Real Santa Ana Bringing Heat, Strong Winds

It may be the dead of winter, but San Diegans will enjoy summer weather this weekend as a “true” Santa Ana brings clear skies, high temperatures in the low 80s and gusty winds.

Thursday was the official middle of winter, and San Diego marked the occasion by coming within one degree of the record high temperature for the date. The high at Lindbergh Field was 79 degrees, just short of the record 80 degrees of 1963, National Weather Service forecaster Frank Perdue said.

“We’re in the midst of a full-blown Santa Ana, which is pretty rare here,” Perdue said. “A lot of times we attribute the description ‘Santa Ana’ to any dry and warm air mass. Santa Ana actually means a dry, warm wind, and that’s what we’re getting.”

Fairly strong winds in all areas are forecast through tonight. Perdue said a travelers’ advisory will be issued for the mountain and desert areas if winds reach the expected 40 mile-an-hour level.

“Even the airport got 35 mile-an-hour winds (Thursday),” he said. “While the high temperatures this time of year are only somewhat rare, these type of winds are incredibly rare.”

The Santa Ana condition will begin to weaken on Sunday, when some high clouds are expected to break through the high-pressure system, according to Perdue. Until then, both daytime and nighttime temperatures will remain far above average for the first week of February.

“Nighttime temperatures will be warmer, which is unusual when you have such a dry air mass and no clouds insulating the area,” Perdue said. “But this is such a warm air mass it is even warming up the nights.”

Coastal areas will have highs in the 73- to 80-degree range today, increasing a degree or two Saturday before slipping back Sunday. Lows will be in the upper 40s.

The surf is expected to lessen today, with waves in the three- to five-foot range through the weekend, Perdue said. Waves have been five to eight feet since last weekend. Ocean temperature is around 59 degrees.

Highs in the inland areas will be between 72 and 82 today and Saturday, before nudging down a couple of degrees Sunday. Overnight lows will be in the 40s.

Mountain areas will have highs in the low 60s all three days.