STORM TO BRING LIGHT RAIN TO REGION TODAY, TUESDAY

A weak Pacific storm that passed through San Francisco on Sunday will drop into Southern California early today and drop up to 0.40 inches of rain along the coast by Tuesday afternoon and twice that amount, or more, in the mountains, says the National Weather Service.

The system, which formed in the Gulf of Alaska, also will bring unusually cold air to the region. Forecasters say San Diego’s daytime high will only reach the 60 to 62 degree range today and Tuesday and the mountains will be in the 30s and 40s.

It appears that the system could provide a dusting of snow to the peaks of Palomar Mountain and Mount Laguna.

“We’re going to have light showers in the morning on Monday and there will be a chance for more the rest of the day,” said forecaster Bruno Rodriguez. “There will be a break in the rain on Tuesday morning. But there’s potential for more rain in the afternoon.”

The storm also will produce winds that could gust to 35 mph on Monday along Interstate 8 east of Alpine.

Rodriguez says the system “is typical for late April and will buy us a couple of weeks (when it comes to wildfire danger).”

Since the rainy season began on Oct. 1, San Diego International Airport has recorded 4.38 inches of precipitation. That’s 5.49 inches below average.

A high-pressure system will move in on Wednesday, lifting temperatures into the upper 60s and possibly low 70s at and near the coast. It’ll get even warmer on Thursday, when inland areas could hit the upper 80s.