Your SoCal weather report for Monday, July 29: Cooler weather

Good morning and happy Monday! This cooler weather is here to stay for a couple more days. Come Wednesday, though, expect a slow warming trend (so far forecasters are saying this will not be a heatwave).

In the forecast for the beaches — sunny skies for L.A. County beaches except for patchy fog through the morning for Orange County beaches. Daytime highs will reach up to 70 degrees for the beaches, up to 77 degrees for Long Beach and in the upper 70s for coastal valleys. In downtown L.A., expect a high of 82 degrees.

The valleys will see highs in the 80s with an exception of the western San Fernando Valley and Santa Clarita Valley, where the hottest areas will reach 92 degrees. In the Inland Empire, expect highs from 89 up to 97 degrees.

For the high desert, expect highs between 90 to 100 degrees, up to 109 degrees in the low desert.

There will be some gusty winds this afternoon for the Antelope Valley, foothills and the Highway 14 corridor. Forecasters say there will be a slow warming trend beginning Wednesday with a 1 to 3 degree warming everyday.

An air quality alert has been issued for Coachella Valley, where winds will blow dust particles and create poor air. These conditions will last until Wednesday.

This day in history

On this day in1954, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was first published.

Things to do

• Melon Tasting Tours: It’s melon season! Taste all kinds of melons from canaries to cantaloupes, honeydews to yellow watermelons at Tanaka Farms. The one-hour-fifteen-minute tour includes a guided wagon ride on the 30-acre farm, a stop to harvest a seasonal vegetable, and samples of squash and melon of all kinds.

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