Storms Loom but the Holiday Forecast Is for Fair Weather

Three looming storms have weather forecasters casting wary eyes toward Baja California even as they predict fair days and seasonable weather for the Labor Day weekend in San Diego.

And lifeguards along the county’s coastline will be on alert even though the weather forecast has been changed from a prediction of possible storms.

A heavy surf advisory will remain in effect at least through Saturday, National Weather Service forecaster Wilbur Shigehara said, despite revision of the original forecast for the weekend.

“There has been a reversal in the forecast” from warmer and muggier than usual, Shigehara said. “For a while, we thought the upper-level winds would remain from the south, but they are now from the west. In spite of this dry forecast, I’m still a little nervous. Any shift in the upper-level winds would mean any of these storms will come north. September is hurricane month, so it wouldn’t surprise me.”

Tropical storm Javier is 850 miles southwest of San Diego and moving out to sea. There is a tropical depression, unnamed as yet, intensifying about 900 miles away and following in the tracks of Javier. A third storm is 1,500 miles southeast of San Diego.

Because of Javier, some beaches have been pounded with high surf for the last two days, with occasional breakers of eight feet. The high surf is most prevalent at southern-facing beaches, which in San Diego County are those from Oceanside to San Onofre.

“The heavy surf should calm down by Saturday, but might pick up again Monday because of the second nameless storm,” Shigehara said.

San Diego City Lifeguard Charles Davey said about 225,000 people visited city beaches last Labor Day weekend and there were about 30 rescues. Davey said the unofficial number of rescues Thursday at city beaches was the same as last year’s entire holiday weekend--30 people.

“We will be adding a few extra lifeguards at all beaches over the holiday weekend to handle both the crowds and rescues from the heavy surf,” Greenhaough said. “We are warning people that the rip currents are pulling pretty strong, and swimmers and even Boogie-boarders are being told they shouldn’t wear fins so they can keep their feet firmly on the ground.”

Temperatures in all areas will slip a couple of notches Friday and Saturday, but will inch up again by Monday. There will also be an increase in the night and morning low clouds, Shigehara said.

Highs at the beaches should reach 76 degrees today, 73 Saturday, and perk back up to around 78 by Sunday and Monday. Ocean temperature will be 68 degrees.

Inland valley highs will range from 83 to 93 Friday, cooling down to the 80- to 90-degree range by Saturday. They also will creep up a degree or two by Labor Day, Shigehara said. Overnight lows will remain in the 59- to 64-degree range.

There is a chance of isolated thundershowers in mountains and deserts during the afternoons throughout the weekend, Shigehara said. Desert temperatures will again be extremely warm, with highs near 111 degrees, and lows only in the mid-70s. Mountain highs will be in the mid-80s.