Gusty Winds Will Precede Warmer Days

A cold front expected to move through the Southland late tonight or early Saturday will keep high temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s Saturday, but warmer days are on the way.

Before the temperature moves up, though, gusty winds will invade the area--beginning today in the high desert, said Dave Beusterien, a meteorologist with WeatherData, which provides forecasts for The Times.

By Saturday afternoon, the northwesterly winds will be gusting up to 25 m.p.h. and will be even stronger in mountain areas, he said.

Today’s cold front isn’t expected to generate any precipitation, but coastal areas will have late-night patchy fog.

A possible weak Santa Ana condition should warm things up on Sunday, a trend that will continue through Tuesday, Beusterien said.

In Orange County, temperatures Thursday ranged from an overnight low of 55 degrees in El Toro to a high of 71 degrees in Santa Ana, according to the National Weather Service.

Skies will be cloudy Saturday with a high in the upper 60s, according to the National Weather Service. The low tonight and Saturday night will range from 54 to 58, the weather service predicted. Orange County will warm up again on Sunday and remain warm through Tuesday, with highs in the 70s, the weather service predicted.

Saturday’s highs will range from the 70s in the high desert to the 80s in the low desert. Low temperatures in the high desert will be in the upper 40s and low 50s.

Times staff writer Jim Carlton contributed to this article.