It’s the final countdown to 2022! We’re starting off our Friday morning with some cloud coverage and fog throughout the county. Delano has a fog advisory according to the National Weather service that doesn’t expire until Saturday afternoon. Tehachapi is getting hit with it all: cloud coverage, fog and snow. Visibility is less than a quarter mile in that area. According to NWS, road conditions are hazardous and visibility is low.
Temperatures are the coolest on NYE in the high forties in the Valley part of Kern County, low forties in our mountain communities, and high thirties in our desert communities. Throughout the week they will gradually warm up in the Valley eventually hitting the high ‘60s. Bakersfield and surrounding communities like Arvin, Delano, Buttonwillow and McFarland are looking at high forties Friday morning with lows in the low to high thirties. If you’re all dressed up to ring in the New Year, you’ll want to take a warm coat with you. There is a 20 percent chance of rain in Bakersfield to accompany your champagne showers while celebrating tonight.
If you are celebrating with a champagne toast or any alcoholic drink, make sure you have a designated driver that is sober. During California Highway Patrol’s NYE Maximum Enforcement Period (2021’s begins Friday night through Sunday), they reported that 56 people died in car crashes in 2020. Half of those people were not wearing seatbelts. Meanwhile, CHP made 702 DUI arrests last year. Therefore, if you are ringing in the New Year with a champagne toast tonight, you might want to designate a driver who will be opting for Apple Cider instead. 23ABC will follow the numbers from this weekend’s CHP MEP and update you.
For those who will be getting behind the wheel, be advised that there is dense fog coming to Bakersfield proper and surrounding communities like McFarland and Buttonwillow Friday night and continuing into early morning on Saturday. Delano even has a fog advisory during that time. 23ABC has some tips for you to stay safe:
-Turn on your headlights, and never use your high beams
-Leave plenty of distance between you and the car in front of you
-Take it slow, and only pass if necessary
Our mountain communities are also experiencing snow. With Tehachapi having a hazardous driving condition warning (they even have a chance of a fog freeze and chance of rain and snow showers after 2 p.m.), locals may want to avoid getting on the road. If absolutely necessary, 23ABC also has these tips for you for driving in snowy conditions:
-Slow down! Break and accelerate slowly
-Leave plenty of distance between you and the car in front of you
-Remove all snow from your vehicle before driving
-Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle with water, food, warm clothes, a first aid kit and other essential
With all this being said, we’re starting off the New Year on a clean slate! The rain Kern County experienced last week cleared out our bad air quality. The Valley has a good air quality of 42 on Friday and the mountain communities even better at an AQI of four, according to the San Joaquin Valley Air District. Have a Happy New Year, and stay safe out there!
