Cooler Temperatures for Weekend Expected; Santa Anas to Follow

A cold front now approaching the coast is expected to bring clouds, fog and cooler temperatures for the long holiday weekend in Southern California, but Santa Ana winds could be blowing again by Sunday, the National Weather Service said Thursday.

High temperature at Los Angeles Civic Center Thursday was 82 degrees, with relative humidity ranging from 10% to 36%, but forecasters said today’s high should be about 10 degrees cooler--with morning overcast gradually giving way to partial cloudiness by late afternoon.

The weak southern end of a cold front that was beginning to drift across the Pacific Northwest on Thursday afternoon is expected to pass through Southern California late today and Saturday, causing an increase in night and morning low clouds and fog, meteorologists explained.

However, that system was already losing steam by the time it reached shore, while a high-pressure area north of Hawaii was expected to move eastward and start building pressure today--resulting in a return of warm and sunny skies by Sunday, with the possibility of renewed Santa Anas.

Forecasters said beaches should be cool and cloudy today and Saturday, with surf running three to six feet in most places, air temperature rising to the mid-60s both days, water temperature only a degree or two cooler and sea breezes freshening to 15 or 16 m.p.h. in the afternoons. Warmer air temperature and about the same surf conditions were forecast for Sunday.

Holiday seafarers were assured of mild to moderate conditions for inshore waters from Point Conception to the Mexican border, where southwest winds were expected to hold at about 12 knots in the afternoon with three to four feet of westerly swell. Farther out, southeast winds were expected to rise to 20 knots at times during the afternoon, with seas reaching seven to 10 feet shortly before sunset.

Closer to home, forecasters said there was a “slight” chance of rain showers--but no snow--in the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains today and Saturday, with southwest winds rising to 30 m.p.h. at times and temperatures ranging from the upper 40s and lower 50s in the afternoons to freezing and below overnight at resort levels.