What to Know
- A rare tornado warning was issued Tuesday for south central San Diego County and expired at 12:15 p.m.
- A flood watch is in effect until Wednesday for the whole county and a winter weather advisory is in effect for our mountains starting Tuesday night
- Heavy rainfall was falling in some areas at a rate of 2 inches per hour
A powerful winter storm pounded San Diego County Tuesday, prompting flooding warnings up and down the region and a rare tornado warning for South Central San Diego County.
The tornado warning was issued around 11:40 a.m. Tuesday by the National Weather Service for areas like Chula Vista, National City, El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee and Lemon Grove as the storm moved northeast at 35 mph, NBC 7 Meteorologist Sheena Parveen said. The warning was originally pushed until 12:45 p.m. but the storm weakened and it expired at 12:15 p.m.
Several school districts like the Chula Vista Elementary School District, La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools, Southwestern College and San Diego State issued warnings to parents and students about the tornado warning.
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
A tornado warning does not necessarily mean a tornado touched the ground but is issued when radar is picking up a strong storm with winds that would indicate a possible tornado in the area. It is issued to alert residents to seek shelter immediately because there is an imminent threat to life or property. During a tornado warning, residents in the affected area are asked to move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building, avoiding windows. People in vehicles should try to find a substantial shelter nearby.
There was no immediate damage reported from the around the county. NBC 7 has crews around the county checking out affected areas.
"For the rest of the day Tuesday, we have scattered showers with the chance for thunderstorms for the rest of the afternoon and overnight," Parveen said.
Watches and warnings
Stay updated on road closures here
Rain was falling at a rate of about .75 to 1 inch per hour, which prompted a flash flood warning through 1 p.m. for parts of North San Diego County and areas to its north, including portions Anaheim, Irvine, Oceanside, western Corona, Orange, Temecula, Mission Viejo, Tustin, Yorba Linda and San Clemente.
When a flash flood warning is issued, flooding may be imminent around creeks, streams in urban areas, on highways and streets and underpasses. The NWS says drivers should not drive through flooded roads.
The following warnings and advisories were also in effect:
A flood warning was also issued for the San Diego River near Fashion Valley. The river was at about 9.6 feet Tuesday morning and was expected to rise another food throughout the day. Flood stage is expected at 10 feet, the National Weather Service said.
A flood advisory is in effect until 12:45 p.m. Tuesday for San Diego County. Minor flooding is expected in low-lying and poor drainage areas. A lesser flood watch will remain in effect through 6 a.m. Wednesday for San Diego County coasts, valleys, deserts and mountains.
A winter weather advisory was issued for San Diego's mountains above 5,000 feet from 10 p.m. through Wednesday afternoon. About 4-8 inches of snow is expected and winds will be in the 50 mph range, Parveen said. Chains were required for drivers heading up Mount Laguna, the county said.
Storm resources
Rain totals through Wednesday are expected to be 2 to 2.5 inches for most of the coast and inland, but far North County could see over 3 inches. Rain totals look lower in the mountains and foothills. Here's how much rain is expected from Sunday to Wednesday:
- Coasts: 2-3 inches
- Inland: 1.5-2.5 inches
- Deserts: 0.25-1 inch
- Mountains: 1-4 inches (possibly snow)
So far, northern portions of the county were the hardest hit with anywhere from 1-2.5 inches of rain by Thursday afternoon, and more rain was ahead.
Inches of snow were also expected on San Diego's mountains above 5,000 feet, Parveen said. Mount Laguna and Palomar Mountain had received 8-12 inches of rain by Thursday afternoon with more expected before Wednesday morning.
Get the latest rainfall totals here
Although last week's storms proved milder than expected, officials advised the public against letting their guard down as another significant storm approached the region overnight Monday. This system is slow-moving so it has the potential to bring lots of rain over a long period, according to NBC 7 Meteorologists.
"The atmosphere will remain unsettled, and the chance for rain will continue throughout the week, becoming lighter Wednesday through Friday," NBC 7 meteorologist Angelica Campos said.
On Sunday afternoon, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office issued a state of emergency for Southern California counties, including San Diego, in the path of a powerful storm that will bring steady rain into Monday.
In the city of San Diego, Mayor Todd Gloria reissued an evacuation warning for residents in flood-prone areas Sunday. Over a 24-hour period ending Tuesday afternoon, San Diego's 911 center received over 975 calls and responded to more than 350 emergencies.
By Tuesday evening at 6 p.m., officials from San Diego city hall had lifted the evacuation warning, though. However, with "the unusual frequency and intensity of storms hitting the city of San Diego recently, residents are encouraged to remain prepared and vigilant through the remainder of the rainy season," officials said in a statement.
Eight swift water rescue teams were responding to water-related incidents. Nearly four dozen of the emergency responses were water rescues, including one in Mission Valley and one in the South Bay where a person died amid floodwaters. It was not yet known if the death was storm-related.
In Los Angeles, the storm dumped more than 10 inches of rain in some areas and led to nearly 400 mudslides. The region received more than half the amount of rainfall the city typically gets in a season in just two days.
Mayor Gloria reissues evacuation warning for some residents
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and other city officials gave an update Sunday on the city's preparations for the upcoming storm.
"Some areas of our city could receive over half an inch of rain per hour," Gloria said during the news conference. "This is certainly an abnormal amount of rain for our city and is particularly concerning given the two most recent rain events that we've experienced over the past two weeks."
Gloria announced that he is reissuing an evacuation warning to residents in low-lying, flood-prone areas, which includes Southcrest, Mountain View, Encanto, Rolando and southeastern and south San Diego neighborhoods.
"This warning is designed to have residents in these communities make preparations now should it become necessary in the future," Gloria said. "If and when an evacuation order is issued, the San Diego Police Department and other local first responders will go door to door to advise residents and help get residents to safety."
Public safety and water rescue crews will be posted in the neighborhoods prone to flooding, according to city officials. The fire department has added extra swift rescue teams, fire crews and dispatchers.
The storm shelter at the City of San Diego Municipal Gym at Balboa Park will remain open, the city said. The local assistance center at the Mountain View Community Center will be closed on Monday and possibly on Tuesday.
The city and the San Diego Housing Commission have opened a new 50-room shelter at a former hotel site in the Midway district to provide a refuge from those impact the recent storms.
"Providing shelter and support for our neighbors whose lives were upended by the storm is a top priority," City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera said. "These creative options were possible through collaboration between the city, county, the Housing Commission and the state of California. The road ahead of us is long, but this quick and meaningful action shows that we can create creative housing solutions when we all work together."
This week's storm, and the next in line, come close behind a spate of historically heavy downpours that left roadways, commercial districts and residential neighborhoods underwater across the region. The wettest day during that storm, Jan. 22, delivered the highest 24-hour rainfall amounts in San Diego since 1850, according to the National Weather Service.
The inundation, which washed away many a parked car and heavily damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes, prompted the city and county of San Diego, along with Gov. Gavin Newsom, to declare states of emergency.
You can watch the full news conference below:
California and federal officials give update on February storm prep
State and Federal officials held a live update on their February storm preparations and response on Saturday ahead of the storm.
"A strong atmospheric river event will impact the state of California starting this evening [Saturday evening] and continuing through at least Tuesday. We're expecting significant impacts due to heavy rainfall, heavy mountain snowfall and strong, gusty winds. These winds and precipitation will be widespread across the state tonight and Sunday," said Eric Schoening with the National Weather Service.
"The most significant rainfall totals for this event are expected across the central and southern coastline, including the Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas. With this heavy rainfall, significant high-impact flooding is likely, including the potential for flooding on major roadways, or flooding on creeks, streams and rivers, mud and rockslides and debris flows," Schoening said.
"This damaging flooding will be a threat to lives and property," Schoening said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Friday that he has mobilized more than 8,300 personnel ahead of the next of winter storms which are anticipated to bring crucial conditions to most of California this weekend and next week.
Cal OES (by way of the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System) has deployed more than 550 local government firefighters and support staff, in addition to 19 swift water rescue teams, including one local government urban search and rescue team throughout 19 counties.
Watch Saturday's full update below:
