751 FXUS66 KLOX 030314 AFDLOXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA 814 PM PDT Thu Oct 2 2025
.SYNOPSIS...02/646 PM.
A series of weak disturbances will keep persistent night through morning low clouds going across most of the coasts and some lower valleys through Friday. Weak offshore flow will bring mostly sunny skies to the area for the weekend. Gusty winds are expected Friday afternoon and Friday night for Southwest Santa Barbara County, and some mountain and desert locations.
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.SHORT TERM (THU-SUN)...02/813 PM.
***UPDATE***
A closed upper low will move across northern and Central California tonight through Friday. Rain chances will mostly remain north of the area where there are stronger frontal dynamics. However there is a low chance (10-20%) of light rain in far north to northeast San Luis Obispo County this evening, with even lower chances affecting eastern San Luis County and the northern mountain slopes later tonight and Friday. The main local impact of the passing low will be to push some mid to upper level clouds across areas north of Point Conception through Friday. In addition, winds will increase in some areas behind the low starting this evening, and still further Friday afternoon and Friday night.
Gusty northwest winds over portions of Southern Santa Barbara County should remain sub- Advisory levels tonight (35 to 40 mph) but will likely increase to Advisory strength Friday afternoon through late Friday night. Increasing winds are also expected for the Interstate 5 Corridor and the western Antelope Valley during this time. Northwest to north winds up to 35 mph with gusts 40 to 50 mph are expected.
For tonight into Friday morning, stratus coverage should be limited to the Central Coast and Santa Ynez Valley, and the coast and coastal valleys of LA and Ventura Counties. Weak offshore winds should keep the area clear Friday night into Saturday morning.
A cooling trend will continue into Friday thanks to the upper low, followed by warming on Saturday caused by rising heights and offshore flow.
***From Previous Discussion***
By Saturday the upper low will move east to Utah, but then on Sunday the trough takes on a positive tilt and moves back over the area through early next week. Models are showing another developing Low west of Washington by next Thursday that will bring another chance of rain to next weekend.
.LONG TERM (MON-THU)...02/215 PM.
For the extended, models continue to exhibit good synoptic agreement. At upper levels, a trough will remain over Central CA Sunday and Monday then will lift out of the area. Near the surface, onshore flow increases on Sunday/Monday, but weakens on Tuesday/Wednesday.
Marine layer stratus/fog should increase in coverage Sunday/Monday with increasing onshore gradients and lowering H5 heights. However for Tuesday/Wednesday, the stratus coverage should diminish as H5 heights rising and offshore trends in the surface gradients. Other than any stratus, skies should remain mostly clear through the period.
As for temperatures, a gradual cooling trend can be expected for Sunday and Monday with increasing onshore flow and lowering H5 heights. However, those temperatures will rebound on Tuesday and Wednesday as H5 heights rise and onshore surface gradients relax.
A bit further out into the Thursday/Friday time frame, there is the possibility of some subtropical moisture moving into the area as models indicate another tropical storm off the Baja Mexico coast. Confidence in any details remains very low at this time as models are in disagreement about the track. However, it is something to watch for the second half of next week.
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.AVIATION...03/0303Z.
At 0121Z at KLAX, the marine layer was 900 ft deep. The top of the inversion was at 1000 ft with a temperature of 20 C.
High confidence in TAFs for desert airfields (KPMD and KWJF). Moderate confidence in remaining 00Z TAFs. Timing of CIG/VSBY restrictions may be off +/- 3 hours, while flight categories may be off by one or two. Gusty N to NW winds are expected to affect many sites after 21Z Fri, lasting into Fri night for the desert airfields.
KLAX...Moderate confidence in 00Z TAF. Flight cat changes may be off by +/- 3 hours. 25% chance of IFR CIGs through 12Z Friday once clouds arrive. No significant east wind component expected through the forecast period, but gusty westerly winds are expected after 22Z.
KBUR...Moderate confidence in 00Z TAF. Flight cat changes may be off by +/- 2 hours. 30% chance for brief IFR cigs.
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.MARINE...02/110 PM.
A GALE Warning has been issued for the waters around Point Conception and south to San Nicolas Island as well as across the entirety of the Santa Barbara Channel Friday afternoon into the late night hours. Along with hazardous seas, winds up to 40 kts are possible. Localized GALE force wind gusts are possible for the nearshore waters along the Central Coast Friday afternoon (PZZ645).
Small Craft Advisory (SCA) level winds will linger for much of the time across the outer waters and portions of the inner waters thru Saturday night. Thereafter, conditions generally look to remain below SCA criteria through mid-week.
For the waters adjacent to Los Angeles and Orange counties, high confidence in widespread SCA level NW to W winds Friday afternoon through evening, including nearshore (specifically Long Beach & northward). There is a fairly high chance for GALE force winds near Anacapa Island during this period. Thereafter, conditions generally look to remain below SCA criteria through mid-week.
Seas will be large and very choppy, with seas peaking between 8 and 12 feet for the Outer Waters and nearshore Central Coast waters, and 5 to 8 feet for the inner waters south of Point Conception, highest in the Santa Barbara Channel.
Consider adjusting any plans or remaining in safe harbor on Friday when conditions are forecast to be the worst.
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.LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA...Wind Advisory remains in effect from 3 PM Friday to 5 AM PDT Saturday for zones 349-351-352. (See LAXNPWLOX). Wind Advisory in effect from 8 PM Friday to 5 AM PDT Saturday for zones 378-381-383. (See LAXNPWLOX). PZ...Small Craft Advisory in effect until 3 AM PDT Saturday for zone 645. (See LAXMWWLOX). Small Craft Advisory in effect until 2 PM PDT Friday for zones 650-673-676. (See LAXMWWLOX). Gale Warning in effect from 2 PM Friday to 3 AM PDT Saturday for zones 650-673-676. (See LAXMWWLOX). Small Craft Advisory in effect from 11 AM to 11 PM PDT Friday for zone 655. (See LAXMWWLOX). Small Craft Advisory in effect until 3 AM PDT Sunday for zone 670. (See LAXMWWLOX).
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PUBLIC...jld/cc AVIATION...Phillips/Black MARINE...Black SYNOPSIS...jld/Ciliberti
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Experimental Graphical Hazardous Weather Outlook at: https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=lox
NWS LOX Office Area Forecast Discussion