‘Unseasonably cold’ storm driving another chilly, damp weekend for Southern California

Another chilly and damp weekend is on tap for Southern California as a storm brings cooler temperatures, possible showers and some strong winds.

The system is not expected to deliver any major blows, but it’s forecast to further drop temperatures and deepen the marine layer through at least Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

Most of the rain from the “unseasonably cold” storm system will be concentrated in the Central Coast, where light precipitation is expected, but the moisture-heavy storm will bring a chance for showers and light rain as far south as San Diego through Sunday, according to the National Weather Service’s Friday morning forecast discussion. Rain totals aren’t expected to top one-tenth of an inch.

Dropping to California from the Gulf of Alaska on Saturday, the storm is expected to reach Southern California Saturday night, keeping temperatures low through at least Monday.

“It’s definitely going to be below normal,” said Mike Wofford, a weather service meteorologist in Oxnard. Typically, highs in early May in the Los Angeles area reach into the mid-70s, but this weekend is expected to remain in the low to mid-60s, at least 10 degrees below average, Wofford said.

Wind gusts are expected to pick up across the region through Monday, with a wind advisory set to go into effect for the San Bernardino mountains and the Apple and Lucerne valleys this weekend. In those areas, winds are expected above 25 mph, with gusts reaching up to 65 mph.

Isolated gusts of up to 75 mph are possible near the desert foothills late Saturday night, the warning said. “Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down.”

Though the system will last through the weekend, the weather service predicts a “warming and drying trend” next week.