Often considered the unofficial start of summer, this year's Memorial Day weekend is unlikely to bring sunny skies and warm temperatures to California beaches as some might expect, but weather officials say a slight warming trend could bring some clear skies for Sunday and Monday.
Across much of the state, forecasts show a cool, cloudy start to the holiday weekend on Friday and Saturday, with the possibility of some patchy morning showers from a particularly deep marine layer, especially in Southern California.
But it's not all doom and gloom, especially as the weekend progresses.
“We are heading towards a warmer and sunnier pattern heading into the weekend; Memorial Day Monday looks to be the nicest,” said Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. “We are going to have an upward trend with temperatures.”
“For Memorial Day, temperatures are expected to be several degrees warmer,” especially compared to Friday and Saturday, Schoenfeld said. Southern California's deep marine layer, which will likely extend into the foothills and inland valleys on Saturday, is weakening, with highs in the valleys reaching the upper 70s on Monday. Downtown Los Angeles is forecast to reach 70 degrees, with some desert areas reaching 100 degrees.
Here's a look at the warming trend we're expecting over Memorial Day weekend and next week! Monday and Tuesday look like they will be noticeably warmer for most.
And before you try to make fun of it, yes, our 2 degree increase is a trend. A boring one, but a trend nonetheless 🥴😅🌡️#CAwx pic.twitter.com/ErJFpunxhQ
– NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) May 23, 2024
Southern beaches will warm slightly, however, the marine layer will likely keep the coast cloudy and temperatures slightly below average for this time of year.
“The beaches are expected to stay quite cool,” Schoenfeld said. There's always a chance that a beach or two will “partially clear” and allow the sun to peek through, but he said temperatures along the coast will remain in the 60s.
A similar marine layer on the Central Coast and Bay Area will keep temperatures in the 50s and 60s for most of the weekend, with chances of precipitation on Saturday. The warmest day will also be Monday, when highs could reach 60 degrees along the coast and 70s and 80s further inland.
Memorial Day weekend starts off quite chilly with a chance for a light coastal drizzle, before warm temperatures return Sunday into Monday. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/mlL0L5fjEH
– NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) May 24, 2024
The weekend temperature change will be more common inland, where Monday's highs are expected to be about 10 degrees above Saturday's cooler-than-average temperatures. Throughout the Sacramento Valley and across the Central Valley, temperatures Monday are forecast to reach the 90s.
There is a chance for some strong winds Friday along the Santa Barbara Coast, Antelope Valley and Central Valley, which could persist into Saturday, but otherwise the Golden State can expect a relatively quiet weekend.
