SAN DIEGO - A powerful autumn storm drenched the region Monday, bringing plenty of much-needed rain -- including a record amount at Lindbergh Field -- along with mountain snow, tree-toppling high winds and some typical rainy-day commuter chaos.
The blustery front was "different from the weak systems we've been having," according to National Weather Service forecaster Noel Isla.
"This is a good one," Isla said.
Storms frequently weaken by the time they reach the region, but this one made a "direct hit" on Southern California, which often gets only the tail end of inclement weather systems, Isla noted.
By 4 p.m., the dark clouds had dropped 1.38 inches of rain at Lindbergh Field, topping the previous record for a Dec. 7 of 1.15 inches, set in 1992, the NWS reported.
Over a 24-hour period ending at 5 p.m., the storm dropped 4.29 inches of precipitation in the Cuyamaca area, 3.77 inches in Agua Caliente, 3.06 in Julian, 2.46 in Santa Ysabel, 1.99 in Kearny Mesa, 1.9 at Brown Field, 1.86 in Bonita, 1.59 in Poway, 1.51 at Rincon Springs, 1.09 in Encinitas and 0.62 in Ramona, the NWS reported.
The East County highlands went white with blankets of snow that accumulated throughout the day. The frozen drifts were expected to extend down to altitudes around 4,500 feet.
The snow meant a business boost for the Laguna Mountain Lodge and owner Tom McWay who told San Diego 6, "Snow is like a magnet for people, especially the first few snows of the year because it's been a year since they've seen it"
But the commute to get up to the mountains is an especially difficult one, with the storm creating very dangerous conditions on the roads.
"It was actually pretty scary," said Clairemont resident Kyle Node. "We hit a lot of parts where you could only see five feet. It's raining, dark, snowing, the winds kicking around at a good 40 miles per hour, throwing the car all over the place"
The showers had immediate and all-too-predictable impacts on local traffic. Between midnight and 5 p.m., the California Highway Patrol logged 391 accidents in the San Diego area, as compared with the 50-75 collisions the agency typically responds to during an entire day of dry weather.
CHP Officer Officer Brian Pennings says the bad economy could also be to blame for some collisons.
"A lot of people have let certain mechanical factors fall by the wayside, for instance windshield wipers or headlights or tail lights," explains Pennings who says the biggest problem is worn tires. "Its a lot cheaper to maintain your vehicle in good solid mechanical condition than it is to replace your car -- or maybe somebody else's."
All vehicles heading up the mountain were required to put on snow chains and beware of plows.
The stiff winds and downpours also flooded roadways, downed trees and contributed to power outages that left tens of thousands of homes and businesses without electricity over the day, officials said.
The NWS scheduled a high wind warning from 3 p.m. to midnight in coastal and valley areas, and from 3 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday in the mountains and deserts.
Due to potential pollution hazards from runoff, the county Department of Environmental Health issued a routine ocean-contamination warning, advising people to stay out of the surf for at least 72 hours following showers.
The storm will move out of the area Tuesday, but more rain clouds could arrive Thursday or Friday, according to the weather service.
Tree Down
A large tree in Balboa Park came crashing down onto Park Boulevard Monday evening.
The tree landed on a couple of parked cars, and blocked traffic on the southbound side of the street.
Police and fire crews used several chainsaws to cut the tree apart and clear the road.
Power Outages
Strong winds are blamed for knocking down power lines, leaving an estimated 43,000 SDG&E customers without service. Click the related link to see the affected areas and how long the outage is expected to last.
In La Jolla, fallen power lines sparked a small fire Monday afternoon, in the 7000 block of Vista Del Mar Avenue. The wires fell onto a house. SDG&E and fire crews responded, to put out a small fire in the garage of the home.
The street was blocked off while crews worked. No injuries were reported.
Nearby at Windansea, the wind brought down trees, splitting one on Nautilus Street in half. Debris littering the roads made driving difficult in the coastal areas.
Road Closings
The San Diego Department of Public Works is using their
Twitter account to keep San Diegans informed of road closings due to the storm. Some of their recent tweets include:
- Dehesa Rd CLOSED at Wilson Rd - 2 large eucalyptus trees down, opening not expected until Tuesday. Sycuan Casino accessible from west end
- Dehesa Road CLOSED from Tavern Rd. Not expected to reopen until Tuesday.
- Bonsall: Huffstatler CLOSED at dip, 2 trees down on Olive Hill, DPW crews responding. 4S: Campania flooded and CLOSED Palomar: snow quit
- Quarry Road remains CLOSED at the dip. Flooding / pumping on Hazelhurst Ct,
- DPW ROADS UPDATE: Chains required on Sunrise Hwy, snow level at 4500', 6" above 6000' Snow changing to rain, into slush. Plowing ongoing
- Jamul: Jefferson Road between Lyons Valley & Olive Vista is CLOSED due to flooding.
Flight Delays
The bad weather is leading to flight delays. If you're flying out of Lindbergh Field, be sure to check your flight on their Flight Tracker. Just click on the related link.
Pollution Warning
SAN DIEGO - An influx of rain-driven sewage from the Tijuana River prompted an ocean-pollution alert Monday for a stretch of coastline from the U.S.-Mexico border to Coronado, authorities reported.
The contamination -- a frequent result of precipitation in the far southwestern reaches of the San Diego region -- has been carried northward by sea currents since this week's showers began, according to the county Department of Environmental Health.
Signs warning of sewage pollution will stand on the affected beaches until follow-up testing deems them safe again for recreational uses.
