San Diego County emerges from wind-whipped storm for a dryer, sunnier Christmas Day
Hopefully rain was on San Diego’s wish list this year, because it got several inches of it as an atmospheric river storm pummeled the county on Christmas Eve, when the bulk of the storm weathered the region.
Christmas Day weather
As for overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning, lighter, scattered showers lead into an expiration of the county’s Flood Watch at 1 a.m. on Thursday, ushering in dryer skies and more sunlight for Christmas Day. But don’t put away the umbrella just yet — a stray shower or two may come knocking on Christmas evening, however, rain chances will pick back up on Friday, when a second — albeit less intense — storm rolls in.
Don’t expect the tree-whipping winds that many San Diegans woke up to on Wednesday for Christmas Day, as wind gusts will have died down significantly in time for the holiday, according to NBC 7 meteorologists.
The surf is also up this week, but with the winds at the coast, surfing conditions will be far from ideal. Waves will average between 5 to 8 feet with swells up to 9 feet. High risk of rip currents, and minor flooding and beach erosion is possible. A High Surf Advisory will remain in effect until 11 a.m. Saturday.
The weekend will bring what will probably be a welcome change for San Diegans, with dry conditions and plenty of sunshine but cooler temperatures than normal. Going out on Saturday? That day will be colder than Sunday, according to NBC 7 meteorologist Francella Perez.
This is not a cold storm, so the snow level will likely stay too high for any snow in San Diego’s mountains, NBC 7 meteorologists said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties in response to the powerful storm pounding Southern California. The proclamation expedited the mobilization of state resources to assist with storm response and recovery.
Christmas Day weather summary
- COAST: Mostly sunny, PM Rain Chance- mid to upper 60s
- INLAND: Mostly sunny, PM Rain Chance – mid to upper 60s
- MOUNTAINS: Mostly sunny chance of showers & t-storm – low 50s
- DESERTS: Mostly sunny – low 70s
How much rain did the Christmas Eve storm bring?
North County coasts, valleys and mountain areas absorbed the most rain from Christmas Eve’s storm. Overall, we picked up some decent rainfall, but amounts came in lower than initially expected and were nowhere near what Los Angeles and Ventura Counties saw, where many spots picked up around 4 to 9 inches!
Damages from the Christmas Eve storm
Christmas Eve’s storm brought a lot of damage across the region. A man died after a tree splintered in half and fell on him, before he went into cardiac arrest in City Heights on Wednesday.
Similar incidents were reported around the county at about the same time: a large Chipotle/Starbucks sign came down on two cars in National City on Mile of Cars Way just off Interstate 5. Elsewhere, a palm tree was spotted after it fell in Imperial Beach and a small tree came down in Black Mountain Ranch.
Video obtained by NBC 7 shows the moment the driver of a U.S. Postal Service truck missed falling tree branches by just hair’s width in Tierrasanta on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and Promesa Court.
San Diego Gas & Electric was reporting Wednesday around noon on its outage map that thousands of San Diegans had lost power — from Poway in the north to San Ysidro in the south, from Del Mar in the west to Spring Valley in the east — but almost all of the incidents reported said the cause of the outages were unknown.
The Coronado Police Department urged motorists on Wednesday to avoid the area of Park Place and Star Park Place due to electrical wires being down.
North County
NBC 7’s Dave Summers was in North County for the Christmas Eve storm, where Caltrans crews were keeping an eye on flooded roadways and last minute shoppers maneuvered standing water.
East County
NBC 7’s Kelvin Henry was in East County’s Santee during the height of Christmas Eve’s storm, where a lot about a half-inch of rain came down after heavy winds whipped the region.
Pacific Beach
NBC 7’s Joey Safchik was in Pacific Beach during Christmas Eve’s storm, where the coastal beach neighborhood was soaked after the storm moved in from the north.
San Diego Storm Watch
Flood risk
Atmospheric rivers are massive plumes of moisture carried across the sky that can dump heavy rains or snow over land.
Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying, flood-prone locations. People were urged to avoid driving, riding or walking through flooded waters.
“Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop,” the National Weather Service said.
San Diego prepares for the storms
The city of San Diego prepared for the rain, and encouraged residents to do the same.
On Monday, the city of San Diego’s stormwater department cleaned storm drains and inlets with a history of debris buildup, along with sweeping streets, the city said. More than 46,000 storm drains will be monitored during the storm, including the Chollas Creek area, which saw heavy flooding and property damage in the winter storms of January 2024.
The city said residents can reduce the risk of flooding near their homes and properties by taking a few simple steps:
- Sweep and pick up trash, leaves, grass clippings and other debris that collect around storm drains and curb gutters near your home
- Keep the lids securely closed on trash and recycle bins when placing them out on the street for collection
- Place each bin 2 to 3 feet away from the curb so as not to impede stormwater
- Turn off irrigation to save water and minimize runoff
- Do not open or lift manhole covers in the event of street flooding
- Use sandbags, if needed. A list of locations is here.
San Diegans can report storm-related issues, such as flooding or downed trees, by using the Get It Done app or calling 619-527-7500. If it is a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
People experiencing homelessness can call 211 to inquire if inclement weather shelters are available nearby.
Travel impacts
On the roads, AAA of Southern California projected a record-breaking amount of travelers. More than 8.9 million people were anticipated to drive at least 50 miles from home, a 2.7% increase over 2024, AAA said.
The California Highway Patrol recommends drivers in the rain should keep their headlights on, avoid driving through flooded areas and slow down.
The agency says the number of people who call the CHP doubles when it rains because drivers are going too fast. CHP Officer Salvador Castro provided these words of wisdom during a previous storm:
“We tell people that when it’s raining, 65 is not the ideal speed for driving in the rain. Sixty-five [mph] is for a perfect San Diego day, which is 95% of the time.”
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