Cloudy and Cool Continue : Whatever Happened to the Summer Weather?

June gloom came early and is staying late.

The grayness will continue through the weekend, as the forecast calls for only partial afternoon clearing, cool temperatures and even a chance of some light rain in the morning hours, National Weather Service forecaster Wilbur Shigehara said.

“This year the June gloom started in May, and we’re still talking about it in July,” he said. “The cool temperatures, the depth of the marine layer . . . is very unusual for mid-July. It seems Mother Nature is mixed up and she thinks it’s still spring.”

However, forecasters are again promising that clearer days are on the horizon, possibly as soon as Monday or Tuesday. Though the night and morning low clouds will continue, the afternoon clearing is expected to start earlier and be more substantial, according to Shigehara.

Until then, the marine layer will continue to deepen, as the upper-level winds bring cold air in from the Gulf of Alaska.

“Hopefully, these winds will bring in enough instability that they will disturb the cloud pattern,” he said. “If this happens we might see more sun by Sunday, but much more likely by early next week. . . .

“By midweek, conditions will be approaching normal, and I emphasize ‘approaching.’ I don’t think we will have normal July weather in the foreseeable future.”

How cool is cool? The high temperature at Lindbergh Field hasn’t matched the normal for the date since summer began nearly a month ago, according to Shigehara.

Normally, the mercury climbs to the mid-70s by this time of year at the airport, but it has not inched over the 72-degree mark since the first day of summer, hovering in the 68- to 70-degree range. Thursday’s high was 69 degrees.

“If you don’t hit 70 degrees in downtown San Diego, it’s a cold day,” he said.

Inland highs are also dramatically low for this time of year. For example, Gillespie Field in El Cajon had a high of 74 Thursday, while the normal high for that date is 86 degrees. Most other inland highs were 9 to 12 degrees below normal, Shigehara said.

The coastal areas will have highs between 68 and 73 today through Sunday, with lows in the 57- to 63-degree range. Surf will be two to three feet, with ocean temperature near 66 degrees.

Inland highs will continue to range from 72 to 77 degree through the weekend, with overnight lows in the upper 50s through Sunday.

Mountains and deserts will be partly cloudy through this afternoon, turning fair for the rest of the weekend.

“The thunderstorms that have hit Los Angeles’ mountains have failed to reach down into San Diego County’s ranges so far, but an isolated shower or two might make it down here (this) morning,” Shigehara said.

Mountain highs will be 75 to 80 today through the weekend, with lows in the 40s. Desert highs will range from 95 to 100 today and 92 to 98 Saturday and Sunday, with overnight lows between 65 and 70.

“There will be cool days even in the deserts,” he said. “It will be rather pleasant for the people out there, who are quite used to 110-degree days this time of year, to have highs closer to 100.”