Beautiful skies and below average temperatures will last through the weekend

Temperatures are staying below normal Friday and through the entire weekend, with highs only reaching the upper 50s to mid 60s, warmest on the South Coast. Despite the cool temperatures, skies will be mostly clear and spring-like.

Northerly pressure gradients are strong, which will support gusty northwest to northerly winds. A wind advisory is in effect until 8:00 pm Friday for the Central Coast, from 5:00 pm Friday until 9:00 am Saturday for the South Coast and Santa Ynez Range, and until 6:00 am Sunday for the Ventura and Santa Barbara County mountains. Sustained winds will be 20 to 35 mph, and gusts between 40 to 55 mph.

A weak trough will move in Saturday, which could set up a few clouds on north slopes in the morning. Other than that, the sun will be shining for all until later Monday.

A strong Pacific storm will move in again Monday night. The timing and trajectory is still iffy, but we have a chance of rain between Monday night and Thursday, showers tapering off at that point.

Preliminary estimates put rain totals between a half inch and 2 inches for our region. We may also see 6 to 12 inches of snow at the 4,000 foot mark in the mountains.