Rain clouds off Del Mar
Rain clouds and drizzle over the Pacific Ocean off Del Mar. File photo by Chris Jennewein

A low-pressure system over the Western United States will bring patchy drizzle to coastal San Diego late Thursday and gusty winds to the county mountains and deserts.

The National Weather Service office in San Diego said the system “will bring stronger onshore flow into Friday which will spread cooling inland and bring periods of stronger and gusty southwest to west winds in the mountains and deserts.”

The agency issued a wind advisory that will be in effect from 4 p.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Friday for the mountains and the deserts. Wind speeds are expected to range from 20 to 30 mph with gusts of 50 mph possible.

But along the coast, it will be cool with patchy drizzle and even a chance of rain.

“The marine layer will deepen with patchy drizzle and a chance of light showers for late tonight into Friday morning,” the weather service said.

Highs on Thursday will be 65 to 70 near the coast, 70 inland, 72 to 77 in the valleys and 72 to 82 in the mountains.

Chris Jennewein is founder and senior editor of Times of San Diego.