SoCal is bracing for a slight respite from the summer sizzle with forecasts indicating a modest downturn in mercury, particularly inland. According to the National Weather Service San Diego, coastal areas will see highs ranging from 71 to 79 degrees on Friday. The western valleys and inland Orange County expect temperatures from 79 to 86 degrees. Inland valleys are gearing up for a slightly toastier range of 85 to 96 degrees, with the mountains between 4000 ft and 7000 ft slated for 80 to 92 degrees. The high desert regions can look forward to sizzling conditions with predictions of 98 to 104 degrees, and the low desert crystallizing as the hot spot with a scorching 108 to 112 degrees expected.
A cooling trend is on the horizon for the region over the next few days. The National Weather Service San Diego's Area Forecast Discussion elaborates that "High temperatures will cool a few degrees for today and Saturday," setting the stage for a Saturday that's expected to be a touch cooler than average for coastal and valley areas, yet remain around 5 degrees above average for the deserts. The lower deserts will bear the brunt of the heat, with temperatures maintaining their grip in the 108 to 112 degrees range.
The region is witnessing a subtle play of the elements, with a weak coastal eddy contributing to early morning low clouds that cloak Orange County's coastal plain and drift inland across two-thirds of San Diego County's valleys. These conditions are anticipated to recede to the west later in the day. The weekend will usher in a slight marine layer sashaying into Saturday and fostering greater coverage of low clouds in the Inland Empire, which will thin out somewhat as Sunday dawns, with coastal low clouds skirting into the western valleys.
As the new working week edges, “Days will be gradually cooler for Monday through Wednesday," the National Weather Service San Diego predicts. The mercury will wind down to what's considered around average for the deserts and could slip to 5 to 10 degrees below average for the valleys. About 2000 feet deep, the marine layer will play cloak and dagger with the coastal low clouds as they flirt with the western valleys each night.
Local pilots can anticipate navigational considerations with low clouds 800-1200 ft MSL encroaching 10-15 miles inland early in the day and visibility dipping to 1-5SM in Western valleys, especially where these clouds meet the terrain. Conditions will clear around midday, but uncertainty hangs in the sky with a 40% chance that the ceiling at KSAN could persist through the afternoon. The marine layer is expected to marshal its troops and advance inland after sunset on Saturday, summoned by a marine infiltrating further inland.
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