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San Diego's Weather: Springtime Sprinkles, Mountain Breezes

The first week of spring 2021 is bringing some showers to San Diego County

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Parts of San Diego County’s coast and inland areas woke up Tuesday to some springtime sprinkles – and those aren’t the only light showers in store for our region this week.

NBC 7 meteorologist Sheena Parveen said it would be a mostly cloudy and mild start to the day. Through the afternoon, stray showers are expected over San Diego’s mountains and deserts – and Parveen said there’s a slight chance a shower may make its way into some of the inland valleys.

It’ll be breezy in the mountains and deserts, she added.

NBC 7 Meteorologist Crystal Egger has a preview of spring in San Diego including the extended daylight hours, increasing sun angle, average temps, and the impacts of a longer and warmer season.

NBC 7 meteorologist Dagmar Midcap said there was a slight chance of rain and thunderstorms over the inland valleys and mountains until about 4 p.m. Tuesday.

She said the weather system should clear west to east. Moderately strong winds are expected Tuesday along the coast and – to a lesser degree – in the inland valleys. Mountains and deserts could feel gusts up to 55 mph.

Midcap said that, overall, this little weather system could bring up to one-third of an inch of rain to San Diego’s mountains and to the west.

Wednesday will be sunny and warmer.

On Thursday, another weak weather system will move into the region that Parveen said could bring some afternoon showers. The temperatures will be cooler around the county Thursday, too.

Midcap said not much rain is expected in Thursday’s weather system but, given our region’s rain deficit, she said “every drop helps.”

“We are entering the dry season with the entire county in abnormally dry conditions flanked on all sides by moderate drought,” Midcap explained.

As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, the National Weather Service in San Diego had measured a bit of rainfall in some of the county’s valleys and mountains – but nothing logged yet along the coast or deserts.

The NWS said Otay Mountain had seen 0.03 inches of rainfall over the past 24 hours, while Alpine, Santee, and Mt. Woodson had each seen 0.01 inches. The NWS said Volcan Mountain had measures 0.10 inches of rainfall; Lake Cuyamaca, Descanso, and Julian had each seen 0.01 inches.

The showers should clear by Friday, giving way to a sunny and warmer weekend. Parveen said the coast will be 70 degrees and sunny and inland areas will be dry and in the mid-70s this weekend.

You can check the latest updates on NBC 7’s First Alert Forecast here.

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