Bakersfield wakes to clear skies Friday, but the warm, dry stretch is about to get washed out. Temperatures should reach near 72 degrees before rain moves in Friday, with cooler air settling over the city by evening.
The National Weather Service’s Hanford office forecasts rain in the Central Valley Friday. West-northwest winds should stay light at 5 mph or less, though gusts could reach 20 mph as the system arrives.
Friday Brings Rain Chances
Friday’s forecast calls for a chance of rain, with temperatures hovering around 70 degrees. Rain is expected to continue into the night.
Overnight temperatures will bottom out near 51 degrees, making for a noticeably cooler start to Saturday. The forecast marks a substantive change from an earlier, warmer and quieter outlook.
Saturday Clears Before Another Storm Arrives
Saturday should bring a brief reset, with mostly sunny skies and a high near 65 degrees. Sunday warms slightly to about 69 degrees, but another chance of rain develops late Sunday night and strengthens into Monday.
Monday brings a chance of rain and a high near 60 degrees. A morning shower is possible Tuesday, with mostly cloudy skies and highs in the upper 50s.
Mountain Travel Faces A Rougher Weekend
The broader Sierra Nevada is in for a much more serious winter setup than Bakersfield, with 6 to 12 inches of snow forecast above 6,000 feet during the winter storm watch period and a high probability of at least a foot over the Sierra Nevada crest between Friday morning and Saturday morning. Anyone heading toward mountain passes should check the latest updates from the National Weather Service before leaving.
Rain chances return again Wednesday and Thursday, with highs staying near 60 degrees and overnight lows dipping into the 40s. In other words, Bakersfield’s brief flirtation with summer is over for now.
