A late-winter storm that blew into the San Diego area over the weekend finally ended late Monday after dropping inches of snow and rain on the region.
Isolated showers were expected to continue Monday evening before dwindling and petering out overnight, making way for clearing skies. Highs Tuesday were forecast to be 60 to 65 with a 30 percent chance of rain.
The National Weather Service advised mountain travelers to be prepared for potentially hazardous conditions by carrying tire chains and extra food and clothing, and warned ocean mariners that coastal thunderstorms were possible through early Tuesday.
Among lower-altitude locales experiencing icy conditions in the form of hail were Cardiff, Carmel Mountain, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido, Lakeside, La Mesa and Rainbow. The frozen pellets were as large as a quarter-inch in diameter at times, meteorologists said.
Over a 72-hour period ending at 2 p.m. Monday, the dark clouds dropped 2.58 inches of precipitation at Lake Cuyamaca; 2.46 in Pine Hills, 2.41 on Otay Mountain; 2.39 at Henshaw Dam; 2.24 in Descanso; 2.19 in Tierra del Sol; 2.12 in Julian; 2.02 in Warner Springs; 1.72 in Carlsbad; 1.64 in Deer Springs, Flinn Springs and Valley Center; 1.5 in Alpine; 1.48 in Ramona; 1.46 in Escondido and San Marcos; 1.41 in Encinitas; 1.23 at Brown Field; 1.14 in Poway; 1.11 in Solana Beach; 1.1 at Smuggler’s Gulch; 1.07 in La Mesa; 1.02 in Santee; 0.94 in Oceanside and San Ysidro; 0.93 at Lindbergh Field; 0.78 in Point Loma; 0.71 in Mission Valley; 0.55 in Fallbrook; 0.47 in Ocotillo Wells; 0.42 in Borrego Springs; and 0.31 in San Onofre.
In all, a foot and a half of snow accumulated on Palomar Mountain, and 8 inches blanketed Mount Laguna.
—City News Service
