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February 21, 2024 report

February 21, 2024

Summary  There are still some light showers occurring as of the time of this writing, mainly over Kern County. The parent low has weakened further and is located off the Washington coast while the trough of low pressure further south is beginning to disintegrate. We’ll keep a chance of light showers in the forecast through the mid morning hours then call for a dry forecast for the rest of the day. A weak ridge of high pressure will take shape over California for the next few days. The next low pressure system is a rather peculiar one. Models continue to show this system falling apart off shore then finally moving inland through the southern California coast Tuesday. We’ll put a small chance of light showers in the forecast for Monday and Tuesday of next week, but compared to recent events this will be a non starter.  By Wednesday, a stronger upper high will build over the eastern Pacific and western US. This is the second day in a row models have shown a substantial area of low pressure forming in the Gulf of Alaska then digging a trough southward into the western US and California. If this does occur, this would be our next chance of more substantial rain and lowering snow levels along with some possible below average temperatures.

Forecast: A chance of showers, mainly before the midi morning hours, otherwise it will be partly cloudy today. Mostly clear to occasionally partly cloudy tonight through Sunday night. a slight chance of showers Monday through Tuesday. Mostly clear Tuesday night and Wednesday.  

Short Term:                                                                                                              

Madera 64./42/64/41/67Reedley 65/41/64/42/66Dinuba 63/41/63/42/66
Porterville 64/42/64/41/66Lindsay 63/41/64/42/65Delano 63/45/64/43/67
Bakersfield 63/44/63/45/68Taft 61/46/61/46/65Arvin 65/45/65/44/67
Lamont 64/45/65/44/68Pixley 63/42/64/42/67Tulare 63/42/64/42/66
Woodlake 63/42/64/42/65Hanford 63/45/64/42/66Orosi 63/42/64/41/67

Seven Day Forecast

Saturday Partly cloudy 44/67Sunday Partly cloudy 43/69Monday Slight chance of showers 47/69Tuesday Slight chance of showers 44/66Wednesday Mostly clear 39/61

Two Week Forecast:  February 28 through March 5: This model shows the potential for storms to move out  of the Gulf of Alaska and into the Pacific Northwest and California. It does not depict above or below average rainfall but does suggest below average temperatures for a change.

Thirty Day Report: This model depicts temperatures near to marginally above average during this time frame. A good chance of above average precipitation will continue through the month as the El Nino pattern continues.

Ninety Day Report: This model favors the storm track being much further south than in most years, resulting in above average precipitation. temperatures on this model are also negligibly above average.

Winds:  Winds will be generally at or less than 10 mph with periods of near calm conditions through Saturday.  

Rain: Outside of a chance of lingering showers, mainly in Kern County, this morning, dry weather will prevail through Sunday. A weak weather system will meander off shore all weekend then move inland through southern California Monday and Tuesday. This is a minimal system so we’ll go with just a chance of light showers Monday and Tuesday. In the longer term, it appears a deep trough of low pressure in the Gulf of Alaska may slide southeastward into California about a week from Saturday. If this does occur, it would mean a renewed rain threat could be the result. It would have its origins in the Gulf of Alaska,  lowering snow levels.

Mid afternoon dew points: Low to mid 40s. Kern: Low to mid 40s.

ET for the past seven days: Stratford, .49, Parlier, .50, Arvin .63, Delano .56.

Soil temperatures: Stratford 55, Parlier 55, Arvin 62, Delano 55  

Average Temperatures: 63/41,  Record Temperatures: 77/26

Heating  Degree Days Season.  1392 -498  varies widely from location to location. courtesy of the NWS

Precipitation:  Seasonal total for Fresno .6.16, Monthly  3.36

Precipitation for Bakersfield:  Season: 4.83, Monthly:  2.22

Average Temperature this Month 52.8 +2.7 taken at NWS Hanford.

Water year season is from October 1st through September 30.

Chilling Hours November 1st through February 28:  Parlier, 761  Arvin, 672 Belridge, 673 Shafter, 724 Stratford, 745 Delano 752.  Courtesy UC Davis

Sunrise, 6:39.  Sunset, 5:46 hours of daylight, 11:04

NA=Not available

Yesterday’s Weather: 

MCE   : Merced AP        153 :  67 /  47 /  0.37 /

MAE   : Madera AP        253 :  67 /  45 /  0.23 /

FAT   : Fresno AP        333 :  67 /  50 /     T /

HJO   : Hanford AP       242 :  67 /  50 /  0.10 /

NLC   : Lemoore NAS      234 :  66 /  47 /  0.10 /

BFL   : Bakersfield AP   496 :  66 /  53 /  0.01 /

VIS   : Visalia AP       292 :  68 /  50 /  0.01 /

PTV   : Porterville AP   442 :  67 /  51 /  0.23 /

Rainfall:                                     24hr        2024          %          l.y.               %                  ave              Yearly ave                                                                                                                               

ERCED                         0.11   10.20   136   13.48   180     7.50    11.80

MADERA                        0.08    6.76   102    5.14    77     6.66    10.79

FRESNO                           T    6.16    91    9.83   146     6.75    10.99

HANFORD                       0.03    5.90   118    6.99   140     5.01     8.13

BAKERSFIELD                   0.10    4.83   124    4.50   115     3.91     6.36

BISHOP                        0.04    4.07   132    8.73   283     3.09     4.84

DEATH VALLEY NP                  M    2.38   195    0.39    32     1.22     2.20

SALINAS                       0.21    9.33   112    9.27   111     8.35    12.58

PASO ROBLES                   0.06   13.67   173   13.07   165     7.90    12.15

SANTA MARIA                   0.01   10.69   126   13.61   160     8.48    13.32