Gloomy and wet “May Gray” conditions lingered Saturday morning in San Diego as scattered showers swept the county.
According to NBC 7’s First Alert Forecast, the light to moderate rain was expected to persist throughout the day. NBC 7’s Brooke Landau said there were chances of thunderstorms in San Diego’s mountains, too.
Landau said the on-and-off drizzle was most likely to linger inland and toward the mountains. She forecasted a 50 percent chance of that wet weather making it to the coastline.
NBC 7 meteorologist Sheena Parveen said Friday that this storm system would begin to break up and dry out by Sunday morning.
“That means your Mother’s Day will be much better!” she explained. “The best chance for a shower across the area on Mother’s Day will be in San Diego’s mountains.”
Parveen said rain totals through Sunday were expected to hit a quarter-inch to a half-inch at the coast, a quarter-inch to three-quarters of an inch inland and up to one inch in the mountains. The deserts may see between one-tenth and a quarter-inch of rain throughout the weekend, too. Those totals will be higher in areas of thunderstorms.
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By next early week, the region should dry out, but showers could return by the end of the week, Parveen said.
San Diego is experiencing more rain than usual for this time of year.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the reason for this year's unusual rainfall pattern is that San Diego is in the midst of a weak El Niño pattern. Typically, San Diego's dry season begins around April 1 but this year, that's just not the case.
An El Niño develops when the Pacific Ocean water temperature rises .9 degrees Fahrenheit for three consecutive months, causing atmospheric conditions and rainfall patterns to shift. Typically across the southern United States, that means more rain during the winter.
But in San Diego, it means an unusual rainy season that could stretch through early fall with several chances of measurable precipitation if Pacific Ocean water temperatures remain above average, NOAA said.
The last time San Diego experienced a strong El Niño was in 1998 when rainfall averaged at 188% above normal.
At 8 a.m. Saturday, NOAA released these latest rain fall totals for San Diego County.
Saturday’s rain didn’t stop locals from getting outside and enjoying the weekend. Over in North Park, crowds gathered for the 23rd Annual San Diego County Credit Union Festival of the Arts along 30th Street and University Avenue.
Rain or shine, attendees enjoyed live music, games and craft brews.
"A little rain never stopped San Diegans from having some good beer," said Angela Landsberg, of the North Park Business Association.
Pacific Beach resident Fadra Whyte went to the festival with her daughter, a toddler clad in rainboots, happily jumping in puddles.
"The weather is really rainy, but she’s having the time of her life," said Whyte. "She has her rain boots on and she’s running around and she’s enjoying it."
Artist Harry Holiday was well-prepared to enjoy the event – even in amid the showers.
"I’m a painter, but I actually brought things to paint in the rain, so even if it rains we can still paint," Holiday told NBC 7. "We need to toughen up. Hopefully the rain will do that to us."
