Southern California is poised to experience a notable shift in weather conditions as the dry, warm spell fueled by Santa Ana winds is expected to transition to cooler temperatures and rain on Sunday. The National Weather Service has termed the next three days as a “literal calm before the storm,” with dry weather and above-average temperatures anticipated until at least Saturday. Rainfall is anticipated to commence on Sunday and might persist throughout the following week.
While weak northeast Santa Ana winds are expected on Thursday, a shift to stronger east-southeast winds is anticipated on Friday. Wind speeds of 25-40 mph, primarily in the mountains and foothills, with gusts of up to 50 mph are expected. Temperatures are projected to rise into the 70 to 80-degree range by Sunday, with the warmest conditions further inland. Across Southern California, temperatures are expected to be 6 to 15 degrees above normal.
A storm system moving into the eastern Pacific is anticipated to bring rain to the region as early as late this weekend, with intermittent rain expected throughout the next week. The storm’s slow eastward progression suggests scattered showers on Sunday, reaching as far south as Orange County and as far east as San Bernardino County. From Monday to Wednesday, light, intermittent showers are possible across Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, Orange County, and San Diego, with rainfall estimates ranging from a half-inch to three inches.
The upcoming storm is expected to usher in much cooler temperatures, with a temperature drop of 4 to 8 degrees on Sunday. Early next week, temperatures are forecasted to hover in the 60s across much of the Southland. The National Weather Service notes that the storm door remains open for the rest of the week, with a second, stronger low anticipated to emerge from the Gulf of Alaska, bringing the potential for rainfall every day from Wednesday through Saturday. However, forecasters acknowledge a degree of uncertainty and describe the outlook as “wishy-washy” until more details emerge.