San Diego emerges from week of storms to a sunny and dry, but colder weekend
The atmospheric river storm that brought rain to San Diego County fizzled out by the end of the week, making way for a dryer and sunnier weekend, albeit colder.
If the week of storms made you feel cooped up, you might like to hear that this weekend is expected to be dry, NBC 7 meteorologist Greg Bledsoe said. Saturday will be mostly sunny, but cool with high temperatures only reaching the low 60s west of the mountains, and mountain areas topping out in the mid 40s.
After your weekend fun, we’re in for some weather whiplash over the next week. Santa Ana winds will bring dry and warmer conditions from Sunday through Tuesday. Don’t pack away the parka just yet — rain chances return later next week around New Year’s Day, so take that into account when making your New Year’s Eve plans.
Saturday weather summary
- COAST: sunny, drier, cool – low 60s
- INLAND: sunny, drier, cool – low 60s
- MTNS: Drier, chilly – mid 40s
- DESERTS: Sunny – mid to upper 60s
Some puddles and pooled water may still remain on the roads following this past week of storms. When maneuvering around deep water, remember to turn around and don’t try to drive through it. Additionally, always driver slower than you normally would on slick roads.
Tips on staying safe following a storm
Ahead of Christmas Eve’s storm, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in multiple California counties, including San Diego, due to the potential risks brought on by heavy rainfall and strong winds.
Authorities said high winds might have played a role in a fatal accident in City Heights on Wednesday morning, in which part of a tree fell on a man near the corner of Marlborough Avenue and Wightman Street.
Multiple motorists on San Diego County freeways also reported hazards such as tree limbs and other debris in lanes of traffic.
Motorists were advised to drive at reduced speeds and avoid driving through standing water and flooded roadways. They were also advised to avoid parking under trees or power lines due to the potential that objects could fall amid high winds.
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.
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.
