Wind to Turn to Breezes for Weekend

The gusty Santa Ana winds and warm temperatures expected today should give way to milder breezes and slightly cooler temperatures this weekend in the Southland, weather forecasters said.

“It will be a little cooler but not too bad a weekend,” according to meteorologist Dan Bowman of WeatherData Inc., which provides forecasts for The Times.

Today’s east-northeast winds are expected to reach 35 m.p.h. to 40 m.p.h. in the mountains, passes and coastal areas, causing possible problems for travelers.

In the Los Angeles Basin, wind speeds are not likely to exceed 20 m.p.h., with temperatures rising to the high 70s.

In contrast, temperatures are not expected to exceed the mid-60s on Saturday and Sunday, with breezes of 5 m.p.h. to 15 m.p.h. blowing in from the ocean.

Weekend skies, forecasters said, should be partly cloudy, with fog or low clouds possible along the coast Saturday morning.

In the mountains, temperatures are expected to range from the upper teens at night to the 40s during the afternoons this weekend.

Highs in the desert areas should range from the mid-50s in northern deserts to the low 70s in Palm Springs. Nightly desert lows should range from the 20s to mid 40s.

Bowman said no more rain is likely to hit the Southland until at least mid-week.

On Thursday, the high temperature at the Los Angeles Civic Center reached 72 after an overnight low of 43.

Relative humidity ranged from 14% to 63%.