Leslie Lopez’s Weather Discussion – Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Thunderstorms are a threat this afternoon for our mountain locations which carry with it an added threat of wildfires from lightning strikes. Unfortunately, very little rain will accompany this small storm rolling quickly out to the east.

Right behind our current low pressure system is a second which arrives tomorrow, bringing with it a better chance for widespread showers. Although, the chance will increase, rainfall totals will continue to stay low.

Friday morning could also produce a few lingering showers, but by the afternoon, our atmosphere will dry out and we head into a warming pattern for the weekend and the start of next work week.

We will once again see our “Blocking High Pressure System” develop, further preventing the arrival of rainfall from the north. Those are the storms we would like to see swing down here in San Diego, but the “Blocking High” acts as a barrier between us and those storm systems. It has been responsible for our continued drought and over the past four years.

A moderate to strong El Nino event would discourage the development of the “Blocking High”, however conditions look weak at this time. I’ll continue to monitor.

7-day outlook issued by the National Weather Service as of Wednesday 10am:

REST OF TODAY – CLOUDY IN THE MORNING, BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS 67 TO 72. LIGHT WINDS BECOMING SOUTHWEST 15 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT – PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE EVENING, BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 48 TO 56. AREAS OF WINDS SOUTHWEST 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 25 MPH IN THE EVENING BECOMING LIGHT.

THURSDAY – MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE MORNING, THEN PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS 67 TO 72. LIGHT WINDS BECOMING SOUTHWEST 15 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. CHANCE OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION 30 PERCENT.

THURSDAY NIGHT – MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. LOWS 49 TO 58. LIGHT WINDS. CHANCE OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

FRIDAY – MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING, BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. HIGHS 66 TO 71. LIGHT WINDS. CHANCE OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

FRIDAY NIGHT – PARTLY CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE EVENING. LOWS 48 TO 57.

SATURDAY – PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING, BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS 69 TO 74.

SATURDAY NIGHT – MOSTLY CLEAR IN THE EVENING, BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 45 TO 54.

SUNDAY – MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING, BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS 75 TO 80.

SUNDAY NIGHT – MOSTLY CLEAR IN THE EVENING, BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 46 TO 56.

MONDAY – PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING, BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 79 TO 84.

MONDAY NIGHT – MOSTLY CLEAR. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 48 TO 57.

TUESDAY – MOSTLY SUNNY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 82 TO 87.