As Southern California gears up for a significant change in weather this weekend, the National Weather Service in San Diego has issued updates that locals should be aware of. According to an NWS forecast, the region can expect cooler temperatures, increased wind strength, and a chance of light showers beginning on Saturday evening. Highs in inland areas are anticipated to dip slightly compared to previous days.
Moving into Sunday, the low coastal basin faces highs in the 60s, with mountainous regions only touching the 40s. The winds will not take it easy either, especially on Saturday afternoon through Sunday, with gusts anticipated to reach 40 to 50 mph in the mountains and deserts. For the isolated areas below the San Gorgonio Pass and the Anza-Borrego desert, the National Weather Service has forecasted a blast of wind, citing "isolated gusts to 65 mph." Rainfall is expected to carry into these areas by Monday.
An area of low pressure moving in from the northwest promises a drop in temperatures and windy conditions inland, with the possibility of thunderstorms in the deserts on Sunday. "Rain chances lower for areas near the coast by Monday with minimal rain chances by Tuesday across SoCal," the National Weather Service San Diego describes in its Area Forecast Discussion. As this system advances, coastal regions will see less precipitation and begin to clear up early next week.
As we approach the new workweek, a secondary trough is expected to maintain the cooler climate with a bonus chance of isolated showers for those further inland. Certain areas have been told to prepare for record cold temperatures on Sunday; inland hotspots like Borrego Springs and Ramona might experience unusually low highs for May. NWS San Diego also mentions that the mountains will be stubbornly cold in the 40s and lower 50s while the lower deserts struggle to break 80 degrees.
But the cool and precipitation aren't here to stay. A high-pressure system will shoulder its way onto the scene by Tuesday, suggested by the NWS, bringing back the sun and initiating a warming trend forecasted to push temperatures above average by the end of the week. While certainty surrounding the prolongation of dry conditions is high, the extent of the warmth remains in question.
The weather events will not leave the marine conditions untouched, making for a captivating yet challenging couple of days ahead. The NWS has issued a Small Craft Advisory effective today through Sunday for the coastal waters due to anticipated gusty northwest winds and rough waters, particularly considerable for the outer coastal waters.
