Your SoCal Weather Report For Friday, August 23: Cool down brings pleasant weekend weather

Happy Friday! You've made it to the end of the week and just in time to enjoy that slight cool down across the Southland. Make some plans to go to the beach or a nice hike, the weather just might be ideal for some outside activities.

The cool down is just beginning as temperatures are expected to fall through Saturday, with highs dropping 5 to 10 degrees below normal. Low clouds and some fog will continue to spread across the coasts and into some valleys. Sunday is when temperatures will begin to trend up and that is forecasted to last into the middle of next week.

Today temperatures will drop to 4 to 8 degrees below normal at the coasts, and 10 to 15 degrees below normal further inland. Expect daytime highs to be mostly in the 70s and 80s.

Inland coastal areas, including Hollywood, Downey and Beverly Hills, will be cloudy this morning. Highs will be in the mid 70s to lower 80s. In the evening, it will be mostly clear and then cloudy, with lows in the upper 50s to mid 60s.

In the eastern San Gabriel Mountain areas like Mount Baldy, Mount Wilson, and Wrightwood, it's going to be sunny today with highs from the 70s to around 80 at low elevations. At higher elevations it will be in the lower to mid 60s. At night it will be mostly clear. Lows will be in the upper 40s to mid 50s.

According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in the eastern valleys, mountains, and high desert are expected to be 6 to 12 degrees below average. Winds are likely to increase this afternoon and early evening through Saturday. The strongest winds will be in the northern Coachella Valley below the San Gorgonio Pass, with gusts 45 to 55 mph.

This day in history

On this day in 1856, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Japan caused rises in the San Diego Bay 12 feet over the high water mark.

Things to do

Temperatures are still supposed to be below normal today and tomorrow. Here's something to do Friday night that will help you take advantage of the weather:

• Nice Coffee Roasters 1 Year Anniversary Party + Amateur Latte Art Competition: Nice Coffee — 515 Flower St Suite 1960, Downtown L.A. — Nice Coffee Roasters is turning one year old and they're celebrating by hosting a latte art competition. It will be their first ever Amateur Latte Art Competition where home baristas and the coffee curious can pour head to head in a 16 person bracket with the chance to win a Baratza Encore ESP. If you work in coffee Nice asks you not to participate in this event, but to come cheer on, teach, and advise the amateur contestants. The event is tonight from 6pm until 10pm! No RSVP necessary but Nice wants a headcount, so go ahead and click that you're coming on their eventbrite page.

Check out our full list of things to do this weekend.