Drizzle Is Expected to Fizzle Over the Cool Weekend

Fall weather will continue today with a chance of showers, but the drizzle should disappear by Saturday as the low-pressure system that generated the stormy weather this week moves eastward.

Leftover moisture from the now-defunct tropical storm Terry swirled into the winds circulating around the most recent low-pressure system this week, creating a 5,000-foot-deep marine layer late Wednesday that was laden with water. It pushed humidity up to more than 90% at Lindbergh Field on Thursday morning and kept it at a high 80% until late afternoon.

Rainfall from Wednesday night through Thursday evening measured 0.03 of an inch at Lindbergh Field, 0.05 at Point Loma, 0.01 in Chula Vista, 0.02 in Coronado, 0.02 in Vista, 0.04 in Santee, 0.06 in Poway and 0.03 in Del Mar. Along the eastern border of the county in the rural desert, no measurable rainfall was reported, but forecaster Dan Atkin said there were winds of 40 m.p.h. and stronger on Thursday.

A 30% chance of intermittent rain was predicted for today, but National Weather Service forecasters said the heavy marine layer should shrink by tonight, decreasing chances of rain to 10%. Saturday skies should be partly cloudy.

Although September days are often wind-dried and warmed by Santa Ana winds, rainfall is not unusual. The average rainfall for September at Lindbergh Field is 0.19 of an inch. The total at the airport reached that average Thursday, bringing the seasonal total to 0.21.

Forecaster Dan Atkin said temperatures, which were about 5 to 10 degrees below the norm Thursday, will continue slightly cooler than average at least through Saturday.

At the beaches, where south to southeast winds will blow up to 18 m.p.h., highs are expected to be in the low 70s.

Both coastal strip and inland valley highs are expected to be from 72 to 80 through Saturday. Lows should be in the 60s at night at the coast and between 57 and 66 degrees in the valleys.

Cloudy skies and showers are expected in the mountains, where temperatures from 64 to 72 degrees will fall to between 45 and 55 degrees at night. Desert highs from 86 to 94 will fall to lows in the upper 60s.