Author: John Hibler

February 21, 2021 We are now entering into a quiet weather pattern.  A large high resides over the eastern Pacific while surface high pressure is increasing in strength over the Great Basin.  This will result in a moderate off shore flow today through Monday.  Even though it’s a chilly morning out there, the air aloft…

February 20, 2021 Summary: As of 1:00pm, winds out of the northwest were gusting to 23 MPH at Fresno, 29 MPH at Lemoore, 26 MPH at Hanford, 24 MPH at Visalia, and 23 MPH at Bakersfield.  at the Porterville airport, winds were out of the northwest gusting to 16 MPH.  The current barometric pressure at…

February 20, 2021 Moderately colder air is sweeping into central California from the northwest behind a cold front currently moving southeastward through the Kern County mountains.  At last report, the Tehachapi airport at an elevation of 4,000 feet was reporting mixed rain and snow.  The freezing level taken above Vandenberg AFB a few  hours ago…

February 19, 2021 Summary: Clouds have increased over the northern half of the valley this afternoon with abundant sunshine from Fresno County south.  Most locations are enjoying temperatures in the mid 60s.  a dying cold front will move down the valley tonight.  the main low pressure system, however, will not swing through northern and central…

February 19, 2021 The latest weather system has now moved into northern California with a cold front as far south as north/central California.  Doppler radar is showing a few sprinkles down to a Bay Area/Stockton/Sacramento line.  This system will move through central California tonight with some increase in cloud cover as a dry frontal system…

February 18, 2021 Summary: currently, there is a weak weather system racing through the Pacific Northwest.  High pressure off shore will efficiently keep central  California high and dry.  Light showers have spread over roughly the northern ¼ of California and down the Sierra Nevada to roughly Lake Tahoe.  Another weather system, which is somewhat stronger,…

February 18, 2021 Upper level high pressure off the California coast has shifted a little further west, increasing the high’s strength above central California.  The air aloft has warmed a tad.  The freezing level has risen to 9,200 feet, up from 7,600 feet 24  hours ago.  This is not a significant jump but one which…

  February 17, 2021 Summary: Central California remains on the far eastern rim of upper level high pressure located off shore.  The jet stream continues its vicious assault on the upper atmosphere just to the east of the Sierra Nevada.  Most of the upslope clouds in Kern County and southeast Tulare County have mixed out, …

February 17, 2021 A very strong northwest to southeast jet stream is diving through Nevada at 200+ MPH.  this same northwesterly flow  is not as strong over California but it’s strong enough to continue to transport relatively cold air into the region.  There was local frost overnight which is discussed below.   The jet stream…

February 16, 2021 Summary: Central California continues to be sandwiched between upper level high pressure well off the coast and a big trough of low pressure encompassing the interior western U.S.   Currently there is a 12.10 difference in pressure between San Francisco and Las Vegas.  This isn’t huge, but coupled with a powerful jet stream…