Lifeguards Evacuate Towers Due to Lightning

Saturday's wild weather brought thunderstorms, lightning and rain throughout San Diego, plus a flash flood advisory and aviation warning

San Diego Lifeguards were ordered to evacuate all towers on the beaches Saturday morning due to lightning storms.

Officials told NBC 7 the lightning was less than 10 miles from towers, so lifeguards were evacuated as a precaution.

As of 10:45 a.m., San Diego Lifeguards were recommending all visitors to stay off the beaches, stay out of the water and seek shelter.

Officials said people should avoid sheltering inside vehicles due to the metal in and on cars.

NBC 7’s meteorologist Vanessa Herrera said the county will see a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms and showers throughout the day until 11 p.m. After that, she said it will decrease to 40 percent.

Herrera said San Diego mountains and deserts will continue to see thunderstorms and lightning on Sunday, and perhaps even through Monday with a 20 percent chance of storms persisting. For more weather updates from Herrera, read this article.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued an Aviation Weather Warning for Lindbergh Field due to cloud and ground lightning through 1 p.m.

The NWS expects the thunderstorms to move northward after 1 p.m. For now, some flights are delayed at the San Diego International Airport.

The NWS also issued a flash flood advisory just after 12 p.m. for portions of Southern California, including parts of San Diego, in effect through Sunday evening.

The NWS said some locations that will experience flash flooding include: Chula Vista; Oceanside; Carlsbad; El Cajon; Vista; Encinitas; National City; La Mesa; Poway; Imperial Beach; Ramona; Coronado; Del Mar; Alpine; Valley Center; Linda Vista; Tierrasanta; Mission Beach; University City and Mission Valley.

National Weather Service San Diego said there had been more than 500 lightning strikes in the county as of 1:15 p.m.

As of 12:30 p.m., the NWS said San Diego’s rainfall totals were at 0.46 inches, making it the second wettest day ever in July in San Diego. NWS officials said Lindbergh Field set the record back in July 1902 after logging a record 0.83 inches of rainfall in one day.

On Saturday afternoon, NBC 7 meteorologist Jodi Kodesh reported the 113-year-old rainfall record had been broken. As of 3:30 p.m., 1.03 inches of rain had fallen, shattering the old July record.
 

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