March 12, 2018
Summary: Doppler radar is already picking up on some light showers just off the central coast. These showers will be moving on shore soon in a northeasterly direction. This is a portion of subtropical moisture which is wrapping around a very large low pressure system well off the Oregon/northern California coast. It appears the deeper moisture field will arrive Tuesday, possibly around mid to late morning or so when precipitation should become widespread, lasting through Tuesday night.
On Wednesday, even though the trough will have shifted eastward, there will still be waves of energy moving across the eastern Pacific and into California from time to time. Colder weather is due Thursday through Friday as a trough of low pressure digs southward off the west coast and then moves inland with lowering snow levels and potentially significant amounts of precipitation.
Over the weekend, models now show a new storm system driving southeastward through our region Saturday. So the bottom line is, measurable precipitation is possible any time from Tuesday through Saturday. If we’re lucky, we will see a dry day Sunday, but models are now dropping hints that a cold low will dig down from the eastern Gulf of Alaska into California with more potentially unsettled weather for Monday and Tuesday. In fact, models seem to be trending towards the possibility of measurable rain on any given day Monday through Friday of next week. There will be dry periods between systems.
For the Sierra Nevada, this is absolutely dynamite to improve the absolutely pathetic snow fall amounts we’ve received so far. Just from the first system alone, one to two feet of new snow will accumulate from Kings Canyon northward with another four to five feet possible from Wednesday through Saturday.
Forecast: Cloudy tonight with a chance of scattered light showers. Rain arriving late morning Tuesday with rain likely Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night. Periods of rain possible Wednesday then rain will become likely again Thursday through Saturday at times. Partly cloudy Saturday night and Sunday with another chance of showers Monday.
Short Term:
| Madera 55/68/45/63 | Reedley 55/69/47/64 | Dinuba 54/68/47/63 | |
| Porterville 54/70/47/63 | Lindsay 55/70/47/64 | Delano 56/71/48/63 | |
| Bakersfield 57/73/52/65 | Arvin 56/73/53/65 | Taft 58/73/52/65 | |
| Lamont 56/73/52/66 | Pixley 54/71/48/62 | Tulare 54/68/48/62 | |
| Woodlake 55/69/48/63 | Hanford 55/70/48/64 | Orosi 54/69/49/63 | |
Winds: Winds will be generally out of the southeast at 5 to 15 MPH through Thursday with stronger gusts possible, especially from Fresno County north.
Rain: Scattered light showers are already showing up along the central coast and will move southwest to northeast, possibly providing scattered light showers to portions of the valley later this evening. The real deep moisture will not arrive until late morning Tuesday and will continue at times through Tuesday night. Locally heavy amounts cannot be ruled out. As this system moves eastward, Wednesday will be sandwiched between that system and a new colder system digging southward from the Gulf of Alaska. Showers are certainly possible Wednesday. The heavier stuff will arrive Thursday through Saturday with lowering snow levels and potentially heavy amounts of precipitation. The Sierra Nevada is oriented perfectly to receive five to nine feet of new snow at the higher elevations from Tuesday through Saturday. Medium range models show a new system moving into central California Monday and Monday night for the possibility of showers. A trough of low pressure sits nicely off the west coast, allowing systems to move out of the Gulf of Alaska and into California from time to time next week, as well.
Frost: All locations will be above freezing tonight and each night for the foreseeable future.
Lows Tonight:
All locations will be above 32 tonight.
Next report: Tuesday, March 13