A storm moving slowly through Southern California this week appears to be taking its sweet time. Now, the rain will linger through Friday, according to NBC 7’s First Alert Forecast.
The rain began overnight Monday, with scattered, heavy rain hitting the region Tuesday. The wet weather helped officials across the county enforce the stay at home order as the world continues to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
On Wednesday, there were spotty showers and, as expected, snow in local mountains.
“Mountain snow is falling early this morning and will mainly accumulate above 5,000 feet,” explained NBC 7 meteorologist Sheena Parveen.
By around 9 p.m., 5 inches of snow had fallen on Palomar Mountain.
The National Weather Service said Wednesday locals should expect periods of heavy showers and possible thunderstorms throughout the day.
Parts of Carlsbad, Encinitas and San Marcos saw nearly two and a half inches of rain, while coastal areas like downtown San Diego, Oceanside, Point Loma and San Onofre saw up to two inches, according to the NWS.
Parveen said cloudy skies would be the norm through the afternoon and more rain would move in overnight, little by little. A Flash Flood Watch that was in place until noon Wednesday was extended until noon Thursday, and a Winter Weather Advisory was in place until the same time for elevations above 5,000 feet.
NBC 7 Meteorologist Dagmar Midcap said two to four inches of fresh snowfall could cover San Diego's mountain tops in that span.
Midcap said spot showers were likely to continue through Thursday, but said winds won't be as strong as they were Tuesday and Monday.
Parveen said the weather should dry out by this weekend, meaning a nice Easter Sunday that'll be perfect for those stay-at-home egg hunts with the kids.
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"Your Easter weekend looks a lot better," she added.
As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, over a 72-hour span, San Diego's coastline saw just under two inches of rain; 1.15 inches at the San Diego Airport and 1.93 inches in Carlsbad. Santee, Poway, Escondido, and Fallbrook all saw about two inches of rain, and a whopping four inches was recorded at the Palomar Observatory.
On Wednesday, the NWS said the totals at the San Diego Airport had gone up to 1.38 inches of rain, and 2.39 inches in Carlsbad. Valley Center had gotten 2.80 inches of rain. Overall, the NWS tracked 4.36 inches across San Diego County.
Additionally, through Thursday, Parveen said some parts of San Diego County could see 2 more inches of rain.
The rain was a relief for some local farmers, including Al Stehly, who are trying to meet the soaring demand for food during the coronavirus pandemic.
