San Diegans woke up to wind and rain -- forecasters are saying that the storm hitting Monday may be the largest of the season.
Send Us Your Storm Images! Heavy rain and snow above 4,000 feet is hitting the region this morning and will last much of the day.
The weather is wreaking havoc across the county. Even on the holiday, many drivers are out around San Diego, dealing with flood-prone areas.
One of the biggest problems is at Midway Drive and Rosecrans Street, where at least 12 cars have stalled or are parked because they can't get through the deep water on the roadway. Motorists have gotten out of their cars to direct traffic. Lifeguard rescue teams are busy prioritizing dozens of calls they have received.
On Friars Road, just east of SeaWorld Drive, vehicles are also encountering deep water, proceeding with caution through another flooded area.
CalFire warned about flash-flooding and said sandbags were available at the following locations:
- Deer Springs Station 11, 8709 Circle R Drive Escondido
- CalFire Station 70, 16971 Highway 76 Pauma Valley
- CalFire Ramona Station 86, 16310 Highway 67 Ramona
- CalFire Julian Station 50, 1587 Highway 78 Julian
- CalFire Campo Station 40, 31577 Highway 94 Campo
- CalFire Lake Morena Station 42, 29690 Oak Dr Campo
- CalFire Dulzura Station 30, 17304 Highway 94 Dulzura
- Rincon Reservation Station 64
The National Weather Service said that gale-force winds with gusts of up to 45 miles per hour are causing dangerous surf conditions off the coasts of Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties. Closer to home, a pair of kayakers were driven 2 miles off the coast of La Jolla by powerful winds.
The California Highway Patrol says the Grapevine section of Interstate 5 in the mountains north of Los Angeles is closed after being blanketed with snow.
Residents should expect light rain early, then heavy rain and strong wind will pour into the county. An inch of rain or more will fall at Lindbergh Field by Monday night, and two to three times that much may come down in East County.
Snow is forecast to fall above 4,000 feet, and a lot of it. As much as a foot of powder is expected to drop on the peaks at Mount Laguna and Palomar Mountain.
For those who traveled to Mount Laguna Monday, a rainslicker was a man's best friend. It rained for most of the day, making for a wet and uncomfortable visit for those who had arrived unprepared.
The rains bring renewed fears of mudslides in areas ravaged by wildfires last year, including Orange County and northern Los Angeles County, where the city of Sierra Madre has warned residents they may need to leave their homes.
The storm will taper off Monday night to showers, and by Tuesday morning, the showers should become widely scattered as the storm moves east.
Temperatures on Monday will be in the 50s, but, because of the damp and windy conditions, it will feel even colder.
Flash-flood advisories and strong-wind advisories are already posted, along with winter-storm warnings in the mountains, and small-craft advisories offshore. Travel will be hazardous, especially between until the early afternoon.
By Thursday, it should be sunny and in the 70s once again, and the weekend looks pretty nice, too.
