation pattern will become spotty. As breaks begin to show up in the overcast this afternoon, the sun will heat the ground. This creates warm currents of air that flow skyward, forming more showers and the possibility of thunderstorms. The center of circulation is just west of Santa Maria at this hour. The freezing level taken earlier today over Oakland was 5,900 feet, putting the snow level at roughly 5,300 feet. Snow showers will continue over the Sierra Nevada well into Tuesday morning. Showers will continue well into tonight with dry weather returning by sunrise Tuesday.
A flat zone of high pressure will build eastward from the eastern Pacific. California will be located on the eastern side of the high, putting us under a northwest flow aloft. Temperatures through the workweek will be fairly close to average for the season, warming to above average by this weekend when the high begins to strengthen. It will weaken once again by Tuesday of next week as a weak trough of low pressure moves inland to our north.
Forecast: Showers tonight. A chance of isolated thunderstorms this evening with small hail and localized heavy rain. Clearing Tuesday with the exception of eastern Tulare County and Kern County which will remain mostly cloudy into Wednesday morning. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Wednesday afternoon through Friday. Mostly clear Friday night through Monday.
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Short Term:
| Madera 44/67/44/72 | Reedley 43/67/44/73 | Dinuba 44/68/44/72 |
| Porterville 46/65/46/73 | Lindsay 43/68/44/72 | Delano 48/65/47/72 |
| Bakersfield 51/65/50/70 | Taft 52/65/54/67 | Arvin 48/65/49/73 |
| Lamont 47/65/48/73 | Pixley 44/67/46/73 | Tulare 43/65/44/72 |
| Woodlake 44/68/46/72 | Hanford 45/68/47/72 | Orosi 43/68/45/71 |
Wind Discussion: Winds through the evening hours will be mainly out of the northwest at 10 to 20 mph. Stronger gusts will be possibly, mainly in the vicinity of showers and/or thunderstorms. Winds will become light after midnight. Winds Tuesday through Thursday will be mainly out of the northwest afternoons and evenings at around 5 to 12 mph. Winds during the night and morning hours will be generally at or less than 6 mph.
Rain: The following are rainfall totals as of noon today: Bakersfield .27, Taft .39, Delano .38, Porterville .25, Corcoran .39, Tulare .35, Visalia .46, Lemoore .60, Fresno .48, Madera .42, and Merced .39.
Precipitation amounts from this point on will be hit and miss with some locations picking up only a few hundredths and others recording considerably more. If thunderstorms occur, it’s possible those locations could measure an additional .50. Dry weather will return to the valley floor by sunrise Tuesday with lingering showers over the foothills and mountains into Tuesday morning. Dry weather will continue through the rest of the week and, if models are correct, through the following week, as well.
Frost: All locations will be above freezing tonight and for at least the next week.
Next report: March 29