Lightning Lights Up San Diego County Skies

SAN DIEGO - An autumn storm delivered underwhelming rainfall amounts to the San Diego area Monday but did create some excitement in the form of spectacular lightning displays.

Slow-motion video captures lightning storm from a road in San Diego, California. pic.twitter.com/d4xtBGcvQ9
— ABC News (@ABC) October 25, 2016

The potential for lightning prompted the National Weather Service to issue an early morning hazards statement for the region's beaches, where the risks were the most pronounced.

By early Monday evening, the NWS had recorded 124 lightning strikes in the county. No injuries were reported, though one of the flashing bolts set a tree on fire in the area of Eighth Street in Rainbow about 3:15 p.m., and another struck next to buildings on the grounds of Army and Navy Academy in Carlsbad around 7:30 a.m.

What a great #lightning show this morning between Carlsbad and Encinitas @NWSSanDiego pic.twitter.com/TfDiDsJlYy
— Alex Tardy Skiwxman (@SanDiegoWCMwx) October 24, 2016

Lightning sensors detected a total of 1,080 flashes and strikes in San Diego County, according to the National Weather Service.

Here is a graphical depiction of lightning detected in Southern California yesterday. #CAWX pic.twitter.com/b17ovP635K
— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) October 25, 2016

The intermittent showers dropped no more than a few hundredths of an inch of moisture in most areas. However, a few locales received more significant precipitation during the 24-hour period ending at 5:40 p.m., including the Las Flores area, with 0.35 of an inch; Oak Grove, 0.29; and Fallbrook, 0.22.

The cloudbursts and lightning likely will weaken and dwindle out entirely overnight, NWS meteorologist Brett Albright said.

Mostly sunny and warmer weather was expected to prevail over the next several days as atmospheric high pressure rebuilds. Another low-pressure system will bring cooler and cloudier weather with a chance of more rain later in the week.

- City New Service / Image via Shutterstock