Author: Trudy Hibler

July 22, 2022 Triple digits were again commonplace up  and down California’s great valley with no real end in sight. Temperatures the next couple afternoons will range generally in the 100 to 105 degree range. Most models show the high shifting a bit further east by Thursday of next week, moving readings at warmer locations…

July 21, 2022 Strong upper level high pressure continues to be anchored over the Four Corners region with California on its western flank. The clockwise flow around the high continues to pump up moisture from the monsoon into southern California. High clouds at this hour are as far north as Los Angeles County. The flow…

July 20, 2022 There are plenty of mid and high level clouds over southern California left over from monsoon related  thunderstorms over Arizona yesterday. Satellite imagery shows these clouds moving westward towards the ocean rather than northwestward over central California. Even so, some of this moisture will begin to move overhead later today, possibly triggering…

July 19, 2022 The classic summertime configuration of upper level high pressure centered over the Four Corners region continues this morning. Mid and high level moisture from the monsoon continues to rotate clockwise around the high and into California. Most of the latest batch of moisture is moving north of roughly Merced County  so considerably…

July 18, 2022 Fresno, Bakersfield, and Taft soared to 110 yesterday while Hanford hit 111 and Lemoore 112. It’s no surprise that those are the hottest readings of the year so far. Strong upper level high pressure over the Four Corners region has California in its grip. The clockwise flow around the high is also…

July 16, 2022 The air mass above the valley floor is extremely warm this morning. Sandberg at 4,100 feet is reporting 80 degrees at 5:00am. Blue Canyon up at 5,600 feet was reporting 72  degrees while way up at Bear Peak at 8,200 feet the temperature is a balmy 68 degrees. The latest balloon sounding…

July 15, 2022 If you think it’s hot this morning, try this one on for size. Death Valley at 5:00am was reporting a temperature of 104. The valley can’t be compared to Death Valley, but nevertheless will be hot. A massive ridge of upper level high pressure stretches from the southeastern US westward to California…

July 14, 2022 Today will see the beginning of a prolonged heat wave which should last for a week or so. Yesterday, minor cooling occurred due to a shallow layer of marine air moving down the valley. Yesterday at this time the marine layer’s depth was 2,500 feet. This morning, it has shrunk back to…

July 13, 2022 Temperatures are running 2 to 4 degrees cooler than 24 hours ago. The marine layer has deepened to 2,500 feet deep and is surging through the Delta. Winds at Travis AFB are sustained at 27 mph, gusting to 32 mph while winds at Pacheco Pass are sustained at 18 mph. Readings this…

July 12, 2022 Central California continues to be on a balancing act between strong upper level high pressure centered over the Four Corners region and a trough of low pressure off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. Currently, the high is winning out, resulting in widespread triple digit temperatures. The freezing level has risen to…