Storms Will Come and Storms Will Go

Storms are expected to move into San Diego every other day this holiday weekend, but the only thing they’ll bring are gray skies and a little drizzle, the National Weather Service said.

A series of storms from the eastern Pacific has moved through San Diego since Tuesday, resulting in a lot of clouds but little rainfall, forecaster Wilbur Shigehara said. Two more storms are expected to move through today and Sunday, but they again will bring only clouds and some drizzle.

“The storms will continue to slam into this high-pressure system settled over the area and fall apart,” Shigehara said. “By storms I mean dissipating ones. Two more storm fronts will be coming in, but the clouds again will be the primary thing.”

San Diego has received only 0.04 of an inch of rain so far in February. The normal rainfall for the month up to Thursday’s date is 0.57 of an inch.

“February has been a big flop, rain-wise,” Shigehara said. “The accumulation for the month is falling way behind, and the rainfall expected for the weekend is meager at best.”

The long-range forecast is for stronger storms to break through the high-pressure system by Tuesday or Wednesday, and some significant rainfall might result at that time, Shigehara said.

“Enjoy the drizzles and lack of serious rainfall over this holiday weekend because we are looking at some substantial storms moving through by the middle of next week,” he said. “By that time, they should be breaking through this high pressure and moving into our area with a vengeance.”

The clouds will keep both day and night weather mild, with little differentiation between highs and lows, Shigehara said. On Thursday, the high at Lindbergh Field reached 66 degrees, and the low was just 10 degrees cooler.

“It won’t be too warm during the days, and it won’t be too cold at night,” he said. “The clouds are a great regulator of temperatures, keeping everything in the mild range.”

Coastal areas will have highs from 65 to 70 through Monday. Inland highs will be just one or two degrees higher. Coastal lows will be in the middle 50s, and inland lows will range from 47 to 53.

Surf will be in the three- to four-foot range, with occasional five-foot breakers. Ocean temperature will be near 59 degrees.

Mountain areas will have highs in the low 50s through Monday and overnight lows from 38 to 45. Desert highs will be around 80, and lows will be around 50.