Warmer Days Expected, Replacing Showers, Winds

Moderate showers and gusty winds will move out of the San Fernando Valley by late afternoon today, giving way to partly cloudy skies and warmer temperatures through Friday, a weather forecaster said Sunday.

“A cold front will be moving through the region and as it goes by, you can expect wind gusts of up to 35 mph and rain,� said Kevin Stenson, a meteorologist at WeatherData Inc., which provides forecast information to The Times.

“The cold front will cool things down a bit, but it should be pretty nice through the end of the week,� Stenson said.

Today’s high temperatures are expected to be in the upper 50s to low 60s throughout the Valley, with lows in the mid-50s, Stenson said.

Highs will reach 62 in Chatsworth and Burbank, 61 in Woodland Hills and 60 in Van Nuys today. Overnight lows will be 50 in Chatsworth, Burbank and Van Nuys, and 51 in Woodland Hills.

For Tuesday through Friday, Stenson said, a high-pressure system will build up over the Valley, causing mostly sunny skies with scattered clouds during the day.

High temperatures are expected to be in the low to mid-60s, with lows in the mid-40s to low 50s Tuesday throughout the Valley.

Temperatures will be slightly warmer Wednesday through Friday, with highs expected to be in the mid- to upper 60s. Lows will continue to be in the mid-40s to low 50s, he said.

Despite the favorable weather conditions expected for this week, Stenson warned that the storm season in Southern California is far from over.

“Although it’s been somewhat drier than what is expected so far, the El Nino period will last a couple of months, through March,� he said.