The season’s first freeze? A wet and cold week is shaping up for Fresno and the Valley
Here’s something to add to the layers of fog that have been blanketing Fresno and the central San Joaquin Valley lately:
Rain and freezing temperatures.
A storm is expected to move through the region Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, bringing with it widespread precipitation. Most areas can expect between a quarter and a half inch of rain, according to the National Weather Service forecast.
The snow level should drop from 7,000 feet Wednesday night to 4,000 feet by Thursday night.
That rain will be followed by a cold front and possibly the season’s first freeze.
A storm system bringing precipitation during midweek will also bring colder overnight temperatures by the weekend. Here are the expected morning lows for Saturday and Sunday. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/nsKSdJilTB
— NWS Hanford (@NWSHanford) December 7, 2021
The NWS is predicting temperatures will drop below 32 degrees Friday night into Saturday morning, with the highest likelihoods in Merced, Madera, Hanford, Visalia and Delano, where the temperature may drop to 30 degrees.
Fresno is expected to have a low of 34 on Saturday morning. If Fresno hits the freezing mark, it would be the earliest that’s happened since 2017, when the temperature dropped below 32 degrees on Dec. 7.
More rain in Fresno forecast?
By early next week, there could be more rain.
A strong upper low pressure system is dropping out of the Gulf of Alaska and may situate itself off the coast on Monday and Tuesday.
That system has the potential to bring “some deep moisture” into the Valley on Monday and Tuesday, the NWS said.
