After a mostly dry February, the weather is expected to turn wet with scattered showers over the weekend and a substantial storm next week, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters say that a weak trough will move into San Diego County early Saturday, producing light showers through part of the morning and the evening. A second wave of showers is likely early Sunday.

Skies will briefly clear. But then a stronger system will drop into Southern California on Monday night, producing intermittent rain into Thursday.

“It looks like the heaviest rain will arrive on Tuesday and linger into Wednesday,” said Phil Gonsalves, a weather service forecaster. “We’re not expecting strong winds because the wind will be mostly out of the south and run parallel to the county.”


San Diego could get up to 1.15 inches of rain next week while Ramona and Escondido receive 1.5 to 2 inches. Forecasters say Alpine could get 2 to 2.5 inches and Julian and Mount Laguna could get drenched with 2.5 to 3 inches. Palomar Mountain is in line for 3 to 5 inches.

It appears that Sunday afternoon will be the best time to take a hike in San Diego County this weekend.

Inland areas will benefit from an atmospheric river — a plume of moisture that flows into the region from the southwest, forecasters say.

The pattern shift will also bring significantly colder temperatures. San Diego will only reach 61 degrees Saturday and 62 on Sunday. The seasonal average is 65. It will be slightly cooler in Ramona and other inland communities.

