The Northern San Joaquin Valley can expect more hot weather for the final week of July.
The National Weather Service forecast has thrown into the mix a slight chance of thunderstorms late Monday night into Tuesday morning.
The chance of showers and thunder activity is no higher than 20%.
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Microclimates can be found all over California. Microclimates are essentially small areas of weather unique to that region.
There are climate areas of California (such as the coast, the mountain coast, and the Sierra Nevada) – but inside is where you find the microclimates. There are numerous reasons for those pockets of weather, explains KSEE’s chief meteorologist A.J. Fox.
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More late-season snow and rain was predicted for California on Monday.
A dry start to the day was expected to give way to showers in the Central Valley and mountain snow by evening and continue into Tuesday, the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office said.
Four weeks into spring, winter weather advisories will be in effect Tuesday above 6,500 feet (1,981 meters) on the west slope of the northern Sierra Nevada and in the greater Lake Tahoe area.
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TURLOCK, Calif. (KTXL) — As the California drought continues, water officials are using flight technology to monitor groundwater information in basins across the state, including those in the Central Valley.
The California Department of Water Resources is conducting helicopter flyovers to track the state’s groundwater from the air.
Low-flying helicopters use equipment to send signals to the ground that bounce back up, kind of like taking an MRI of the Earth’s surface.
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Almond blossoms are a common sight in the Central Valley come February, but recent freezing temperatures could jeopardize this year’s bloom — and, subsequently, the upcoming almond crop.
Freezing temperatures are of the most concern during the bloom period. During the bloom, and especially right after the petal fall, is the most vital period of time for the developing nut. Even just a short, 30-minute exposure to freezing temperatures can cause measurable damage to a crop.
There were eight days in February where Turlock and surrounding towns experienced low temperatures of below 32 degrees, causing significant concerns for local farmers. Temperatures locally will drop to below freezing again this weekend.
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A woman recorded what appeared to be a funnel cloud in Newman on Monday afternoon, a National Weather Service meteorologist confirmed.
Edulia Guzman spotted the rotating column of air at about 1:40 p.m., and the video she sent to The Bee shows it spinning in the sky as rain falls onto her car windshield.
Funnel clouds like the one in the video are not uncommon during wet weather, said meteorologist Katrina Hand of the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines funnel clouds as rotating columns of air that do not touch the ground, unlike tornadoes.
“It’s actually not that rare for this area, especially when we’ve been in such an active pattern of unsettled weather,” Hand said.
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Forceful winds blew through the Central Valley on Monday, downing trees and knocking out power during a mayhem-filled day in Turlock.
A red flag warning was issued by the National Weather Service for Turlock and surrounding areas on Monday, with gusts of up to 47 miles per hour recorded locally. Though the warning continued through Tuesday, winds let up in the afternoon. The damage, however, had already been done.
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Drought statistics updated last week show that dry conditions continue to worsen throughout California, with the percentage of the state experiencing the second-highest level of drought up 20 percent from two weeks ago.
The U.S. Drought Monitor shows that as of May 4 about 73 percent of the state is suffering from the extreme drought, up from 53 percent the week prior. The monitor focuses on broadscale conditions and drought data is communicated using a five-level system: abnormally dry, moderate drought, severe drought, extreme drought and exceptional drought. Just over five percent of the state has experienced exceptional drought conditions over the last two weeks.
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Despite some recent rainfall, state officials issued bleak warnings to farmers this week which caution them to prepare for water shortages this summer.
The California Department of Water Resources on Tuesday announced that cities and farms belonging to the State Water Project can now expect to receive just 5% of requested supplies this year, down from the projected 10% allocation anticipated in December. Just the day before, the State Water Resources Board told water users to start taking precautions now for water shortages expected later in the year.
“We are now facing the reality that it will be a second dry year for California and that is having a significant impact on our water supply,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “The Department of Water Resources is working with our federal and state partners to plan for the impacts of limited water supplies this summer for agriculture as well as urban and rural water users. We encourage everyone to look for ways to use water efficiently in their everyday lives.”
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, nearly 91% of California is currently experiencing moderate to exceptional drought. While some may have been hoping for a “March miracle” to bring some much-needed rainfall, there wasn’t nearly enough precipitation this month to make a difference.
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First came damaging winds that knocked out power to hundreds of thousands and crashed trees on streets and homes across Northern California. Rain and snow are set to follow as the storm continues its churn across the region.
Here’s what you can expect for the next phase of the storm.
Now that we are in the Atmospheric River portion of this weather event, rain and snow will be concentrated in some of KCRA 3’s viewing areas, while others will see modest amounts.
All signs point to the heaviest rain and snow being in a line from the Santa Cruz Mountains to Bear Valley on Highway 4 in the Sierra. The coastal mountains will see more than 10 inches of rain.
For KCRA 3 viewers, Modesto and Turlock will be seeing the most rain in the next 36 hours. Sonora might see 3 to 4 inches of additional rain. From Stockton to Marysville, expect on and off rain Wednesday night and Thursday, with additional amounts of up to an inch. It does not look like streams and creeks will be severely impacted.
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