More Gray Skies Will Give Sun the Weekend Off in S.D.

San Diegans shouldn’t expect the weekend to bring any relief from the perpetually gray, dreary skies that have become the norm the last week and a half, according to forecasters.

A deep marine layer has settled over San Diego and will not budge until at least the beginning of next week, National Weather Service forecaster Dan Atkin said. The end result is a lot of clouds in all areas, thundershowers in the mountains and deserts, some local drizzle and mild temperatures.

“There will only be minor changes, no major changes in the weather this weekend,” Atkin said. “We will continue to have all those night and morning low clouds, carrying over into the afternoon in the coastal areas, with a chance of better clearing inland.”

For the one-week period ending Wednesday, San Diego had a daily average of 22% of possible sunshine, according to National Weather Service figures. Normally, San Diego has 58% of possible daily sunshine during May, Atkin said.

The only bright spot in the weekend forecast is that the clouds are keeping the overnight lows warmer than usual. There is little difference between daytime high and overnight low temperatures. Thursday’s high at Lindbergh Field was 69 degrees and the overnight low was 62.

Thunderstorm activity is expected to increase today over the mountains and deserts, with a slight chance of showers moving west over the inland valleys this afternoon and evening, according to Atkin.

Though some thunderstorms may contain brief heavy rain and strong gusty winds, Atkin said a flash flood warning probably will not be necessary. The thunderstorms are expected to decrease but not disappear this weekend, he said.

Coastal areas can expect local morning drizzle and fog through Sunday, with highs between 68 and 73 degrees and overnight lows from 58 to 64. Surf will be two to three feet, with ocean temperature near 65.

Inland valleys will have highs ranging from 72 to 80 all three days, with overnight lows in the upper 50s.

Along with the isolated thunderstorms, the mountain and desert areas will continue to be partly cloudy and humid. Mountain areas will have highs between 65 and 75 through Sunday, with lows ranging from 45 to 55. Desert highs will range from 97 to 104, with overnight lows from 65 to 75.