Warmer, Drier Weekend Ahead : Sunshine Chasing Away Frosty Northern Winds

The Arctic storm that left shining snowcaps on the mountains and hailstone snowmen on the beaches of Southern California finally blew itself away to the east Thursday, and forecasters said the weekend should be a time of rising temperatures, declining winds . . . and lots of sun.

“The days should be clear, and you can expect the air to be warmer and drier,” said Cary Schudy, meteorologist and spokesman for Earth Environment Science, a private forecasting firm based in San Francisco.

“Los Angeles should see highs in the 60s by Friday, rising to near 70 by Saturday and into the low 70s by Sunday.”

He explained that the upper-level low pressure system that brought so much moisture and cold air into the Southland during the week is moving out now, and Pacific high pressure is building in the area. This, he said, should result in “a much drier air mass, with fewer clouds and no rain probable in the next few days.”

But there will be wind, he said--and coastal communities got a taste of that Thursday. At about 3 p.m. northerly winds rose to 25 knots in Santa Monica Bay and similar gusts were reported at Los Angeles International Airport.

Forecasters said the winds would die at sunset but warned that east to northeast breezes could rise to 25 m.p.h. overnight below canyons and mountain passes, with more of the same expected today.

High temperature at Los Angeles Civic Center on Thursday was 64 degrees, with relative humidity ranging from 21% to 85%, and the forecast called for it to be only a degree or two warmer today.

Beaches were expecting moderate surf, with temperatures in the mid-60s and water temperature a few degrees cooler, while mountain resorts rejoiced in predictions of an overnight low in the teens, rising to only 39 degrees during the afternoon before plunging back below the freezing mark, keeping the snow firm and powdery on the slopes.

Freezing overnight temperatures were also forecast for the high desert, with highs in the mid-50s and northeast winds rising to 25 m.p.h. in the afternoon. Low deserts were expecting overnight lows to the lower 30s, with afternoons in the upper 60s and wind gusting to 30 m.p.h. in some places.