May 20, 2023 am
Summary: Upper level high pressure is anchored right above central California this morning. There is a weak upper air feature over southern California which has caused mid and high level clouds to develop over that region. Some of these clouds have drifted as far north as the south valley, but pose no active weather. Only very subtle changes have taken place since yesterday at this time. The freezing level remains around 13,700 feet while at the surface, the marine layer along the coast stands at 1,700 feet. There is a trickle of marine air moving through the Delta. Winds at Travis AFB are out of the southwest at 18 mph, gusting to 23. So, it’s possible that, from Merced County north, the modified marine air could lower temperatures into the upper 80s to the lower 90s while the remainder of the valley averages in the mid to upper 90s through Sunday. Temperatures will peak Monday and Tuesday as the high firms up a bit. The next cooling trend will begin Thursday as a weak low straddles the northern California coast then moves slowly southward, deepening the marine layer and bringing in somewhat cooler air aloft. In the short term, there’s still a chance of thunderstorms during the afternoons and evenings over the Sierra Nevada.
Forecast: Mostly clear skies through Tuesday night. Mostly clear skies will continue Wednesday through Saturday.
Temperatures:
| Madera
93/58/94/58/96 |
Reedley
94/59/94/60/97 |
Dinuba
93/58/94/59/96 |
| Porterville
95/59/95/60/97 |
Lindsay
94/57/95/59/96 |
Delano
94/60/94/61/97 |
| Bakersfield
94/65/95/67/96 |
Taft
93/67/94/68/95 |
Arvin
95/62/95/63/97 |
| Lamont
95/63/95/64/98 |
Pixley
94/59/95/61/96 |
Tulare
93/57/94/58/95 |
| Woodlake
94/58/95/59/97 |
Hanford
95/60/96/61/97 |
Orosi
93/59/94/60/96 |
Seven Day Forecast
| Tuesday
Mostly clear 61/97 |
Wednesday
Mostly clear 57/96 |
Thursday
Mostly clear 52/87 |
Friday
Mostly clear 52/85 |
Saturday
Mostly clear 53/86 |
Two Week Outlook: May 7 through July 2 This model projection indicates a weak trough of low pressure will be over central California. It may allow enough modified ocean air to enter to bring temperatures down to average levels. There will be a chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms over the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada, but no precipitation is expected on the valley floor.
May: This model continues trends during the month of May that we saw in April. Pressures will be lower than average along the west coast, resulting in the chance of above average rainfall and below average temperatures
May, June, July: This model doesn’t really move the needle either way for temperatures and rainfall over the next three months. being that we’re heading into the hot, dry season, it means little anyway.
Wind Discussion: Winds today will be generally out of the northwest at 8 to 15 mph. Winds tonight through Tuesday will be mainly out of the northwest at 8 to 15 mph with local gusts to 20 mph during the afternoon through late evening hours.
Rain Discussion: Expect dry weather for the next week to 10 days.
Mid afternoon dew points: Low to mid 50s. Kern: Upper 40s to the lower 50s.
ET for the past seven days: Stratford, 2.17, Parlier, 1.92, Arvin 2.04, Delano NA.
Soil temperatures: Stratford 68, Parlier 73, Arvin 75, Delano 79 *=data missing.
Average Temperatures: 84/56 Record Temperatures: 102/44
Cooling Degree Days This Season. 148 +30 Varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS
Precipitation: Seasonal total for Fresno 17.83, Monthly .35
Precipitation for Bakersfield: Season: 9.74, Monthly: T
Average Temperature this Month 68.1 +0.2 taken at NWS Hanford.
Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.
Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28: Parlier 1306, Arvin 1115, Belridge 1204, Shafter 1230, Stratford 1277, Delano 1273, Porterville 1245 courtesy UC Davis
Sunrise 5:47, sunset, 8:04. hours of daylight, 14:16
Yesterday’s Weather: H L R
MCE : Merced 153 : DH1700 / 91 / 57 / 0.00 /
MAE : Madera 253 : DH1700 / 93 / 56 / 0.00 /
FAT : Fresno Airport 333 : DH1700 / 94 / 64 / 0.00 /
HJO : Hanford Airport 242 : DH1700 / 96 / 59 / 0.00 /
NLC : Lemoore Naval AS 234 : DH1700 / 96 / 56 / 0.00 /
BFL : Bakersfield Airport 496 : DH1700 / 95 / 66 / 0.00 /
VIS : Visalia Airport 292 : DH1700 / 94 / 59 / 0.00 /
PTV : Porterville Airport 442 : DH1700 / 94 / 59 / 0.00 /
TFTC1 : Taft 759 : DH1654 / 92 / 69 / 0.00 /
LOSC1 : Los Banos 120 : DH1600 / 90 / M / 0.00 /
STOCKTON 0.00 23.21 177 9.75 75 13.08 13.45
MODESTO 0.00 19.71 167 8.99 76 11.83 12.27
MERCED 0.00 20.84 182 7.44 65 11.47 11.80
MADERA 0.00 11.62 111 2.10 20 10.43 10.79
FRESNO 0.00 17.83 169 6.29 60 10.53 10.99
HANFORD 0.00 14.56 185 6.34 80 7.88 8.13
BAKERSFIELD 0.00 9.89 160 5.40 87 6.19 6.36
BISHOP 0.00 13.66 320 4.75 111 4.27 4.84
DEATH VALLEY NP 0.00 1.06 61 M M 1.74 2.20
SALINAS 0.00 13.88 113 7.31 59 12.30 12.58
PASO ROBLES 0.00 20.88 176 8.70 73 11.88 12.15
SANTA MARIA 0.00 23.47 180 7.79 60 13.06 13.32
Next report: May 21 am
At John Hibler Weather Forecasting, it is our goal to provide the most accurate forecasts available. Weather forecasting, unlike any other business, invites errors. Weather, by nature, is chaotic. It is our goal to be as accurate as humanly possible.