San Diego's mountains have turned into a winter wonderland thanks to a storm system that dumped a layer of snow on the county's peaks to start the week.
The winter storm swept across San Diego County overnight Sunday and left snowfall on Julian, Mount Laguna and Palomar mountains. By 9 a.m. Monday, at least 4 inches fell at Mount Laguna and more than 4 inches on Birch Hill near Palomar Mountain, and 3 inches were recorded in Julian, the National Weather Service said.
Those numbers were expected to climb as live cameras over Julian's main street and Mount Laguna's popular mountain lodge showed continuous snowfall throughout Monday morning. And climb, they did. The tallest mountain peaks could see up to a foot of snow by the time the storm system moved out of the area, the NWS originally reported.
By Monday at 8 p.m., Mount Laguna got 8 inches of snow, Lake Cuyamaca got 5 inches, Julian got 4 inches, Descanso got 1 inch and Bear Mountain Snow Summit got a whopping 9 inches of snow.
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Chilly Temperatures for Tuesday and Wednesday
Residents could expect Tuesday and Wednesday morning temperatures to be chilly, the NWS reported. Julian is expected to reach 29 degrees by Tuesday morning and Mount Laguna is expected to reach 22 degrees. San Diego should reach 45 degrees, Escondido and East County are both expected to reach 38 degrees by Tuesday morning, according to the NWS.
The NWS encouraged residents to protect pets and sensitive plants, bringing in the plants if you are able to.
On Wednesday morning, San Diego is expected to drop to 42 degrees, while Mira Mesa should reach 39 degrees. East County and Escondido will reach 37 degrees while Mount Laguna will drop to 19 degrees and Julian to 24 degrees. Those in the Palomar area will feel temperature drop to 20 degrees, the NWS reported.
Travelers hoping to catch a glimpse of the snow would likely need chains to get them up the mountains. The San Diego County Department of Public Works said chains were required on Palomar Mountain as well as on Sunrise Highway leading to Julian from Old Highway 80 to SR-79.
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A winter storm warning was in effect for areas above 4,500 feet elevation until 10 p.m. Monday, which warns of possible icy and snowy roads and poor visibility. Travelers were advised to keep a flashlight, extra food and water in their vehicle in case of emergencies.
