BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A trough of low pressure sweeping over the Pacific Northwest today is dragging its cold front over Northern California this morning, bringing gusty winds and much cooler air to Kern County. We have already seen wind gusts in the desert faster than 55 mph with a Wind Advisory extended there through tonight.
There's a chance of showers in those trapped clouds banked against our mountain slopes now through mid-day, especially along the mountain slopes near the bases of the 58 and Grapevine passes.
After that the cold front passes by today, we'll stay breezy in its wake here in Kern County as that clean ocean air spills onshore. That's great news for temperatures countywide today, as we look forward to the coolest highs we've had in more than three months! We're expecting low 70s in the valley, Kern River Valley and Kern Desert today with just the low 60s in Tehachapi and Frazier Park, temperatures we haven't seen since early June! In fact, we have a forecast high of 72 in Bakersfield today, but if the high fails to reach 72 degrees here under this cloud cover, the NWS in Hanford points out a new record low maximum temperature, aka the coolest observed Sept. 28 temperature, could be set!
Those winds will work to clear the dense smoke out of most of Kern County, with a return to moderate valley air quality at last, but we're concerned about how those winds will fan the flames of the Windy Fire and the KNP Complex fire, potentially causing them to grow. Futurecasts show dense smoke continuing to push down from those fires into the Kern River Valley and Ridgecrest areas all day.
As the winds calm down tomorrow, the smoke fills right back into the desert and mountain communities, with more bad air quality expected by Thursday here in the valley as high pressure rebuilds in. That means we're returning to stable, smoky and and warmer weather for the end of this week, with 90s here on the valley floor through through this weekend, the first couple days of October.
The long range forecast shows some cooling possible Monday with our next passing system, but we don't have a promising chance of rain here in Kern County.
Find me on social media to share your weather photos and storm reports!
www.Facebook.com/ElainaRusk.23ABC
www.Instagram.com/ElainaRusk
www.Twitter.com/Elaina23ABC
