Downtown Los Angeles woke up Friday, March 27, 2026, under a blanket of thick fog, with visibility sliced across the coastal plain and into the San Gabriel Valley. The low clouds are expected to thin and burn off by mid-morning, leaving mostly sunny skies and a quick warm-up, with highs near 80°F this afternoon. That means a slow crawl for early commuters, then postcard weather for the afternoon and into the weekend.
Fog This Morning, Drive Carefully
The National Weather Service has a Dense Fog Advisory in effect until 10 a.m. PDT Friday for coastal Los Angeles, Ventura, and southern Santa Barbara counties, as well as the San Gabriel Valley, warning that visibility could drop to one-quarter mile or less, according to NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard. Drivers are urged to slow down, use headlights, and leave extra stopping distance. The advisory specifically highlights potential problems for the morning commute on low-lying coastal streets and valley approaches where the fog is thickest.
Afternoons Warm Up Into The 80s
Once the marine layer lifts, Downtown is expected to jump into the upper 70s and near 80°F this afternoon, with light south-southwest breezes taking the edge off. Interior and valley neighborhoods will run hotter, with daytime highs climbing into the mid-80s by Saturday and Sunday. That pattern follows an early March heat surge that pushed some inland areas into the 90s, as noted in a recent 90s heat wave muscles in.
Rain Chances Next Week
Forecast models point to a cooler trend for early next week, with the chance of rain returning Tuesday through Thursday. Forecasters say there is a high likelihood of measurable rain sometime in that window, although most neighborhoods should see under a half inch, with isolated higher totals possible in foothill areas. If you have outdoor plans late next week, keep them flexible and check updated forecasts before heading out. Local impacts from any rain are expected to be light, but officials recommend monitoring conditions if you plan longer drives.
What To Do
For now, expect slow-moving traffic and poor visibility until the fog burns off, and give yourself extra time for morning trips while avoiding the thickest pockets if you can. Once the skies clear, a light layer for the early hours and sunscreen later in the day should handle most afternoon and weekend plans. This story will be updated if the advisory changes or if any other weather hazards develop.
