Wind, Showers Ahead With Sun, Storm Later

Those occasional moments of hazy sunshine that illuminated an otherwise gloomy Southern California sky on Thanksgiving Day will darken and disappear today in the face of rising wind and possible showers, the National Weather Service predicted.

And while those clouds can be expected to blow themselves away by Saturday, meteorologists said a brand-new storm is on its way down from the Gulf of Alaska and can be expected to arrive by Monday.

The high temperature for Thanksgiving in Santa Ana was a chilly 63 with relative humidity ranging from 62% to 77%. Forecasters said it should be about two degrees cooler in downtown Los Angeles today--with a 60% chance of showers during the early afternoon and a south wind blowing at 20 m.p.h.

The skies are expected to brighten up Saturday and Sunday with temperatures ranging from the upper 40s to the mid-60s in most parts of Orange County. But the skies will likely darken again on Monday when the new storm front reaches the area.

Meteorologists blamed the spate of damp and dark weather on a northwesterly flow in the upper air over California, which has brought a series of weak frontal systems ashore and urged them southward.

One such system moved through Southern California on Thanksgiving, they explained, and a more vigorous one was right behind it--with yet another waiting in the wings.

All of which, they said, should assure a generally damp and chilly reception for anyone who tries to visit the beach today. Surf was expected to be running three to four feet--on a 12-second interval--but cold winds 10 to 20 m.p.h., occasional sprinkles and a water temperature in the high 50s should cancel out any advantage for anyone but a penguin or a polar bear.

Likewise the yachting scene: South to southwest winds were expected to rise to 25 knots today, with southwest swells to three feet in the inshore waters from Point Conception to San Clemente Island. Seafarers venturing farther out were told to expect Thanksgiving Day’s 15-knot west to northwest wind to become a 25-knot southwest to south wind by this morning--switching back to northwest and rising to 30 knots by tonight--with combined seas increasing to 10 feet at times by tonight.

Snow was expected above 6,500 feet today in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, with the level dropping to 4,000 feet overnight and south winds rising to 35 m.p.h. at times. The prediction for the Sierra was much the same--with the snow level dropping to 3,000 feet or so overnight. Rain and snow should taper off on Saturday, forecasters said, with gusty north winds and more showers likely by Monday.

Desert skies were to be cloudy today, with southwest winds gusting to 30 m.p.h., rising to 40 m.p.h. by nightfall. High desert temperatures were expected to be in the mid-30s to upper 50s range, with low deserts five to 10 degrees warmer.

A winter storm watch was in effect for Arizona mountain areas above 6,000 feet, with four to eight inches of new snow expected by tonight; motorists were reminded to bring their snow tires (or chains) and plenty of fuel and warm clothing to handle temperatures expected to be well below freezing for all but a few hours of each afternoon.

To the north, the Las Vegas area was expected to see a few showers overnight, becoming cloudy by Saturday, but a winter storm warning was in effect for the vicinity of Lake Tahoe and travelers advisories were issued for most of northern Nevada, warning that winds might reduce visibility on roads that could have a considerable accumulation of snow by tonight.

San Francisco’s weekend was slated to continue rainy and cool (highs in the 50s; lows in the mid-30s).

Times staff writer Dave Palermo contributed to this story.