San Diego County residents are getting a moment of respite from winter weather after a relentless storm brought heavy snow and icy roads to the mountains and flooding elsewhere, but it won't last long.
A pair of storms moving onshore to the north could bring back rain and snow showers Monday evening through midweek. A Winter Storm Warning, which had finally expired Saturday night, will go back into effect for the mountains from 6 p.m. Monday to 10 p.m. Wednesday.
The mountains can expect light snowfall starting Monday night -- from 4 to 8 inches above 4,000 feet and 8 to 12 inches above 5,000 feet. Heavier snowfall is in the forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday.
During that advisory, west winds are expected in the 20 to 35 mph with gusts as high as 50 mph. Gusts could reach 70 mph during the watch.
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NBC 7 Meteorologist Sheena Parveen said the rest of the county should expect cooler temperatures and cloudy skies Monday with some light, scattered showers developing Monday evening.
Another bout of rain, wind and mountain snow is expected Tuesday night into Wednesday, which could bring between a half-inch to an inch of rain in the valleys and coastal areas and up to 3 inches in the mountains through Wednesday.
Winds will also pick up Tuesday afternoon. A High Wind Warning for the San Diego deserts, including Borrego Springs, goes into effect at 2 p.m. Tuesday to 10 p.m. Wednesday. During that time, westerly winds will be in the 30 to 50 mph range with some gusts up to 70 mph expected.
Even after the storms move away on Thursday, cold weather will linger for quite some time, the NWS said.
Already, Alpine received 1.07 inches of rain Saturday, breaking a Feb. 25, 2003, record of .77 inches. El Cajon received 1.12 inches, breaking a Feb. 25, 1996, record of 1 inch.
Vista hit a record low Saturday of 54 degrees, tying a Feb. 25, 1987, record.
Mount Laguna saw up to 29 inches of snow over the weekend but conditions were starting to tame on Sunday. Chain restrictions on State Route 78 & State Route 79 were lifted although Caltrans San Diego does recommend vehicles carry chains.
At times, traveling in the East County highlands "could be very difficult to impossible," the NWS warned. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department warned drivers from taking high-profile vehicles on the mountain pass between Alpine and Imperial Valley on Monday. Snow chains were still required for travelers headed to Palomar Mountain, but California's Office of Emergency Services advised drivers to avoid travel to the mountains at all through at least Wednesday.
Schools in the Warner Unified School District were closed again Monday due to icy roads while others would have a late start, the San Diego County Office of Education said.
Schools in the following districts will have a late start on Monday, Feb. 27:
• Julian Union Elementary School District
• Julian Union High School District
• Mountain Empire Unified School District
• Spencer Valley School District
Days of wet weather culminated Saturday with the heaviest downpours and widespread flooding.
Rain, heavy at times, continued intermittently across the county Saturday with gusty winds and some thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.
areas of Mission Valley flooded leading to several street closures and some rescues by San Diego Lifeguards’ Seift Water Rescue team.
Two people were rescued by lifeguards Saturday when their vehicle was trapped in flooding on Bandini Street near the San Diego Airport. Lifeguards performed the rescues and the two people were assessed for injuries.
The Ocean Beach Pier remained closed after being damaged during storms and high surf earlier this year. The pier will remain closed until the damage can be assessed safely after the storm season has passed.
City crews began closing down northbound Texas Street Sunday at 6 p.m. until Tuesday for reconstruction work in the channel that runs along that lane due to erosion caused by recent storms.
It will remain cool all week, with daytime temperatures running well below average.
