By Miriam Raftery

August 22, 2020 (San Diego’s East County)  -- The monsoon season is here – with mountain thunderstorms expected each afternoon through Monday with brief heavy rain, small hail, lightning and strong erratic winds.  There is also a potential for flash flooding today and tomorrow across our inland region, as this map shows.

While thousands of lightning strikes across northern and central California have caused major wildfires,  Southern California has also had numerous lightning strikes, as the Earth Network image sent by the National Weather Service shows for Friday, Aug. 21:

East County News Service

August 17, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – Cool zones adapted to COVID-19 public health protections have been opened at eight county libraries across San Diego’s inland region during the current extreme heat conditions.  The locations are open from 12 noon to 5 p.m.Mondays through Friday (except the Borrego Springs location, which is also open weekends). 

Masks and social distancing are required by all visitors and staff.  Temperature checks are also required before entering a cool zone and time limits may be imposed due to limited capacity. No animals are permitted, except for service animals. Below is the full list of county cool zones:

By Miriam Raftery

June 30, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – The weather will be warming up over the Fourth of July weekend. But before you head to the beach, be aware that elevated surf is forecast to generate strong rip currents that will be hazardous to swimmers this weekend and next week.

On Sunday and Monday,  breezy winds, warmer conditions and low relative humidity will create elevated fire weather conditions, says meteorologist Casey Oswant with the National Weather Service. The conditions are “favorable for fast-moving grass fires,” Oswant cautions.

East County News Service

May 5, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) -- The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat waring for San Diego County deserts, where dangerously hot temperatures of 103 to 108 degrees are forecast each afternoon this week. In addition, a  heat advisory is in effect local valleys including the cities of Escondido, El Cajon, San Marcos, La Mesa, Santee, and Poway today through Friday.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos: Alex Tardy, National Weather Service

March 11, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – A pair of storms are forecast to bring heavy rain this week and next, with snow dropping to 3,000 feet by next week.  Flash floods, lightning and mudslides may also occur.

February 26, 2020 -- A high wind warning is in effect until 4 p.m. for San Diego's mountains and inland valleys. A wind gust of 106 miles per hour was measured early this morning at Sill Hill in East County--possibly the highest ever recorded in our county, the Natioal Weather Service reports.  Gusts up to 75 mph with sustained winds of 30-40 mph are forecast for today. 

The National Weather Service issued this specific warning: "Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. Power outages are possible. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles." 

SDG&E's outage map at https://www.sdge.com/residential/customer-service/outage-center/outage-map  reports numerous outages have already occurred across our mountain and rural areas this morning. You can view estimated restoration times on the map.

By Miriam Raftery

January 29, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for San Diego County’s inland region. The advisory is in effect from 4 p.m. today through 12 noon on Friday for San Diego’s mountains and valleys, with gusts up to 55 miles per hour forecast. In local desert areas, the wind advisory is in effect from 10 a.m. today to 6 p.m. tonight.

In addition to potentially damaging winds, the forecast also includes elevated surf at beaches with waves up to six feet, and a warming trend through the week with temperatures rising into the 80s by the weekend.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left via CHP:  I-8 closed due to snow

Photo, right: Julian snow, via Visit Julian webcam

December 26, 2019 (San Diego’s East County)—Travelers are encountering road closures on several major highways this morning due to heavy snowfall:

•  I-8 is closed west of Willows Road in Alpine to the Imperial Highway in Imperial County due to heavy snow, with collisions reported and some motorists attempting to run through roadblocks. 
• On State Route 94 at Otay Lakes Rd., flooding has reportedly halted traffic on both sides of the rushing waters one to two feet deep.
• CHP has shut down  Highway 78 at State Route 79 into Julian; traffic to Julian is reportedly gridlocked according to CHP. The road may reopen soon with chain controls in effect.
• Just north of San Diego County, travelers should be aware that the Cajon Pass on I-15 and the Grapevine on I-5 are both shut down due to heavy snow.
  

East County News Service

December 17, 2019 (San Diego's East County)--A high wind warning is in effect for local mountains through 10 p.m. tonight. Gusts of up to 70 miles an hour in mountain areas.  A wind advisory is also in effect for inland valleys, where gusts up to 50 mph are forecast due to strong Santa Ana winds blowing east/northeast.

Driving may be hazardous, especially for high profile vehicles and blowing dust may reduce visibility. Area residents are advised to secure loose objects around homes.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left by Robert Scheid:  Snow falls along I-8 near the Sunrise Highway exit

November 28, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – It’s a white Christmas across East County’s mountains and rural areas. Snow is falling along Interstate 8 east of Alpine.

A blanket of snow covers the Cuyamaca area, Cal Trans reports on Twitter.  In Warner Springs, chains or snow tires are required, with two inches of snow on Chihuahua Valley Road, NBC 7 reports. Snow is heavy in the Julian area, leaving some residents snowed in, sources told ECM.

By Miriam Raftery

November 23, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – If you’re heading over the rivers and through the woods this Thanksgiving week, you might just wind up traveling through white and drifted snow, as the popular song lyrics go—not to mention rain and flash flooding, too, making for hazardous roadway conditions across southern California, the National Weather Service warns.

The National Weather Service predicts a major winter storm will bring significant snowfall of one to two feet above 5,000 feet by Wednesday, with the snow level dropping to 3,000 feet or even lower by Friday.  Snow could impact I-8 through San Diego County’s mountains, as well as areas such as Cuyamaca, Julian, Jacumba Hot Springs, Descanso, Mount Laguna and Palomar Mountain locally, as well as the Cajon Pass on I-15 for those heading north.

By Miriam Raftery

November 18, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -- The first winter storm will impact southern California Tuesday through Thursday, says Alex Tardy with the National Weather Service.

A cold upper level storm will interact with tropical moisture on Tuesday bringing precipitation. The cold air from this northern stream storm will arrive early Wednesday and allow snow to develop in the mountains.

October 28, 2019  (San Diego) --- The National Weather Service has issued a red flag alert, warning of extremely critical fire weather conditions arriving Tuesday night and continuing through Thursday afernoon.  This has potential to be the strongest Santa Ana wind event so far this season, the NWS predicts.

October 21 (San Diego) -- San Diego’s backcountry is expected to experience Santa Ana winds Monday and Tuesday (Oct. 20-22), winds expected to peak on Monday in the 30-40 miles per hour range.  The utility has warned 1,032 customers that it may need to turn off power for safety in these communities:

• Boulder Creek
• Boulevard
• Cameron
• Crestwood
• La Posta
• Valley Center East
• Viejas

(A map of the areas that could potentially be affected is posted at sdge.com/ready.)

By Miriam Raftery

September 16, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – An increased potential for fire starts today in the San Diego region. The National Weather Service is warning the there is a chance of dry lightning, with relative humidity that could fall below 20 percent this afternoon.