January 6, 2024
Summary: As of midday, precipitation had advanced to Merced County and was quickly advancing southward. These same radar returns the precipitation is very light. Light showers will work their way as far south as Fresno County by midafternoon and will spread rapidly southward during the later afternoon and evening hours. Most, if not all, the precipitation should be over by the early morning hours. The air mass diving southward behind this system is very cold and will lead to a freeze Monday and Tuesday mornings and possibly Wednesday. More below in the frost discussion. Upper level high pressure will build east into California Sunday through Tuesday. I’m still carefully watching a fast moving system that will rush through here Wednesday night and early Thursday. Some models show the main dynamics of this system moving into Nevada as an inside slider, leaving the valley with just a chance of light showers. A weak wedge of high pressure will fill in quickly Thursday and Thursday night for dry weather. Another weak system will move rapidly through central California late Saturday into early Sunday for another minimal chance of light showers. All of these systems are moving quickly with a great deal of the energy moving into Nevada. Models for next week are inconclusive. It does appear Monday through Wednesday of next week will be dry and cold with possibly more active weather later next week.
Forecast: Showers this evening, ending by the early morning hours. Partly cloudy Sunday except remaining mostly cloudy over Kern and Tulare Counties through Sunday evening. Mostly clear to partly cloudy Sunday through Tuesday night. increasing cloudiness Wednesday leading to a chance of light showers Wednesday night. partly cloudy Thursday. Partly cloudy Thursday night through Friday night with a slight chance of showers. A chance of showers Saturday.
Short Term:
| Madera 34/48/28/51 | Reedley 36/49/28/51 | Dinuba 25/48/26/50 |
| Porterville 37/48/28/51 | Lindsay 37/47/27/50 | Delano 38/41/29/51 |
| Bakersfield 39/49/30/51 | Taft 39/43/33/48 | Arvin 37/48/29/52 |
| Lamont 37/49/28/52 | Pixley 35/48/26/51 | Tulare 36/48/26/51 |
| Woodlake 36/48/28/51 | Hanford 36/49/29/52 | Orosi 36/47/26/50 |
Winds: Winds this morning will be light to near calm then will be out of the southeast at 8 to 15 mph this afternoon and evening. Winds later tonight and this evening will be out of the northwest at 10 to 20 mph with stronger gusts. Winds late Sunday night through Tuesday will be generally at or less than 6 mph with periods of stronger conditions.
Rain: As of 1:00 Pm light rain had spread as far south as Merced and Mariposa Counties and was moving rapidly southward. A cold front was advancing through the Sacramento Valley and will move to the San Joaquin Valley this evening. That is when the heaviest precipitation will occur. The backside of this system will clear the Sierra Nevada and Kern County Mountains. by sunrise. Dry weather will prevail Sunday through Tuesday night. our next chance of measurable rain will occur Wednesday afternoon through Wednesday night into early Thursday. The main dynamics of this storm may dive into Nevada with the weaker section moving into central California for just a chance of light showers. Another system will drive through late Friday night and Saturday with yet another Saturday night into Sunday for minimal chances of light showers.
Frost: All locations will be above freezing tonight, but only slightly above in the coldest locations. High resolution models this afternoon have not changed their tune one iota. For Monday and Tuesday mornings, and possibly Wednesday. The very coldest locations could potentially drop down to 23 to 25 degrees with most flatland locations coming in at 26 to 29 degrees. Most hillside locations will chill into the lower 30s. Upper 20s to the lower 30s are possible Wednesday morning. upper 20s and lower 30s are possible Thursday and Friday as well. Much will depend on cloud behavior. Any night that a location observes a considerable amount of cloudy cover will remain in the 30s. It’s possible we could see a deck of cloud cover in Tulare and Kern counties which would definitely moderate the situation.