An offshore flow kicking in Friday is expected to bring gusts reaching up to 55 mph in some areas, warns the National Weather Service. Saturday will be the windiest, with "areas of gusty northeast to east winds along and below the coastal slopes of the mountains to 35 to 45 mph with isolated gusts to 55 mph," according to the NWS San Diego forecast. Posted on their website, similar breezy conditions could persist through Sunday.
In the meanwhile, the mercury is set to rise. Friday's thermometer readings look hotter than a desert mirage—coast and valley temps are soaring into the low to mid-70s, climbing even higher to the upper 70s and lower 80s by Saturday. This heat hype is "as much as 8 to 12 degrees above average for the coast and valleys," the National Weather Service states.
Starting late next Wednesday, a "wetter pattern is expected to return," potentially unleashing significant precipitation, according to the same NWS discussion. With models erratically predicting anywhere from 3 inches upwards to 7 inches of rainfall in certain projections, we're in for an unpredictable splashdown.
And as if Mother Nature's mood swings weren't enough, snow seekers rejoice or recoil—snow levels beginning around "7000 feet for late Wednesday and early Thursday of next week, then falling to around 5000 feet for the first weekend of February," the report forecasts. While a wetter pattern is more certain, when exactly the sky decides to open up and exactly how wet it'll get is anyone's guess.
For now, coastal surfers and beach-goers should be cautious. With "elevated surf and morning high tides," San Diego County might see minor tidal overflow between 7:30 to 9:30 AM today and 8 to 10 AM Friday. Mariners, however, can breathe easy as no hazardous marine conditions are expected through Monday, per the NWS marine update.
Ignoring the sky could be tougher for aviators. Low clouds with bases stubbornly hanging between 2000-4000 feet MSL will likely plague coasts, valleys, and mountains until at least 21Z today. Visibility may be reduced to 3-5SM inland with isolated light rain or drizzle adding to the mix.
