San Diegans should prepare for a significant shift in weather, with cooler temps and gusty conditions on the horizon. According to the National Weather Service San Diego, the region will experience high temperatures above average on Sunday, particularly away from the coast. This warmth, however, is a precursor to a cooler week ahead with the approach of a system from the north.
As Monday rolls in, so does a noticeable drop in temperature across Southern California. The San Diego Weather Forecast Office's Area Forecast Discussion notes a transition to significantly cooler weather as a trough of low pressure from the north pushes its way down the coast. Highs will plunge from the 80s into the 60s for most inland areas, signaling the early whispers of fall biting at the heels of a receding summer.
Commuters should drive carefully as areas from the deserts to mountain slopes experience gusty west winds into Tuesday morning. Gales are expected to reach 30-45 mph, with local gusts possibly hitting 55 mph through the mountain passes, including the northern Coachella Valley south of the San Gorgonio Pass.
Light showers are also forecast for the San Bernardino Mountains starting on Sunday afternoon and spreading across the region by Monday afternoon and into the night. According to NWS, most areas are expected to see near "one tenth of an inch, locally higher in mountains," as the front passes. However, the low deserts might remain dry, while the high deserts stand a slight chance of some precipitation.
Marine conditions are set to become hazardous, too, with strong northwest winds and swells affecting the coast early Monday into Tuesday. Those heading out on the water should be wary of gusts up to 30 knots, with a Small Craft Advisory in effect for both nearshore and outer waters from early Monday morning through late Tuesday morning.
It's a similar story for beach-goers with elevated surf of 4-6 feet and sets peaking at 7-8 feet, particularly impacting the San Diego County beaches from Monday to Tuesday. Such conditions bring hazardous swimming scenarios and potent rip and along shore currents.
Though the week begins with a battering of cooler air and blustery winds, quieter weather is expected to settle by midweek, with a slow temperature climb. All eyes then move to the weekend when another low-pressure system could bring more wet and windy weather to the region.
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