Warm March weekend ahead

Decreasing northeast winds today with warming temperatures through Saturday. After some cooling on Sunday, temperatures are expected to remain above normal through next week, with gusty north winds at times. Expected lows in the 30s and 40s. High primarily in the 70s.

Northeast winds continue to diminish this afternoon as offshore gradients and upper support weaken. All wind hazards have now expired.  Expecting a few more degrees of warming most areas Saturday under sunny skies. There will be a pretty good onshore trend in the afternoon as a weak upper low moves into the Great Basin Saturday evening. So there will be a decent sea breeze near the coast by late afternoon that will cool things off pretty rapidly in most areas. The exception being parts of southern Santa Barbara County that will have a warming influence from a developing Sundowner late Saturday. Winds probably won't reach advisory levels over a widespread area but some isolated gusts to 35 mph are possible on the west end near the Gaviota tunnel.

Increasing onshore flow to the east on Sunday will lead to around 5 degrees of cooling for most coast/valley areas as well as some morning marine layer clouds along the Central Coast.

By Monday gradients to the east will also be turning offshore and a low grade Santa Ana will develop, but likely not strong enough for advisory level winds. However, the combo of light offshore flow and a building ridge aloft will pump temps back up well into the 70s and likely some lower 80s for the valleys. Not a lot of excitement in the weather next week. Mostly above normal temps and periods of north to northwest winds. A weak trough moves through the area Tuesday brining some more cloud cover and cooler temperatures before a warming trend again.