Updated at 7:30 a.m. March 8
With rainbows as a photographer’s gift, a blustery late-winter storm delivered rain, hail, lightning and mountain snow to the San Diego area Monday for a second consecutive day.
The unsettled atmospheric system moved across the county from the northwest, making for a wet morning commute. Scattered precipitation and gusty winds continued through the afternoon and dwindled during the evening hours, the National Weather Service reported.
Over a 24-hour period ending at 4 p.m., according to the weather service, the bands of dark clouds dropped 1.52 inches of moisture at Lake Morena; 0.76 at Lake Henshaw; 0.65 in Rincon Springs; 0.61 in Bonsall; 0.52 in Escondido and at Sutherland Dam; 0.48 in Oceanside and Poway; 0.45 in the Granite Hills area; 0.44 at McClellan-Palomar Airport and Wohlford Dam; 0.42 in Campo; 0.4 at Rainbow Camp; 0.38 at Dulzura Summit; 0.33 at Montgomery Field; 0.32 in San Ysidro; 0.27 at Brown Field and in La Mesa; and 0.24 in Bonita.
The snow level was expected to drop to about 4,000 feet Monday night, with drifts up to 14 inches deep accumulating in altitudes above 5,500 feet, forecasters said. Authorities advised those traveling through the mountains to carry tire chains, extra food and ample warm clothing.
High temperatures on Tuesday were predicted to be 53 to 60 degrees in the mountains, around 66 degrees in the western valleys, 59 to 54 degrees near the foothills, 72 to 77 degrees in the deserts and 62 to 67 degrees near the coast.
The big waves that have been pounding the San Diego County coastline are expected to ease up Tuesday
A high surf warning has been cancelled, coastal flood advisory is set to expire at noon, and a high surf advisory will end at 8 p.m. Surf of 6 to 10 feet with sets to 12 feet Tuesday morning are expected to lower to 4 to 8 feet by the afternoon.
Following the overnight departure of the storm, a high-pressure zone is expected to settle over the region and linger for at least several days, making for dry conditions, according to meteorologists. The next chance of precipitation will be late Friday into early Saturday, the weather service advised.
City News Service contributed to this article.
