Cheer Up! Rain Should End Today

Light showers from two weak frontal systems should stop by noon today, but clear skies aren’t expected in San Diego before Friday, the National Weather Service said Wednesday.

The first front from the west reached San Diego about noon Wednesday, bringing less than a quarter of an inch of rain, forecaster Ray Robben said.

Robben predicted that a second weak front would arrive just after midnight this morning, carrying more light showers, and drizzle and fog were forecast for this morning. Robben said clouds should cover the county through Friday morning but the air should begin to dry out Friday afternoon.

Recent rains have caused small sewage spills, prompting health officials to ban swimming in Mission Bay, and in Cardiff and Torrey Pines state parks.

Swimmers should use caution entering all coastal waters during rainy weather, according to John Melbourn, public health engineer with the County Department of Health Services.

“It’s just a matter of using discretion. It is not possible to quarantine everything. It is recommended that people not get into the water--it is very difficult to tell if sewage is involved,” Melbourn said. “Any runoff waters may contain sewage.”

Melbourn said sewage pumps are not designed to handle storm water, and rain often leaks into the system through manhole covers or broken pipes. “When pumps can’t take it, they back up and flow into the storm drainage system and into the lagoons,” he said.

Signs prohibiting swimming were posted at Mission Bay near De Anza Cove; at Torrey Pines State Park 300 yards on either side of the mouth of the Los Penasquitos lagoon, and at Cardiff State Beach 300 yards north and south of San Elijo lagoon.

Surf is expected to continue above normal with swells of four to six feet.

Temperatures at the beach are expected to be in the 60s, with morning breezes from the south to southeast at 12 to 20 m.p.h.

Highs in coastal and inland areas are expected to be in the 64- to 69-degree range; coastal lows should hover in the 50s, and inland lows are expected to be around 50.

Mountain highs up to 55 may dip to the 30s at night, and desert highs in the 70s may drop to the 50s at night.