Weather

Weather

STRONG EL NINO THIS WINTER COULD RIVAL HISTORIC WET WINTERS

 

East County News Service

September 30, 2015 (San Diego)—The Federal government’s Western Regional Climate Center is predicting with 92% certainty a strong El Niño from December to February.  Additionally, forecasters say there is a 50% chance that winter precipitation totals will be in the top 33% of historic values across Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH MONDAY AND TUESDAY FOR MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS

 

East County News Service

File photo: Flooded road in Pine Valley, by Alex Tardy, National Weather Service

September 20, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch, cautioning that heavy rainfall and flash flooding is possible from Monday afternoon through Tuesday in San Diego’s eastern mountains and deserts.

Rainfall could exceed two inches in mountains and could top an inch in the deserts.  Recent wildfire burned areas will be particularly susceptible to flash flooding and debris flows.

STORM BREAKS RECORDS

 

East County News Service

The National Weather Service reports that Tuesday’s storm, remnants of Hurricane Linda that drenched our region, has broken rainfall records.

Lindbergh Field got 1.21 inches of rain on Tuesday alone, breaking the previous record for September 14th set 109 years ago – and that old record was just over a tenth of an inch.Tuesday was also the second wettest day in September ever.

COOLER TEMPERATURES AND WET WEATHER FORECAST

 

 

East County News Service

Photo by Alex Tardy, National Weather Service forecaster

September 13, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--If you’re looking to beat the heat, here’s some news you can use.

Cooler weather is coming to our region, with the remnants of Hurricane Linda  forecast to bring showers starting Monday night through Wednesday. Over an inch of rain could fall in the mountain areas.

HURRICANE KATHLEEN ANNIVERSARY: A LOOK BACK AT THE WORST STORM EVER TO HIT OUR REGION

 

By Miriam Raftery – Photo by Jim Larson, Caltrans

September 8, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--Exactly 39 years ago this week, Hurricane Kathleen struck our region – the most powerful tropical cylone ever to hit San Diego and Imperial Counties. With another powerful storm, Hurricane Linda, set to sock our region starting Wednesday, it’s worth remembering just how much devastation was wrought the last such storm set to hit the identical area, on the very same day of the year.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH ISSUED AS HEAVY RAINS FROM HURRICANE LINDA HIT EAST COUNTY

 

Some dangerous road conditions are reported across region

East County News Service

Photo by Paul Cummings: View from Mt. Laguna looking south at 1:30 p.m.

September 8, 2015 (San Diego’s East County ) – The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for San Diego County’s mountains, lower and upper deserts in effect now through Thursday.

Tropical moisture is building across the region, bringing thunderstorms , locally heavy rainfall and flash flooding possible.  Heavy rain and flooding are reported currently in Boulevard and Pine Valley, the CHP website reports.  A mudslide is reported on San Felipe Road 2 miles south of State Route 79, blocking the roadway.

STORMY WEATHER TO RETURN

 

 

East County News Service

Photo credit: NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)

September 7, 2015 (San Diego's East County) --Thunderstorms erupted Monday over the San Diego County mountains and drifted into the deserts, where strong slow-moving cells produced 1-2" of rain in an hour. Flash flooding was reported in the San Diego County deserts on Hwy 78 and Highway S2.

Thunderstorms are likely to form again Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons in the mountains and deserts, the National Weather Service predicts. Heavy rains with any slow moving thunderstorms may produce flash flooding over the mountain areas and the lower deserts, as well as debris flows.

WET WINTER ON THE WAY

 

By Tasha Matthews

August, 17, 2015 (San Diego)—National Weather Service forecasters are predicting a wet winter in San Diego due to the probability of a strong El Niño, perhaps the strongest since records began in 1950.

An El Niño occurs as a result of warming ocean surface waters which release heat into the atmosphere over the Pacific, creating a chain reaction that can result in cloud formation, storms and heavy rainfall.

EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING ISSUED FOR WEEKEND

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

August 13, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) –The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for San Diego County deserts and a heat advisory for mountain and valley areas. 

The warning and advisory are in effect from Friday at 1 p.m. to Monday at 9 p.m. Temperatures are forecast to reach 116 in Borrego Springs, 105 in Campo, 104 in Ramona, 102 in Alpine and 100 in El Cajon, shattering prior records.

HEAT WAVE, POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS, AND METEOR SHOWERS THIS WEEK

 

August 9, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) –  A heat wave is forecast to hit our region starting mid-week, with heat advisories possible by week’s end.  A high pressure system could bring temperatures above 100 degrees in inland valleys as well as deserts.

FROM THE FIRE CHIEF'S CORNER: WE'VE SEEN FIRE AND WE'VE SEEN RAIN - AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE!

 

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

July 29, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) --We feel the impact every day. Warm temperatures and lack of rain continue to increased drought conditions. With greater evaporation, particularly during the summer and fall, this will and is exacerbating drought conditions resulting in an extremely high increase of wildfires. Fires are spreading at a phenomenal rate of spread. A deadly and disastrous rate that impacts us all!

EMERGENCY CENTER OPENS IN RAMONA

 

July 28, 2015 (Ramona) - If you suffered damage from flooding, mudslides and heavy rain during the storm July 18 and 19, the County has set up a Local Assistance Center at the Ramona Library, located at 1275 Main Street in Ramona. It will remain open through August 1st to provide recovery information for residents and business owners in need of help.

PROPERTY OWNERS MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR RAIN RECOVERY ASSISTANCE

County News Service

Photo: County crews work to clean up mud flow on Rutherford Road in Ramona, where over 3 inches of rain fell on Sunday.

July 20, 2015 (San Diego) -- The remnants of Hurricane Dolores created record rainfall in San Diego County, taking residents by surprise over the weekend. If your property or small business sustained damage from the weekend’s heavy rains and flooding, the County would like your help to estimate rain damages in our region.

The County Office of Emergency Services is asking storm-affected residents to complete a short damage survey form that will assist the County in collecting damage information and associated costs from the weekend’s heavy rains and flooding.

The information gathered from the surveys will be used to estimate total damages countywide and will determine if enough damages occurred to qualify the region for federal disaster assistance, such as low interest disaster loans from the Small Business Administration for those who are uninsured or underinsured.

I-10 BRIDGE COLLAPSES IN DESERT: MAIN ROUTE FROM CALIFORNIA TO ARIZONA

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photos and video courtesy of Cal Fire

July 19, 2015 (Palm Springs)—Heavy rains washed out a bridge east of Palm Springs at Adair (four miles west of Desert Center) late today and caused it to collapse. The dramatic failure forced closure of I-10 in both directions and injured a motorist who plunged into the abyss.  CHP reports that 30 feet of the I-10 freeway washed away—the major route from Riverside and Los Angeles counties into Arizona.

Motorists have been stuck in traffic for hours and motels quickly filled up, local TV stations report.  There is no quick alternative; drivers have been diverted several hours out of their way to I-8 in the southern part of the state, or to another major highway farther north.

ROADWAY HAZARDS REPORTED FROM STORM

Update: 10 News reports cars underwater in Ramona.

Update: Heartland Fire also reports flooding in La Mesa on Avocado between 70th St. and Guava.

The City of La Mesa has cancelled its Sundays at Six concert tonight due to flooding around Harry Griffen Park.

July 19, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The CHP incidents page reports numerous roadway hazards related to the stormy weather, including some rockin' and rollin' mud, rocks and flooding. Here are the latest details:

  • State Route 79 at Chihuahua Valley: Sig Alert issued, roadway shut down
  • I-8 east, old Sunrise Highway: large rocks down in lanes
  • Highway 79 at Horizon View Drive: Rock slides blocking lanes
  • State Route 78 at Wynola:  Mud and rockslide blocking one side of highway
  • Old Julian Highway just west of Camel Dairy: road blocked both ways by rocks
  • I-15 south connection to Highway 52: rider down in lane
  • Ramona View Dr. in El Cajon: roadway completely washed out

FLASH FLOOD WARNING AND WATCH NOW IN EFFECT

 

 

East County Alert

July 19, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning due to imminent threat of flooding in certain mountain areas, where residents are urged to move to high ground.

There is also a flash flood watch in effect for all San Diego County valleys, deserts and mountain areas, including places where debris flows are possible.  Below are full texts of both alerts:

RECORD RAINFALL DRENCHES COUNTY, BREAKS CENTURY-OLD RECORD

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Robert Gehr (c) 2015

July 19, 2015 (San Diego) – Saturday’s deluge, remnants of a hurricane off the Baja coast, set a new record rainfall for the month of July in San Diego and many other local cities, Alex Tardy, Meteorologist Manager at the National Weather Service, San Diego reports.  At Lindbergh Field airport, 1.03 inches of rain has fallen so far this month, topping the old record of 0.92 inches set back in July 1902.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park got 1.16 inches and Ramona’s airport got a full inch. Campo received .99, while Alpine and El Cajon measured .95 inches on Saturday, putting all of these communities above normal for the whole month of July.

The downpour forced cancellation of some events, such as Concert at the Lakes in Santee.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH: MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS

 

East County News Service

July 18, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for the mountains and deserts through Sunday evening. Heavy rain is now falling across much of East County, with thunder and lightning reporting in La Mesa, El Cajon, mountain areas and other locations.

Moisture from Hurricane Dolores will continue to spread northward into Southern California today and Sunday, bringing thunderstorms and locally  heavy rainfall.

FORECAST OF STRONG EL NINO COULD MEAN A WET CALIFORNIA WINTER

 

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego

By Chris Jennewein

NOAA ocean measurements for July 1 show El Nino pattern off South America

July 12, 2015 (San Diego)--An El Niño ocean-warming cycle is strengthening in the Pacific and could produce a wet winter for drought-stricken Southern California.

FLOODING, FIRES, POWER OUTAGES AS STORM SWEEPS ACROSS EAST COUNTY

 

 

East County News Service

Photo: View from Lyons Peak, Jamul, courtesy UCSD HP Wren webcam

Update 3:30 p.m. -

  • Mudslide across roadway: Highland Valley and Archie Moore roads, Ramona, CHP site reports
  • Hellhole Canyon Preserve: Vegetation fire, North County, per scanner
  • Lightning fire on hillside, Bancroft and Campo Rd. reported, scanner and CHP

June 30, 2015 (Lakeside) 2:40 p.m. - Thunder, lightning and heavy fires are sparking multiple emergency responses across East County. Here are highlights within the past hour:

  • Flooding is reporting in Alpine at Tavern and East Willow Road exits.
  • A fire was reported at 94 near Shockey Truck Trail.
  • Fire crews have also been dispatched to Kitchen Creek near Cameron Truck Trail, per scanner traffic.
  • An earlier fire on Highway 67 near Slaughterhouse Canyon is out, halted at about 3 acres.
  • Power lines are down and a power pole reported leaning across the roadway at Dye Road in Ramona.
  • SDG&E reports power outages in Eastlake/Otay are impacting 171 customers with restoration estimated at 6:30 p.m.
  • A larger outage is affected 623 households in Dulzura, Potrero, Campo, Japatul Valley, Buckman Springs, And Morena Village areas with rsetoration estimated for 4:30 p.m.

THUNDER, LIGHTNING, HIGH WINDS FORECAST: HIGH FIRE DANGER

 

By Miriam Raftery

June 24, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Thunderstorms capable of heavy downpours, gusty winds and lightning strikes may hit our mountain and desert regions starting this weekend. The storms are forecast from Saturday through Tuesday, mainly in the afternoons and evenings.

HEAT ADVISORY ISSUED FOR EAST COUNTY

 

County News Service; photo via PhotoSpin

June 16, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--With prolonged high temperatures expected to reach up to 115 in San Diego County deserts over the next few days, County health officials are reminding the public to take precautions to avoid heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses.

The National Weather Service in San Diego has issued a heat advisory in effect now through Sunday at 7 p.m. for the lower desert areas of eastern San Diego County. Temperatures inland will be anywhere from 5 to 10 degrees above average with high temperatures forecast of 112 to 115 degrees. Nighttime temperatures will only drop into the 80s. Mountain and foothill areas in the county are expected to be warm as well with highs in the 90s. Coastal areas will be near-normal temperatures.

The County operates the Cool Zones program and has designated more than 115 air-conditioned buildings as cooling centers. Locations and hours of operation can be found on a new interactive map on CoolZones.org or by calling 2-1-1 San Diego. The sites are identified by a light blue Polar Bear Cool Zone logo.

STORM DRENCHES REGION

 

May 16, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - The storm that doused our region in recent days brought some welcome drought relief. According to the National Weather Service, so far in May, 2.35 inches have fallen in San Diego—making this the second wettest May in our region’s history and the wettest since 1921—and we still have half a month to go!

HOT NEWS: SUMMER WEATHER TO START EARLY

 

March 24, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--The National Weather Service predicts potentially record-breaking heat this weekend, as a ridge of high pressure builds up along the West Coast and offshore winds return.Inland valleys will see temperatures above 90 degrees and some low desert areas could see their first triple-digit temperature readings of the year by Saturday afternoon. On the coast, temperatures of 85 to 90 are expected.

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