Series of Cool Weekend Showers Likely to Dampen Spring Flowers

A Pacific storm will drop more than an inch of rain beginning today, the first day of spring, forecasters said.

The rains will begin this morning and will last until Saturday night, said Wilbur Shigehara, chief forecaster for the National Weather Service in San Diego.

An inch of rainfall is expected along the coast, 2 inches inland and 3 inches in the mountains, Shigehara said.

The storm will leave San Diego Saturday night, but partly cloudy skies are expected all day Sunday, Shigehara said.

After Sunday’s brief respite, more showers are expected beginning Monday. Today’s storm is the first of three that will linger until late next week, he said.

This storm is on the southerly El Nino storm track that passes by San Diego. Though the storm originated near the Gulf of Alaska, its swing south will deprive Northern California of still-needed rain, Shigehara said.

Temperatures are expected to drop a few degrees below normal for this time of year.

The coastal and inland areas will have highs near 64 today and Saturday, Shigehara said. On Sunday, the high temperatures will increase, maybe reaching 70 degrees in the inland areas, he said. The lows this weekend in both areas are expected to be in the low 50s.

In the mountains, Shigehara said, the high will reach 45 today and 50 Saturday and Sunday; the low in the mountains will be 35 degrees all weekend.

The storm is not expected to drop any snow in the mountains.

Rain will also fall in the blooming deserts today and Saturday. The high temperature there this weekend will be in the upper 60s, Shigehara said.

Spring, the vernal equinox, officially began at 12:48 a.m. this morning. Daylight Savings Time will begin April 5, the first Sunday of April.