Clouds, Drizzle May Spread Gloom Today

Low clouds and drizzle may do their best to spread gloom through Southern California today, but clear skies and warmer temperatures are on tap for the rest of the weekend, the National Weather Service said Thursday.

Meteorologists explained that a weak weather disturbance is moving eastward across the upper part of the state with its lower fringe trailing through Southern California, increasing the onshore flow of moist marine air, lowering temperatures and offering the threat of precipitation.

High temperature at Los Angeles Civic Center on Thursday was 75 degrees, with relative humidity ranging from 52% to 93%.

The Weather Service said it should be four or five degrees cooler today, with low clouds spreading inland overnight and a chance of drizzle during the morning hours--slowly giving way to clearer skies by late afternoon. Saturday temperatures were expected to return to the upper 70s, under generally clear skies, with the beginning of another cooling trend possible late Sunday.

Beaches can expect night and morning low clouds and fog, with some clearing expected this afternoon and surf running 2 to 3 feet in most places. Air temperature should reach the low 70s by mid-afternoon, foecasters said, with water temperatures holding in the mid-60s.

Inshore yachtsmen were told to expect west winds gusting to 18 knots and above, with 2 to 3 foot swell in the afternoons from Point Conception to the Mexican border, while those who venture farther out can look for 12 knot west-to-northwest winds, turning northwest and freshening to 25 knots this afternoon, with 6 to 8 foot combined seas.

Locally-dense fog and drizzle were predicted overnight in Southern California’s mountains, becoming warmer and a bit breezy at times by this afternoon. Overnight lows for the weekend were expected to hover down around the freeze line at resort altitudes, with afternoon readings in the 50s.

Desert visitors can expect some high cloudiness today, forecasters said, with fair skies to follow and west to northwest winds gusting to 10 or 15 m.p.h.