Weather Word Is Gloom, but Hope Is on the Horizon

San Diegans will have to endure one more weekend of “June gloom,” with high tides and morning drizzle accompanying the requisite low clouds this time around.

However, forecasters are quick to add that more summer-like weather is on its way, possibly as early as Monday.

“Our June-gloom syndrome will not be giving up for the next three or four days,” National Weather Service forecaster Wilbur Shigehara said. “The morning clouds will be thick enough to cause some drizzle, and the afternoon clearing will not be much in the beach areas.”

Another weather factor affecting the beaches this weekend will be extremely high tides tonight and Saturday night, according to Shigehara. Though these are some of the highest tides in 18 years, matching the 7.7 feet mark set in January, no flooding or property damage is expected.

“We won’t be looking at any flooding, but waves will be crashing all the way up to the rocks in La Jolla and could be splashing over onto the Pacific Beach walkway,” Shigehara said.

High tides of the same level are also expected Aug. 7-9 and Sept. 9-11, he said, adding that those will be potentially dangerous because they will take place during the hurricane season.

No Cause for Concern

“If there is any kind of hurricane nearby kicking the surf up to, say, 5 or 6 feet, we’ll be very concerned about property damage and flooding at that time,” he said. “Of course, this weekend we’re looking at surf in the 3- to 4-foot range, and no one should be really concerned about this type of stuff.”

And as if the clouds and the high tides weren’t enough to keep San Diegans off the beaches, temperatures will continue about 5 to 6 degrees below average, Shigehara said.

“We’ve had some very cool afternoon temperatures for this time of year. On (Thursday), Poway’s high was 72, it was 76 in Fallbrook, Santee hit 80, and the Wild Animal Park reached 80 as well. We should be 85 or 86 by this time, and these places are struggling to get out of the 70s.”

Shigehara blames the upper level winds blowing the weather pattern in from the wrong direction. Normally by July, the winds have stopped bringing weather in from the Gulf of Alaska and are sending subtropical weather, with its higher temperatures and thunderstorms, from Mexico.

Subtropical Weather Due

“We will be seeing some of this subtropical weather it looks like by Monday or Tuesday,” Shigehara said. “The winds seem to be shifting, and we’ll be warmer next week. And our mountains and deserts might even be getting some of those thunderstorms.”

For the weekend, coastal areas can expect highs from 68 to 73 and lows in the 58- to 63-degree range. The ocean will be a cool 63. Inland highs will range from 73 to 79 today through Sunday and overnight lows will be from 54 to 60.

Mountains and deserts will be spared the clouds once again. Fair days and gusty winds are expected through Sunday.