Rain on windshield
Rain on a windshield on Interstate 8 in Alpine. Courtesy OnScene.TV

A storm system moving in from the east could drop light rain in San Diego County Monday and will bring the possibility of snow in the mountains, according to the National Weather Service.

The system currently centered over northwest Mexico is expected wrap around and reach Southern California Monday morning, with the bulk of the precipitation expected Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning, forecasters said.

The storm cell could drop around one-tenth of an inch of rain in coastal and inland-valley areas Monday, while up to a quarter-inch is expected in the county mountains and up to four-tenths of an inch could fall in the deserts, according to the weather service.

Snow levels were around 4,700 feet Monday morning and will rise to around 5,500 feet by Monday evening, meteorologist Miguel Miller said.

Up to 2 inches could fall around 5,500 feet Monday and snowfall totals could reach anywhere between 4 and 8 inches from 6,500 to 7,500 feet, forecasters said.

The inclement weather prompted the weather service to issue a winter weather advisory, which will be in effect from 3 p.m. Monday through noon Tuesday in the county mountains.

Snow on the roads and reduced visibility could make travel to those areas hazardous, forecasters said.

The storm system will exit Tuesday night then dry weather is expected for the remainder of the week, Miller said.

Updated at 5 a.m., Monday, March 11, 2019

— City News Service

Chris Jennewein is founder and senior editor of Times of San Diego.