San Diegans should grab their umbrellas as the National Weather Service forecasts a significant shift in weather patterns this week. Starting Thursday, the first Pacific storm is expected to bring precipitation to Southern California, and this wet weather will likely continue into Friday, with a brief respite over the weekend before another system potentially rolls in early next week, as per NWS San Diego's X post. Coastal regions and valleys are bracing for 1-1.5 inches of rain, while mountain areas could receive over 2 inches, and the deserts anticipate around 0.50 inch.
The first Pacific storm will bring precipitation to #socal Thursday and lingering into Friday, a break over the weekend, and the next storm is expected Monday and Tuesday February 5-6 #cawx - a look at expected rainfall amounts pic.twitter.com/7jOVGxoFbJ
— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) January 29, 2024
Following today's warm weather with highs reaching into the upper 60s to low 70s along the coast and mid to upper 70s in the valleys, temperatures are forecasted to dip with the arrival of cooler air and increased cloud cover late Tuesday through Wednesday, the NWS Forecast Office San Diego reports that the high pressure system and offshore flow will gradually weaken. At the same time, locals can expect the offshore winds to gust between 25-35 mph, particularly in San Diego County today, before it gets slightly cooler near the coast as the high-pressure aloft and offshore flow at the surface weaken.
As detailed in the Area Forecast Discussion by the National Weather Service, the approaching storm system is expected to generate stronger onshore winds starting late Wednesday, with rains predicted to touchdown sometime Thursday, potentially causing possible flooding concerns due to heavy rain rates. As the cold front passes through, snow levels are anticipated to fall, potentially leaving a significant amount of snow in higher elevations.
Sea conditions will also intensify as the storm approaches, with southerly winds picking up on Thursday and possibly reaching gale force after the frontal passage later that day or night, mariners should be prepared for rough waters with combined seas expected to surpass 10 feet on Friday and Saturday based on forecasts by NWS San Diego. In addition, beachgoers are warned of potentially high surf conditions, with waves reaching 8-10 feet on west-facing beaches in San Diego County and 5-8 feet in Orange County's southwest-oriented beaches from this west swell set to peak late Thursday through Saturday.
