Sunshine and Warmer Temperatures Ahead

Mostly sunny skies are expected this week in Southern California, thanks to a breakdown in the El Nino weather pattern, forecasters said.

“There’s an area of high pressure, which has taken control of most of the West Coast, and this is deflecting the storm track mostly to the north around the Pacific Northwest,” said Wes Etheredge, a meteorologist with WeatherData Inc., which provides forecast information to The Times.

Today’s forecast calls for morning fog across the Valley and temperatures in the low- to mid-50s to give way to partly cloudy skies with afternoon highs ranging from the high-60s to low-70s, Etheredge said.

Morning lows are expected to be 50 in Chatsworth, 52 in Woodland Hills and 53 in Burbank and Van Nuys.

Today’s high temperatures are expected to be 71 in Woodland Hills and Chatsworth, 70 in Van Nuys and 68 in Burbank.

Areas of low clouds and fog are expected early Tuesday before giving way to sunny skies by late morning. Lows are expected to range from the high-40s to low-50s with afternoon highs in the mid- to upper-70s.

Mostly sunny skies and warmer temperatures are forecast for Wednesday, with lows in the low- to mid-50s and highs in the high-70s to low-80s.

Slightly cooler temperatures, as a result of low morning clouds, are forecast for Thursday and Friday.

For both days, morning lows will be in the upper-40s to low-50s, giving way to highs in the upper-60s to low-70s.