Southland Weekend Shaping Up as Calm and Warmer

High winds were blowing in the mountains and deserts of Southern California on Thursday, but the National Weather Service said it will be calm again--and maybe just a bit warmer--through the weekend.

High temperature at Los Angeles Civic Center reached 71 degrees Thursday, with relative humidity ranging from 52% to 90%. And forecasters said it should be four or five degrees warmer today, with a few clouds along the coast tonight and Saturday morning.

Meteorologists explained that a dry cold front was moving swiftly southwestward through Southern California on Thursday. It was expected to be well past the Mexican border today, but atmospheric pressure is falling in Nevada and a new disturbance was expected to move into the northern plateau by Saturday--leading to a renewed onshore flow of marine air . . . which means a cloudy morning.

Pleasant at Beaches

Forecasters said beaches should be moderately sunny this weekend, with surf running 2 to 3 feet in most places, a sea breeze rising to 20 m.p.h. in the afternoon, ocean temperature in the mid-60s and air temperature reaching the mid-70s.

Small craft advisories for northwest winds to 39 knots and 12-foot seas were in effect Thursday for outer waters from Point Conception to San Clemente Island, but forecasters said this should calm to about 20 knots and 8-foot seas this afternoon. Closer to shore, winds to 20 knots and 3-foot seas were expected from Point Conception to the Mexican border.

Travelers advisories were in effect for northwest winds gusting to 40 m.p.h. at times in Southern California’s mountains Thursday night, but the Weather Service said things should quiet down by today.