December 19, 2023
Summary: Sporadic light showers continue over parts of the valley this afternoon. Doppler radar and satellite imagery show the storm’s strongest dynamics to be just off the northern California coast which is closer to the storm’s center of circulation. The center of circulation is located roughly 350 miles to the west/northwest of San Francisco. The low will slowly drop southward parallel to the coast Wednesday through Friday. The low will be closest to the west late Wednesday through Thursday with the center just off shore. This brings the core of the storm in much closer, giving higher risk of heavier precipitation. it will be at least Friday evening before we are out of the woods with this event. Satellite imagery also indicates isolated thunderstorms just off the northern California coast. The storm prediction center in Oklahoma placed half the valley at risk of thunderstorms through Thursday evening, even though the risk appears to be minimal. A ridge of upper level high pressure will begin to build inland behind a low Friday night and Saturday. This will spread a colder air mass over California with a chance of at least local frost Sunday through Tuesday of next week.
Forecast: Periods of light showers tonight. Periods of showers Wednesday through Friday. A chance of showers, mainly in kern County, Friday night. partly cloudy Saturday. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Saturday night through Tuesday with periods of fog and low clouds.
Short Term:
| Madera 47/67/48/63 | Reedley 49/67/49/63 | Dinuba 47/66/48/62 |
| Porterville 49/68/49/63 | Lindsay 48/68/48/64 | Delano 50/68/51/62 |
| Bakersfield 51/69/52/62 | Taft 54/64/55/59 | Arvin 51/70/52/63 |
| Lamont 50/69/51/63 | Pixley 47/68/48/63 | Tulare 47/66/47/62 |
| Woodlake 48/67/48/62 | Hanford 48/68/49/63 | Orosi 47/66/48/63 |
Winds: Winds will be mostly out of the east to southeast at8 to15 mph through Thursday. Gusts to 25 mph are possible. Winds Wednesday night through Friday will be generally at or less than 10 mph.
Rain: mostly sporadic light showers will continue through the evening hours. As the main area of low pressure moves in closer to the growing area our chances of more significant rainfall will increase. Models indicate the center of circulation will pass only about 250 miles to our west late Wednesday and Thursday. Isolated thunderstorms will also become more likely, mainly in the afternoons and evenings, through Thursday. The risk of showers will continue throughout at least Friday then will taper off Friday evening with dry weather over the weekend and through Christmas day. The northern half of California will enjoy another shot at precipitation the 27 and 28. It’s still unclear how far south precipitation will advance from this system.
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Frost: All locations will be above freezing through at least Saturday morning. a colder air mass will be drawn south over the weekend. We could see some low to mid 30s Sunday and possibly upper 20s and lower 30 Christmas day and the 26. At this juncture, there is still nothing showing up on models which would result in a call of alarm.