Strong Winds Due Tonight in Southland

A high-pressure system over the Pacific Northwest will bring strong winds to the Southland tonight, with gusts in some areas reaching 45 m.p.h.

But forecasters predict that the winds will subside over the weekend, giving way to warmer temperatures and lots of sunshine Saturday and Sunday. High temperatures for the weekend are predicted to reach the mid-60s and 70s in Orange County.

“After the strong winds leave the area . . . it looks like pretty good weather for the rest of the weekend,” said Dan Bowman, a meteorologist at WeatherData, which provides forecasts for The Times.

Santa Ana High 64

The high-pressure system also means that the Southland will not soon see a repeat of storm conditions that ravaged a 250-mile stretch of coast from Santa Barbara south to the Mexican city of Ensenada and caused an estimated $68 million in property damage.

In Orange County, Santa Ana had a high temperature Thursday of 64 and a low of 40, El Toro recorded a high of 58 and a low of 38, Newport Beach had a high of 56 and a low of 44, and San Juan Capistrano reported a high of 60 and a low of 31.

The high temperature at the Los Angeles Civic Center Thursday was 65. The low was 38. The maximum humidity was 65% and the minimum was 28%.

The rainfall total for the season is 6.83 inches, slightly below the seasonal average of 6.84 inches.

The weekend forecast calls for clear skies through Saturday, with gusty northeasterly winds from 20 m.p.h. to 45 m.p.h. through tonight. Highs Friday will be in the 60s. Saturday’s highs will range from 65 to 75.