August Dog Days--It Could Hit 90 : Hazy Sunshine Due; Moist Air Might Make Things Sultry

Southern California skies will be sunny and just a bit hazy this weekend but temperatures should rise to a new high for the month, the National Weather Service said Thursday.

An upper high-pressure system centered in Arizona will maintain the fair weather pattern that has ruled Southern California for the last week, meteorologists explained, but some moisture is mixed with that air--which can be expected to produce some high, thin clouds.

Meanwhile, a shallow layer of marine air along the coast ought to keep beaches cloudy--or even a bit foggy--overnight and through the early morning hours.

High temperature at Los Angeles Civic Center Thursday was 86 degrees--just a notch below this month’s high of 87 degrees, reached on Aug. 6--with relative humidity ranging from 35% to 87%. Forecasters said the mercury could hit 90 degrees by early afternoon today and Saturday.

Morning clouds and continued high haze were expected to keep beach temperatures in the low to mid-70s through the weekend, with surf running two to three feet, a sea breeze rising to 20 m.p.h. at times and ocean temperatures holding in the middle to upper 60s in most places.

Weekend yachtsmen were warned to make provision for the night and morning fog and low clouds, followed by west-to-southwest winds rising to 15 knots and southwest swells to two feet close inshore from Point Conception to the Mexican border. Those who venture out more than 60 miles can expect northwest winds to 18 knots with combined seas rising to seven feet at times.

A chance of weekend showers or thundershowers was foreseen for most mountain areas--with the chance becoming stronger farther north, and the strongest possibility centered in the Lake Tahoe area. Forecasters said there should be some high cloudiness and temperatures to the low 80s in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, with occasional high clouds and temperatures in the mid-70s expected in the Sierra.

Deserts should be clear most of the time, forecasters said, but the Weather Service said there would be a continuing threat of isolated afternoon and evening thundershowers. High desert temperatures were expected to reach 105 degrees, while lower deserts were told to prepare for afternoons in the 110-degree range.

Variable high cloudiness was forecast for San Francisco, with a 20% chance of sprinkles or light showers and fog along the coast, and predicted high temperatures in the low 70s around the bay and up to 100 degrees inland.