SLO County weather forecast for the week of Aug. 29

Here is this week’s weather forecast by PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey.

A change in the weather pattern will occur Monday as a ridge of high pressure builds over California. This condition will produce gentle to moderate (8 to 18 mph) Santa Lucia (northeasterly) winds during the night and morning hours throughout the Central Coast.

The afternoon hours will see strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph) northwesterly winds along the coastline. Farther inland, these afternoon winds will be weaker at moderate to fresh (13 to 24 mph) levels and out of west. These Santa Lucia winds will continue to keep the marine layer out to sea, leaving behind mostly clear to hazy skies throughout the Central Coast.

A cooling trend is anticipated toward the middle and latter part of the week, as a few weak low-pressure systems slide across the north. The passing systems will give persistent northwesterly (onshore) winds during the night and morning hours, which will allow marine low clouds to return along the coastline. However, strong to gale-force afternoon northwesterly winds will continue along the coastline through Saturday.

Surf Report

Strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph) northwesterly winds will generate a 4- to 6-foot northwesterly (320-degree, deep-water) sea and swell (with a 5- to 9-second period) on Monday, increasing to 5 to 7 feet (with a 4- to 7-second period) Tuesday. This northwesterly sea and swell will decrease to 4 to 6 feet (with a 4- to 7-second period) Wednesday into Sunday.

Seawater temperatures

Seawater temperatures will range between 53 to 57 degrees into Monday, decreasing to 52 and 55 degrees Tuesday into Sunday.

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This week’s PG&E safety tip: According to Cal Fire, nearly 90 percent of all wildfires in California are caused by people when they are engaged in routine activities. Use lawn mowers before 10 a.m. and never operate a mower when it’s windy or excessively dry. And use spark arrestors for all portable gas-powered equipment including tractors, chainsaws, weed eaters and mowers.

This story was originally published August 28, 2016 at 6:04 PM with the headline "SLO County weather forecast for the week of Aug. 29."