This still image above from my Bidwell Ranch weather station at 10:30 this morning.
The cold air mass that originated in Siberian Polar regions made its way into Northern California yesterday, and as winds died last night, the temperature plummeted in the still unmixed air. The new record low for this date is 19 degrees, besting the old record of 22 degrees set in 1963.
More record cold is expected tonight. We could see 16 degrees in the outlying areas and 20 in the City.
the most current forecast from my automated forecast system is available here
Note that the record high for this date was 76 in 1920.
The hottest temperatures on recrod wordlwide are available at the NOAA NCDC Climate Center
What I find most interesting is the fact that none of the hottest temperatures worldwide have occurred during the 1998-2006 period of hot weather that many claim is the beginning of irreversible global warming. In fact they mostly occurred in the early and mid 20th century.
And its not just Chico that set new records lows overnight.
SXUS76 KSTO 131813
RERSTO
RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO, CA
1000 AM PST SAT JAN 13 2007
…RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE SET AT MARYSVILLE…RECORD LOWS TIED AT
SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT AND AT SACRAMENTO CITY LOCATION…
THIS MORNINGS COLD WEATHER MADE THE RECORD BOOKS AT MARYSVILLE AND IN
SACRAMENTO. A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE OF 24 DEGREES WAS SET AT MARYSVILLE
AIRPORT…BREAKING THE OLD RECORD OF 25 SET IN 1963. THIS MORNINGS LOW AT
SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT FELL TO 22 DEGREES…TYING THE OLD RECORD
LAST SET IN 1949. THE LOW AT THE SACRAMENTO CITY LOCATION WAS 27…AND
THAT TIED THE OLD RECORD LOW LAST SET IN 1963.
MORE LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS MAY BE POSSIBLE SUNDAY MORNING…AS A VERY
COLD AND DRY AIRMASS REMAINS OVER THE SACRAMENTO AND NORTHERN
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEYS.