Summer Tardy, Defers to Clouds

Summer will be a little late arriving in Southern California this year--as usual, the National Weather Service said Thursday.

Although the season officially began at 3:44 a.m. today, weather service meteorologist Bob Grebe reminded sun-worshipers that July, August and September are the true summer months in this part of the world, while June is still the season of morning fog and low clouds.

The conditions should be especially evident this weekend: Forecasters said an upper-level low pressure area off the Central California coast will maintain the marine air layer at about 3,000 feet, which means overcast mornings and a minor cooling trend.

Orange County beachgoers should see hazy sunshine before noon, the Weather Service said, and surf should be low to moderate with two- to three-foot waves, with water temperature running in the low 60s and air temperature in the mid-70s in most places.

Light Morning Airs

Yachtsmen were told to look for light morning airs freshening west to northwest and rising to 15 knots at times, with three- to five-foot combined seas in outer waters from Point Conception to the Mexican border.

Mountain weather also should remain cool, forecasters said, with resort level temperatures in the San Bernardino and San Gabriel ranges reaching the high 70s. Some afternoon cloudiness should hold the mercury to the mid-70s in the Sierra.

High and low desert temperatures were expected to be in the 90- to 110-degree range.

Thursday’s high temperature in Santa Ana was 77, according to the National Weather Service, with relative humidity ranging from 41% to 75%.

Today’s peak reading may be a degree or two cooler, forecasters said.