Last Wave Of Massive Pacific Storm System Tapering Off In San Diego Area

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego

January 16, 2023

A powerful Pacific storm will continue to bring widespread rain, mountain snow and strong winds to San Diego County through Tuesday with the heaviest activity on Monday morning.

“A pair of low-pressure systems will continue precipitation into Tuesday with strong gusty southwest to west winds in the mountains and deserts,” the National Weather Service said.

“Mostly light rainfall will continue into this morning with hourly rainfall rates of one-tenth to one-quarter inch per hour.” the agency said. “The precipitation will become more showery for this afternoon into Tuesday.”

The rain left its mark Sunday, though not nearly as acute as the impact on Northern California throughout the week. Local first responders dealt with a number of incidents, though, including flooding in Bonsall, Spring Valley, Mission Valley and the Tijuana River Valley, in addition to downed trees and power lines.

Most areas of San Diego have recorded heavy rainfall over the past two days. Totals through 5:30 a.m. Monday range from 1.64 inches in Chula Vista to 2.27 inches at San Diego International Airport, 3.44 inches in Encinitas, 4.81 inches in Escondido, 3.89 inches in Barona, 5.83 inches in Julian and a whopping 9.71 inches at the Palomar Observatory.

The San Diego River at Fashion Valley is expected to reach flood stage Monday morning. Roads that will likely be impacted are Fashion Valley Road, Avenida Del Rio, Camino Del Este, Camino De La Reina and Mission Center Road.

High temperatures on Monday are forecast to be around 61 along the coast, 59 in thewestern valleys, 52 to 56 near the foothills, 46 to 53 in the mountains and 64 to 69 in the deserts.

At the beaches, the high surf will subside a bit Monday, then build again overnight and continue Tuesday with waves up to 10 feet.

The region is expected to dry out on Wednesday, with no precipitation through the weekend.

City News Service contributed to this article.

Times of San Diego is an independent online news site covering the San Diego metropolitan area. Our journalists report on politics, crime, business, sports, education, arts, the military and everyday life in San Diego. No subscription is required, and you can sign up for a free daily newsletter with a summary of the latest news.