San Diegans, brace yourselves for a windy couple of days as the National Weather Service San Diego predicts a shift from strong westerly winds affecting the mountains and deserts today to moderate to strong Santa Ana winds tonight through Friday. The forecast notes gusts from 35-50 mph on the desert floor and up to 65 mph along east-facing slopes, which will likely impact travel and outdoor activities. The coastal waters are not spared, with sailors facing 25-30 knot gusts, according to the NWS San Diego update.
Following the exit of a low pressure trough, an "inside slider system" diving into Arizona is prompting this dramatic wind pattern change, so if you're in San Bernardino County or the Inland Empire, get ready for the switch to northerly winds that'll set in late today and persist tonight, this is coupled with the forecasted high pressure and Santa Ana winds which are expected to bring us warmer weather, especially west of the mountains through next week, as stated by the Area Forecast Discussion from National Weather Service San Diego.
Aviation interests, especially, should stay alert, as the marine layer may briefly cause broken ceilings at KSAN or KCRQ in San Diego County this morning. However, VFR conditions are expected later today, with mostly clear skies. Pilots should also prepare for moderate to strong updrafts and downdrafts east of the mountains throughout the day, and then shifting to the west and south of the mountain foothills from tonight through Friday, as reported by the National Weather Service.
Boaters are also in for rough conditions; warnings suggest gusty northwest winds will strengthen this morning, peaking in the afternoon with gusts reaching up to 25-30 knots in the outer waters and 20-25 knots closer to the coast today, these conditions decrease by 10 PM this evening, and after today, no hazardous marine conditions are expected through the weekend, and for those of you curious about whether to dust off the old weather radio, Skywarn activation is not necessary at this point, however, weather spotters are encouraged to report significant conditions per the NWS advisory.
Inland areas should be aware of the Wind Advisory in effect from today until Saturday for several regions, including the Inland Empire, so secure your outdoor belongings. Additionally, residents should take note of the potential rise in fire danger due to these conditions; fuel moisture may be above critical levels now, but a continued dry offshore flow could change that quickly, and temperatures in the lower elevations will start to warm to the 70s by Saturday, as highlighted by the National Weather Service's latest advisories.
