By Jim Purpura. Posted September 23, 2011, 9:41 AM.

Fall officially began at 2:04 am this Friday morning, but many typical summer weather patterns are still lingering.

You've probably noticed the longer nights being a bit cooler, even when the days are hot.

This is a time of transition, and contrast, in Southern California. Southern California natives know it's often the best time of the year to go to the beaches. The water is the warmest it will be all year - 65 to 70 degrees in most areas - and many of the tourists have left after Labor Day.

Inland, the first offshore winds are happening today and tomorrow morning near the east and northeast facing canyons. These light winds give a hint of things to come, as we approach Santa Ana season and cool air masses from the Great Plains and the Great Basin move back west into southern California.

Also today an area of low pressure is spinning off the coast. This is bringing high level unstable air - most noticeably visible as waves of mid clouds moving across the area. Some of these may develop into high based thunderstorms. While little rain may fall, strong gusty winds may be found near the storms. There is also a chance that cloud to ground lightning may ignite fires in dry vegetation. Yesterday, storms produced wind gusts to 44 and 51 mph near Sage in Riverside County, and blew a camper off a road in San Bernardino County.

Jim Purpura

Meteorologist, WeatherCurrents.com

jpurpura@weathercurrents.com