INLAND EMPIRE METRO: Partly cloudy but clearing Saturday night. A slight 10% chance of an afternoon shower. Little temperature change. Highs from the mid 90s to around 100. Daybreak lows about 71.

MOUNTAINS: Partly cloudy but mostly sunny on Sunday. A chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Resort-level highs from 82 into the 90s.

DESERTS: A chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday afternoon through Saturday evening. Otherwise partly cloudy with highs through Saturday from the mid 90s to 104. Warmer Sunday.

BEACHES: Partly cloudy with patchy overnight fog becoming mostly sunny Sunday. Highs in the mid 70s. Surf 1-4 feet. Water 59-74.

SUMMARY: August weather will pick-up where July leaves off.

• KEY POINTS
Scattered showers and thunderstorms in the mountains, deserts and far inland valleys Friday through Saturday.
• Drier conditions and a warming trend Sunday through the middle of next week.
• Flash Flood Watch Friday afternoon through Saturday night for the eastern Mojave Desert

Afternoon thunderheads may loom large over the mountains and deserts but there’s only a small chance they’ll produce rain. An ongoing influx of monsoonal moisture could create isolated showers and thunderstorms for the next several days.

The atmosphere may dry a tad allowing temperatures to rise a few notches beginning Sunday into the opening week of August.