Clouds kept crowds away from San Diego’s beaches to celebrate the Fourth of July, San Diego Fire-Rescue said Sunday, with beach attendance estimated at a paltry 313,000.
As many as one million people had been expected, but constant cloud coverage during the day kept many daytrippers away. The Fourth of July high temperature on the sand was just two degrees below the average 74 degree reading, but the lack of sun put a damper on the crowds. Last year, approximately one million people visited the beach.
Surf was reportedly poor, but the water was between 62 and 69 degrees along the coast. San Diego Lifeguards made 83 rescues during the day, the fire department reported, as opposed to 468 water rescues last year.
—City News Service