Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Laguna Beach, CA

DISCUSSION
FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE...
SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES...

Good clearing has continued across most of the area this evening.
Looking at recent satellite data, a patch of leftover stratocumulus has persisted against the coastal slopes of south San Diego County, while patchy marine layer stratus has developed along the southern San Diego coast. Eastern valleys and the coastal foothills will continue to clear tonight, and as they do the mountain areas could cool enough that a drainage wind develops.
This could push the marine layer back offshore for a couple of hours, as suggested by some of the high resolution models, but stratus will redevelop and/or continue to expand into coastal regions and then western valleys by early Tuesday morning. Clouds will clear out for the most part between 9 and 10 AM Tuesday, with much clearer skies through the rest of the day, though some scattered cumulus could pop up over the mountains as the afternoon progresses.

PREV DISCUSSION
issued 148 PM PDT Mon Apr 14 2025...

The clouds over the coastal basin are slowly and gradually dissipating under the spring sunshine this afternoon as a low pressure trough takes its sweet time exiting our region. Skies will eventually clear, before a new, lower marine layer rebuilds.
This will be a more typical, stable marine layer (unlike this morning's) with coastal low clouds along with fog along the inland extent of the cloud deck in western valleys tonight into Tuesday.
A weak high pressure ridge aloft will bring warmer and sunnier weather Tuesday. A weak low develops over the region within the longwave ridge over the West Wednesday through Friday. It is so weak, it will simply cap the warming trend and deepen our marine layer, extending coastal clouds farther inland each night and morning. Typical springtime onshore winds will shoot through mountain gaps into deserts each afternoon and evening. Isolated gusts should exceed 40 mph, but do not appear hazardous for now.
For next weekend, we're watching a trough of low pressure, very much like the one we had go through our region last weekend. Model guidance is coming into better agreement, and there is more certainty than usual about the overall pattern five to seven days out. Details are still uncertain on timing, precipitation, if any, and wind strength. More certain is that it will be cooler, cloudier and breezier. Precip and wind details should be coming into greater focus in the next few days. At the moment, the best chance of showers appears to be Saturday night through Sunday.
Enjoy the spring weather pattern that's quite seasonal as we head into May, but then prepare for cooler, breezier, and probably wetter weather next weekend.

AVIATION
290400Z
Coasts/Valleys
Areas of BKN-OVC clouds with variable bases 1700-4000 ft MSL will continue through 07Z Tue, then the areas of clouds will shift to coastal areas with bases 1500-2000 ft MSL 07Z-17Z Tue. Most VIS will be unrestricted below the cloud bases.
BKN-OVC clouds will return to the coast after 00Z Wed with bases mostly 1500-2000 ft MSL.

Mountains/Deserts...Local terrain obscurations will continue through 09Z Tue mainly on the coastal slopes in San Diego and Riverside County. Local gusts 25-35 kt from the west will return late Mon afternoon/evening through mountain passes and along the desert mountain slopes. Otherwise, mostly clear skies with unrestricted VIS will prevail through Tue evening.

MARINE
No hazardous marine conditions are expected through Friday. Stronger winds will develop over the coastal waters this weekend, with highest winds Saturday night and Sunday. There is a 30 percent chance of gale force winds in the outer coastal waters Saturday night and Sunday.

BEACHES
Elevated surf of 3 to 6 feet with sets to 7 feet will occur through Wednesday. Highest surf will occur on south facing beaches. Strong rip currents are expected. A Beach Hazards Statement is in effect through Wednesday evening for the elevated surf.

SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
CA...Beach Hazards Statement through Wednesday evening for Orange County Coastal Areas.

PZ...None.