Southern California is bracing for a weather roller coaster as the National Weather Service in San Diego (NWS) has signaled strong Santa Ana winds sweeping through areas like the Cajon Pass this morning. In an update, the NWS explained how the area's geography amplifies the winds, stating on X, "if not for great mountains most of this wind would be light, but since the air has to go around, over, and between mountains, it becomes stronger, just like water in a smaller pipe with more force - gusts over 15 mph."
The #SantaAnawinds this morning going through the Cajon Pass, if not for great mountains most of this wind would be light but since the air has to go around, over and between mountains it becomes stronger just like water in a smaller pipe with more force - gusts over 15 mph pic.twitter.com/LhFk7eLa0m
— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) December 13, 2023
The NWS elaborated on the forecast in their Area Forecast Discussion, highlighting "northeast winds in foothills and some valleys will increase today." Moreover, gusts could top out over 45 mph, but will most commonly range from 30-45 mph, peaking around midday," according to the NWS San Diego's discussion. The region isn't just facing gusts – a high-pressure buildup over the West is slated to bring a warm streak through Saturday, potentially reaching 5-10 degrees above normal by Friday and Saturday.
In terms of visibility, low clouds with bases ranging from 1800 to 2500 FT MSL have caused reduced visibility across coastal basins. The NWS forecast discussion notes a "scatter out" is expected on Wednesday morning, which should lift by mid-afternoon, making way for clear skies and unrestricted visibility into the night.
The NWS has also issued a prognosis for sailors, stating, "No marine weather hazards are expected through Sunday." The coming days are, however, anticipated to bring an increased swell early next week. Further inland, ongoing offshore flow is predicted to bolster gusty north winds through the Santa Ana mountains and northern Inland Empire today with gusts of 30-40 mph raising fire weather concerns. This leads into a weekend with mild temperatures and a small chance of showers that may emerge as early as Sunday afternoon, "with dry lower layers, rainmaking clouds aloft, and no real organized dynamic forcing, any showers we get will be light, like sprinkles," the NWS said.
Residents are advised to stay alert for changes in the weather pattern, as the certainty for next week's forecasts remains tenuous; the NWS holds, "The much-discussed model spread next week continues to be very great, so let's discuss it more."
