Swell Matrix

Area Forecast Discussion

National Weather Service San Diego CA

412 am PST Thu Jan 22 2026

Synopsis

A low pressure system will track by to the west as it moves toward northern and central Baja. It will bring scattered showers at times for today into Saturday and possibly into Saturday evening. Then dry with weak offshore flow and a gradual warming trend for Sunday through Wednesday of next week.

Discussion

For extreme southwestern California including Orange, San Diego, western Riverside and southwestern San Bernardino counties,

Short Term

(today through Saturday), So far tonight, precipitation from scattered showers has been falling from mid level cloud bases and mostly evaporating in the deep dry subcloud layer with either trace or measurable amounts of 0.01 inch at a few locations.

A closed low pressure system off the California coast to the west of Point Conception will remain well off the coast of southwestern California as it moves toward and then inland across northern and central Baja on Friday night and Saturday. Scattered showers will develop over the southern California coastal waters today and spread inland across portions of southern California.

Chances for showers may continue as late as Saturday evening, but overall amounts are expected to fairly light for today through Saturday with no period of more widespread coverage expected. Through Saturday, the chance for one-half inch or more of rainfall ranges from less than 10 percent near the coast to 15 to 25 percent in the mountains with the greater chances across southern San Diego County. The snow level will rise to above 8000 feet today into this evening, then gradually fall to 6500 to 7000 feet for late Friday night and Saturday.

High temperatures will gradually cool through Saturday with Saturday high temperatures mostly in the 60s for the coast and valleys and in the lower to mid 70s for the lower deserts. Those Saturday high temperatures are around average for the lower deserts and a few to around 5 degrees below average elsewhere.

Long Term

(Sunday through Wednesday), High pressure aloft will be near the West Coast with drier and gradually warmer weather expected for southwestern California with periods of weak offshore flow. Lower levels of the atmosphere will be much drier. High temperatures will warm around 5 degrees from Sunday through Wednesday with Wednesday high temperatures ranging from the mid to upper 60s near the coast to the upper 60s and lower 70s for the valleys with the lower to mid 70s for the lower deserts. Those high temperatures for next Wednesday are around average for the deserts and a few to around 5 degrees above average for the coast, valleys, and lower elevations of the mountains.

Aviation

221030z. Coast/Valleys, SCT-BKN low clouds will continue, with random and intermittent cigs 800-1800 feet MSL and areas vis 3-5SM. Mostly scatter out after 16-17Z. Low clouds to redevelop after 02- 06Z with bases 1800-2500 feet MSL, rising overnight into Friday. Higher terrain locally obscured.

Regionwide, BKN clouds around 15000 feet MSL will gradually lower to around 5000 feet by 00Z, merging with the lower clouds after 06Z. Isolated -SHRA after 18Z, but any impacts to cigs/vis should be minimal and brief if they occur.

Marine

No hazardous marine conditions are expected through Monday.

Watches, Warnings, Advisories

Ca, None. PZ, None.

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