Gusty Winds to Calm Down for Fair Weekend

Gusty winds will blow eastward across San Diego County today, continuing a travelers’ advisory in the mountains through tonight, but National Weather Service forecasters predict fair weekend weather as winds and clouds subside Saturday.

A low-pressure system centered in northeastern Arizona that spread into San Diego County on Thursday carried clouds that are expected to reveal only intermittent sunshine through today.

Strong west to northwest winds were forecast to blow in the 25 m.p.h. to 40 m.p.h. range in the mountains today, and up to 25 m.p.h. along the coastal strip and in inland valleys.

Forecasters said the winds, traveling from a high-pressure system that was about 1,500 miles off the coast Thursday, are sweeping into the low-pressure system, which reaches to the southern Rocky Mountains.

Barometers measured low readings here, but the air remained dry in spite of the eastern storm threat. Humidity at 1 p.m. Thursday was a below-average 46% at Lindbergh Field.

Forecaster Wilbur Shigehara said the high-pressure system at sea should move closer to San Diego this weekend, pushing cloudy, windy weather out of the county.

Temperatures are expected to warm gradually in all parts of the county through the weekend.

By Sunday, Shigehara said, morning clouds should clear early to sunny skies for the first day of daylight-saving time.

Time changes from Pacific Standard Time to Pacific Daylight Time at 2 a.m. Sunday. The 6:05 a.m. sunrise Sunday will be 59 minutes later than the 5:06 a.m. sunrise Saturday, and the sunset at 7:28 p.m. Sunday will be 61 minutes later than Saturday’s 6:27 p.m. sunset.

High temperatures are expected in the mid-60s to the mid-70s in both coastal and inland areas today and Saturday. Highs may reach the 80s by Sunday in the inland valleys.

Nighttime lows of 52 to 57 degrees are expected along the coast and in the 45- to 52-degree range inland.

Mountain temperatures of 52 to 60 should rise to the high 60s over the weekend, and lows at night will drop to about 40.

Highs in the deserts through Saturday are expected to be 86 to 94 degrees, with lows in the high 50s.