The Southwest will continue to bask in warm temperatures through Tuesday and Wednesday as a strong high-pressure system remains in place. During this period, expect minimal low clouds and fog, though gusty north winds are anticipated to develop over the Santa Ynez range through Wednesday.
By midweek, a cooling trend will take hold, bringing increased low clouds and fog along the coast, with high temperatures dropping significantly from Thursday through Saturday.\
Short-Term Outlook (Today - Thursday)
A trough along the West Coast is struggling to impact Southern California, as high pressure near the Four Corners region maintains its grip, at least through Tuesday. Expect temperatures in the lower 100s across the interior Tuesday. Low clouds and fog will be minimal tonight, with just a few patches.
Meanwhile, another Sundowner wind event is expected tonight and Tuesday night across the western Santa Ynez Range, with gusts potentially reaching near advisory levels of 45 mph in the foothills.
A more potent upper low is expected to drop into the West Coast trough, with most weather models agreeing on a significant cooling trend as we approach the weekend. Wednesday will see slightly cooler temperatures, but the real drop begins Thursday when high temperatures are expected to fall by 10 to 15 degrees across the coastal valleys. While the marine layer's extent remains uncertain, the strong onshore winds and cooling aloft suggest that coastal areas will experience more widespread stratus, possibly spreading into some coastal valleys.
Long-Term Outlook (Friday - Monday)
The cooling trend will continue through Saturday, with high temperatures bottoming out at 7 to 13 degrees below normal for inland areas and 3 to 6 degrees below normal for coastal regions. This shift represents a dramatic 20-degree drop in temperatures for inland areas and about 10 degrees cooler along the coast compared to the start of the week.
However, the cool spell won’t last long. High pressure is expected to build over the eastern Pacific and expand over the West Coast from Sunday into the middle of the following week. As a result, temperatures are forecasted to rebound, returning to above-normal levels in most areas. The interior valleys may see highs back in the lower 100s, while some coastal areas could reach the 80s. Though this pattern hints at "offshore flow" conditions, with the trough shifting to the Great Basin and a slight offshore trend, it is not expected to develop into a significant wind event.
