503
FXUS66 KSGX 232356
AFDSGX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
456 PM PDT THU APR 23 2026
SYNOPSIS
COOLER AND BREEZY WEATHER WILL OCCUR THIS WEEKEND AS A WEAK
WEATHER SYSTEM MOVES OVER THE AREA. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING GUSTY
WINDS ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS ALONG WITH THE CHANCE FOR
SOME LIGHT PRECIPITATION ALONG AND WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS AS WELL.
NEXT WEEK WILL REMAIN COOLER WITH HIGHS NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW
AVERAGE AND MAINLY DRY WEATHER.
DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTIES...
UPDATED AVIATION AND MARINE DISCUSSION
A ZONAL PATTERN ALOFT REMAINS OVERHEAD, GENERATING FAIR WEATHER
WITH TEMPERATURES NEAR NORMAL THIS AFTERNOON. A WEAK AREA OF LOW
PRESSURE IS SEEN DEVELOPING OFF THE COAST. THIS SYSTEM, ALONG WITH
A SHORTWAVE FROM THE NORTH WILL MOVE OVER OUR REGION FRIDAY INTO
THE WEEKEND. AS IT DOES SO, THE ONSHORE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL
TIGHTEN, LEADING TO AN INCREASE IN WINDS ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND
DESERTS. WIDESPREAD WESTERLY WIND GUSTS OF 25-45 MPH WILL BE
COMMON ACROSS THESE AREAS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT.
AS THE PAIR OF SYSTEMS DRAW CLOSER TO THE REGION ON SATURDAY, THE
PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN FURTHER, LEADING TO THE HIGHEST
WINDS OF THE EVENT. MODELS SHOW MOUNTAIN WINDS 45-55+ MPH WITH
DESERT WINDS 35-45 MPH, GENERATING SOME BLOWING DUST ACROSS THE
DESERTS AT TIMES. MODEL CONSENSUS IS FAIR IN LIGHT SHOWERS MOVING
INTO THE AREA AS EARLY AS SATURDAY MORNING, MAINLY ALONG THE
COASTAL SLOPES. THE WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA
SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING, GIVING WAY TO THE BEST CHANCE
OF SHOWERS FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE COAST. HOURLY RAIN RATES WILL
MAINLY BE NEAR ONE TENTH OF AN INCH OR LESS, WITH TOTAL
ACCUMULATIONS BELOW ONE QUARTER OF INCH WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS.
SNOW LEVELS WILL ALSO DROP NEAR 6,500 FEET, WHERE THERE IS HIGH
CONFIDENCE THAT TOTALS WILL REMAIN BELOW ONE INCH. SUNDAY WILL BE
THE COOLEST DAY OF THE WEEK FOR MANY WITH HIGHS 40S/50S ACROSS
THE MOUNTAINS, 60S IN THE HIGHEST DESERT AND COASTAL BASIN, AND
COMFORTABLE 70S IN THE LOWER DESERTS.
THE TROUGHING PATTERN WILL STICK AROUND FOR MUCH OF THE WEEK,
WHICH WILL LEAD TO LIGHTER ONSHORE WINDS AND TEMPERATURES NEAR TO
SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE WITH DRY WEATHER. MODELS DO HINT AT ANOTHER
WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE FORMING IN OUR VICINITY BY LATER ON
TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY, WHICH MAY BRING SOME INCREASED WIND AND
CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION. THE FORECAST DETAILS STILL REMAIN IN
FLUX AS MODEL TIMING AND PLACEMENT DIFFERENCES ARE PRESENT. AFTER
THIS, FORECAST MODELS HAVE BETTER AGREEMENT ON A DRY WEATHER
PATTERN AS WE HEAD INTO THE MONTH OF MAY.
AVIATION
240000Z...COAST/VALLEYS...GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH
THIS EVENING. LOW CLOUDS WILL STRUGGLE TO REFORM TONIGHT. BEST
CHANCE FOR PATCHY BKN LOW CLOUDS WILL BE OVER COASTAL AREAS LATE (12-
17Z FRI). 40-50% CHANCE FOR INTERMITTENT BKN CIGS BASED 1800-2400 FT
MSL AT COASTAL TAF SITES. ANY LOW CLOUDS SCATTER OUT BY 18Z WITH VFR
CONDITIONS FOR THE AFTERNOON. LOW CLOUDS BASED 2500-3000 FT MSL
RETURN FRIDAY EVENING WITH MORE UNIFORM COVERAGE AND MUCH GREATER
INLAND EXTENT.
MOUNTAINS/DESERTS...WESTERLY WINDS CURRENTLY GUSTING 25-35 KTS
THROUGH PASSES AND ALONG DESERT SLOPES. GUSTS GRADUALLY WEAKENING
AFTER 09Z FRIDAY. WESTERLY WINDS STRENGTHEN AGAIN AFTER 00Z SAT WITH
WIDESPREAD GUSTS 25-35 KTS, LOCALLY TO 45 KTS ALONG DESERT SLOPES
AND THROUGH MOUNTAIN PASSES. MODERATE UP/DOWNDRAFTS EXPECTED IN LEE
OF MTNS.
OTHERWISE...SCT HIGH CLOUDS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD.
MARINE
NO HAZARDOUS MARINE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY, THOUGH
BRISK WESTERLY WINDS 15 TO 20 KTS ARE EXPECTED EACH AFTERNOON
THROUGH SUNDAY.
SKYWARN
SKYWARN ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED. HOWEVER WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS.
SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
CA...NONE.
PZ...NONE.
PUBLIC...APR
AVIATION/MARINE...KW
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