Another Series of Storms May Be Zeroing In on S.D.

High humidity should give way to rain this weekend as the first in a series of Pacific storms reaches San Diego, beginning what forecasters predict will be a period of rainy weather.

The weather pattern for San Diego is changing from high to low pressure this weekend, opening the way for an approaching storm that should arrive late Saturday or early Sunday, the National Weather Service said.

Although temperatures throughout the county should be normal today, cooling is expected to begin Saturday, tugging temperatures downward through Sunday.

“Friday will be a nice day, but with storm clouds increasing on Saturday, we will go into a cooling trend,” forecaster Wilbur Shigehara said Thursday.

Fog and drizzle this morning are expected to give way to hazy sunshine by the afternoon. Humidity should remain high--Thursday it was close to 100% during morning fog, and it did not fall below 75% in the afternoon. The afternoon norm is around 59%.

A storm that was about 1,400 miles west of San Diego on Thursday is expected to reach the coast by late Saturday or early Sunday, bringing about half an inch of rain and gusty winds. Shigehara said the storm is the first in a series that could keep San Diego cloudy and damp for several days.

“This could be the beginning of more wet weather. Other storms on the other side of Hawaii will be affecting us early next week,” Shigehara said.

Winds will be picking up Sunday with the storm--forecasters predicted gusts up to 25 m.p.h. along the coast and inland, and in the 15- to 35-m.p.h. range in the mountains.

Winds today and Saturday will be milder and more suited to sailing, with breezes from the west to southwest at 10 to 18 m.p.h. along coastal waters today and from the south to southwest on Saturday.

Temperatures up to 70 today along the coast are expected to reach only 68 Saturday, and should be in the low 60s Sunday. Lows should be in the 50s.

Inland valley highs of 76 today will fall to the 60s Saturday and Sunday, with lows around 50 degrees.

Mountain highs in the 60s today will fall to the 50s Saturday and into the 40s Sunday. Lows are expected to be in the mid-30s to the mid-40s.

Desert highs in the 88- to 95-degree range today should cool to the 80s Saturday and to the 77- to 85-degree range on Sunday. Lows will be in the 50s.