Cool, Sunny Forecast for the Weekend

Nature ended San Diego’s summer with a spectacular thunder-and-lightning show, but residents can expect a more benign early fall this weekend with lots of sunshine and pleasant, cool temperatures, according to National Weather Service Forecaster Wilbur Shigehara.

“We may see some brisk winds, especially in the beach areas, at 10-17 m.p.h., but mostly we can expect below normal temperatures,” Shigehara said. “By Saturday, San Diego will be swayed into the influence of a cooling trend brought on by the low-pressure system moving into the area from the gulf of Alaska.”

As a result, he said, there will be “increasing night and early morning clouds and the possibility of some drizzle by Sunday morning.”

Taste of Fall

San Diegans experienced their first real taste of fall one day early when thunder and lightning swept through San Diego in a rampage early Tuesday morning, shaking residents out of their beds and heralding the end of summer.

“The southern half of San Diego--La Mesa, Grossmont and Mission Valley--was hit the hardest by the rainfall, but the thunder and lightning was countywide. Everybody saw it,” Shigehara said. “People are afraid when we experience such dramatic weather.”

But, he said, rain for September is not so unusual. “At least once a month we see thunderstorms in September,” Shigehara said. “But people forget from year to year. Last September, we had a storm dropping twice as much rain as this storm, over an inch.”

Records show that the recent storm dropped almost three times as much rain as San Diego normally receives for the entire month of September, he said.

Mountain and desert areas will see clear skies through the weekend, with chilly morning temperatures on Sunday only slightly above freezing at sunrise. Highs will range from 70-78 degrees, with lows in the 40- to 50-degree range.

Desert highs will range from 93-100 degrees, with lows falling to 67-75 degrees.

Coastal highs will be slightly below seasonable temperatures, ranging from 70-75 degrees. Lows will be in the 60- to 66-degree range.

The inland valley should see the warmest temperatures with highs from 77-84 degrees, and lows falling from 57-64 degrees.