February 9, 2024
Summary: Temperatures as of 1:00pm were generally in the mid 50s on the valley floor with dew points generally in the low to mid 50s. We are currently under a northerly flow along the eastern side of upper level high pressure just to our west. As a result, the air mass remains cold. The balloon sounding above Oakland this morning pegged the freezing level at 4,5000 feet, which is higher than yesterday. The off shore high will continue to shift eastward from the eastern Pacific. By Sunday, the high will extend from off the southern California coast northward through the Pacific Northwest and into northern Canada. A slow warming trend will begin Saturday, however, it will be Monday before it becomes noticeable. High temperatures will range from the mid to upper 50s today and Saturday to the low to mid 60s Sunday and Monday and the mid to upper 60s Wednesday and Thursday. The high will begin to break down Wednesday night and Thursday as a low pressure system moves into the Pacific Northwest and northern California. It now appears any precipitation will remain north of our region. By next Saturday, a stronger low with a potential atmospheric river will approach the coast. Models this afternoon are a bit weaker on this system, but still continue the trend of a wet pattern beginning next weekend with possibly more action the following week.
Forecast: Partly to mostly cloudy tonight. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy Saturday through Monday night. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy with patchy late night and early morning fog.
Short Term:
| Madera 33/56/32/61 | Reedley 34/57/33/60 | Dinuba 32/55/31/60 |
| Porterville 34/56/32/61 | Lindsay 32/56/31/60 | Delano 34/57/33/59 |
| Bakersfield 41/57/36/62 | Taft 42/52/38/56 | Arvin 36/56/33/62 |
| Lamont 35/56/33/62 | Pixley 35/56/33/61 | Tulare 32/55/31/61 |
| Woodlake 34/55/32/61 | Hanford 35/57/33/61 | Orosi 33/56/32/61 |
Winds: Winds will be generally in the 5 to 12 mph range through Monday.
Rain: Dry conditions will continue through at least Friday of next week. even though models are somewhat weaker on the chance of precipitation next weekend, they continue to show a low pressure system just off the northern and central coast late Friday night and Saturday. They also show the possibility of another atmospheric river of air, though it too is weaker on current models. Another system may move into the region about a week from Monday. it, too, reflects an atmospheric river coming into the southwest sector of the storm.
Frost: Latest high resolution models continue to show cloud cover moving over the valley tonight. One of these models reflects a cloud cover of 80% during the early morning hours. Even so, the air mass is still cold enough for widespread 30s tonight with coldest locations possibly dipping into the lower 30s. there is a better chance of local frost Sunday morning as skies will be mostly clear. A few locations down to 29 or 30 is even possible. Perhaps two degrees on the average for moderation Monday morning. after Monday, most if not all locations will be above freezing for the remainder of the week. as daytime highs move well into the low to mid 60s, lows will moderate into the mid 30s to the lower 40s.
Lows tonight:
Ivanhoe 32
Lindsay 32
Exeter 32
Madera 32
Belridge 32
Lindcove 32
Sanger river bottom 31
Root creek 32