Thanks to a rainy fall, temperatures in Fresno were colder than usual, eight degrees cooler than this time last year.
The average temperature from December 1 to 10 is usually around 49 degrees. The average temperature at this time last year was 52 degrees, while the current average temperature this year is 44 degrees.
Stephen McCoy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford, said the cooler temperatures were due to early season rain.
As the moisture builds up, clouds form, bringing the cloudy weather we’ve been experiencing for weeks. McCoy said there is an area of high pressure above the cloud barrier that prevents the clouds from dissipating.
This layer of low clouds prevents sunlight from penetrating and affecting the temperature.
Meanwhile, foothill communities perched above low clouds were enjoying the sunshine. Temperatures in Fresno hovered around 45 degrees Thursday, and McCoy said Oakhurst saw a high of 77 degrees that day.
McCoy said the colder-than-normal temperatures will continue until the clouds are broken by some low-level winds or rain.
Rainy years in Fresno are from October 1st to September 30th. Typically, Fresno receives 1.95 inches of rain between October 1 and December 10. Shipments this year have more than doubled, totaling 4.04 inches.
McCoy noted that this extra moisture is the driving factor behind low clouds, blocking sunlight and bringing unseasonably cold temperatures.
On the afternoon of Thursday, December 11, 2025, a thick layer of clouds encroached on the foothills and blanketed the valley as seen from 168 Four Lanes around 4,000 feet above sea level near Prather.
Socks fogged up at Prather roundabout after a sunny afternoon on Thursday 11 December 2025.
On the afternoon of Thursday, December 11, 2025, fog drifted into the foothills and the valley was covered by a thick layer of clouds, as seen from 168 “Quad Lane” around 4,000 feet above sea level near Prather.