Another Winter Storm Brings Rain, Snow To San Diego County

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — The second late-January winter storm to arrive in the San Diego area brought more downpours, mountain snow and high winds to the region Monday.

As of late Monday morning, the inclement conditions had delivered up to half an inch of precipitation along the coast, nearly an inch in the inland valleys, more than 1.5 inches in parts of the East County highlands and two- fifths of an inch in the deserts, according to the National Weather Service.

Topping the 24-hour rainfall tallies as of 8:45 a.m. were Mesa Grande, with 1.56 inches; Henshaw Dam, 1.52; Pine Hills, 1.5; Descanso, 1.11; and Santa Ysabel, 1.07, the NWS reported.

Among local snowfall totals were 7 inches in Warner Springs, 5 inches in the Palomar Mountain area and 1 inch in Ranchita.

Across the county, isolated periods of heavy showers, small hail and lightning will occur over the day, possibly creating scattered and mild urban flooding, the weather service reported.

The storm created some public-works problems across the region, including a flooded freeway ramp on southbound Interstate 805 to state Route 52 in University City, shortly before 6 a.m.; a large downed tree across the roadway on East Grade Road at Conifer Road in Pauma Valley, about 8 a.m.; and another toppled tree blocking traffic lanes at Muir College Drive and North Torrey Pines Road in La Jolla, about 7:30 a.m., California Highway Patrol reported.

Travel impacts were expected to be severe along Interstate 8 in the East County highlands due to snow and ice, while the blustery conditions will likely be most intense in coastal communities, with sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph, and gusts up to 50 mph or even higher, meteorologists advised.

The NWS has issued a winter-storm watch that will remain in effect through Monday evening in the East County highlands, a high-surf advisory until 6 p.m. Tuesday in local coastal areas and a gale warning through 10 p.m. Tuesday for ocean waters from San Mateo Point to the Mexican border.

The unsettled atmospheric pattern is expected to move out of the area Monday evening, ushering in several days of dry conditions in advance of yet another storm expected to move over the San Diego area Thursday night or Friday, according to the NWS.

— City News Service