‘87’s Off-and-On Summer Will Be Off This Weekend

Just when San Diegans thought it was finally safe to hit the beaches and expect the sunny, hot temperatures that have played hide and sneak all summer long, the National Weather Service forecasts lower temperatures as the weekend progresses, with night and morning low clouds and some fog.

Pleasant temperatures with sunny afternoons are expected for the weekend, but according to National Weather Service Forecaster Wilbur Shigehara, San Diegans can expect “a chill of fall” over the next few days, as the county is influenced by a cooling trend that will push temperatures down a couple degrees each day through Sunday.

“This has been the coolest summer we’ve had in 10 years and the weather pattern has been very unusual. Typical weather for San Diego this time of year was evident this past Labor Day weekend: warm and smoggy,” Shigehara said.

The below-average temperatures can be blamed on the low-pressure system, which has been a frequent visitor to San Diego all summer long, and which is again developing on the West Coast to keep San Diego cool, according to Shigehara.

The high-pressure system, failing to live up to its responsibilities this summer and bring San Diego spurts of warm temperatures and sunny beach weather, has been chased eastward to the southern Rockies, progressively getting weaker, Shigehara said.

“Lifeguards are saying beach attendance has been way down this summer and we’re fast coming to the end of the season, with fall just around the corner,” Shigehara said. Fall officially begins Sept. 23 and days are getting shorter as the sun retreats southward.

Coastal temperatures will range from 74 to 78 degrees today and 72 to 76 degrees on Saturday, with lows in the 63- to 68-degree range through Saturday.

Surf will remain at about 3 feet with ocean temperatures at 67 degrees.

Inland valleys will have temperatures climbing up to 85 to 93 today and 82 to 90 on Saturday. Lows should drop to about 55 to 63 through Saturday.

The cooling trend will also affect the mountain and desert areas, with local gusty winds up to 25 m.p.h. and variable high clouds. Mountain highs today and Saturday will range from 76 to 84 degrees, with lows from 46 to 54 degrees.