Stormy weather keeps drenching San Diego area

SAN DIEGO - The latest in a spate of strong winter storms that have drenched the San Diego area since the start of the new year brought more pounding showers and a dusting of mountain snow to the region today.

The unsettled atmospheric system out of the eastern Pacific - the second of three due to bear down on the county this week - led to scattered flooding and mudslides over the morning and early afternoon, with cloudbursts in the forecast into the evening hours and overnight.

Among streets left impassible due to runoff or debris were Canfield and South Grade roads in the Palomar Mountain area, due to a rockslide; Pala Temecula Road near Arouba Road in the Pala area, where a boulder was blocking southbound traffic; Ramona Street at H Street in Ramona, which was inundated by coursing water; South Live Oak Park Road near East Alvarado Street in Fallbrook, blocked by a fallen tree; and Wildcat Canyon Road at Oak Oasis Road near Lakeside, because of large rocks in the street, authorities reported.

Over a 12-hour period ending at noon, the National Weather Service reports that the downpours left 1.52 inches of moisture at Lake Cuyamaca; 1.4 in Couser Canyon; 1.32 at Henshaw Dam; 1.27 in Pine Hills; 1.2 in Bonsall; 1.18 in Descanso and at Mount Woodson; 1.16 in Mesa Grande; 1.07 in Julian; 1.05 on Otay Mountain; and 1.02 in Flinn Springs.

Other precipitation totals included 0.96 of an inch in Skyline Ranch; 0.95 in Santa Ysabel; 0.94 at Rainbow Camp; 0.92 at Dulzura Summit; 0.91 in Escondido; 0.89 in La Mesa; 0.88 in Fallbrook; 0.84 in Alpine, Harbison Canyon,

Kearny Mesa and Pine Valley; 0.83 in Rincon Springs, Valley Center and the Lake O'Neill area of Camp Pendleton; 0.79 in San Miguel and at Lake Wohlford; 0.78 in Oak Grove; 0.77 in Echo Dell; 0.71 in San Marcos and Santee; 0.7 in Granite Hills; 0.68 in Poway; 0.66 in Rancho Bernardo; 0.64 in San Onofre; 0.61 in Carlsbad; 0.56 at Brown Field and in Encinitas; 0.52 in Point Loma; 0.5 in Mission Valley; 0.44 at Lindbergh Field; and 0.04 in San Felipe.

As of late morning, about an inch of snow had accumulated in the Palomar and Birch Hill areas, meteorologists reported.

The inclement conditions prompted the NWS to issue a slew of warnings and advisories for various parts of the county.

A winter-storm warning for the mountains will remain in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday. Elevations as low as 5,000 feet may see 5 to 10 inches of snow, while 1 to 2 feet of frozen white flakes could fall in areas from 5,500 to 6,000 feet.

Additionally, a flash-flood watch for areas other than coastal, inland-valley and mountain locales will run through this evening, and a desert high-wind warning predicting sustained air currents up to 45 mph and gusts as high

as 65 mph will remain in effect until 10 p.m. Saturday.

Another warning indicating potential for winds of 15 to 30 mph with gusts of 45 to 60 mph along the coast and in the valleys will extend until 10 this evening.

At local beaches, surf of 8 to 12 feet with sets to 16 feet is expected through Saturday, and lightning, strong rip currents and waves big enough to sweep bystanders off jetties and rocks or damage piers will be possible. A high-surf warning will remain in effect through 10 p.m. Tuesday.

A break between storms is expected Saturday afternoon and evening, followed by the final and possibly strongest in the series of storms Sunday, when more rain will douse most parts of the county and additional layers of snow likely will fall as low as 4,000 feet.

The precipitation is expected to continue Monday and may linger into Tuesday. Fair weather should return by midweek, according to forecasters.