Winter Storm Dumps Snow On San Diego County's Mountains

JULIAN, CA – A winter storm that dumped several inches of snow on San Diego County's mountain communities overnight forced the closure of schools in five school districts Tuesday, county education officials said.

Classes were cancelled Tuesday at campuses in the Julian Union School District, Julian Union High School District, Mountain Empire Unified School District, Spencer Valley School District and Warner Unified School District, according to Music Watson, spokeswoman for the San Diego County Office of Education.

Up to 8 inches of snow was expected at Mt. Laguna and other top- elevation locations in the mountains, while 3 to 4 inches was expected to accumulate in Julian, according to the National Weather Service. The snow prompted the NWS to issue a winter storm warning that covered Julian and Pine Valley.

The winter storm warning -- signifying severe winter weather, heavy snow and hazardous travel conditions -- went into effect at 7 p.m. Monday and was due to expire at 10 Tuesday evening, according to the NWS. The weather service urged drivers to use extra caution while traveling and to be alert for areas of low visibility.

"If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency," the NWS warned.

By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock