Chains Required To Enter Snow-Covered San Diego Mountains

1 of 15

Children are seen playing in the snow in Murrieta on Dec. 31, 2014.

Elaine Minsch

2 of 15

Snow is shown in Mount Laguna on Dec. 31, 2014.

San Diego State University Webcam

3 of 15

A dog is shown in the snow in Temecula on Dec. 31, 2014.

Karie Staelgraeve

4 of 15

Snow is shown in Mount Laguna on Dec. 31, 2014.

San Diego State University Webcam

5 of 15

A snowman is shown after snow covered parts of Murrieta on Dec. 31, 2014.

Melody Quach

6 of 15

Children are shown sledding in Murrieta where snow covered parts of the city on Dec. 31, 2014.

Maggie Avants

7 of 15

Firefighters from the Murrieta Fire Department are shown building a snowman on Dec. 31, 2014.

Maggie Avants

8 of 15

Snow is shown in Escondido on Dec. 31, 2014.

Meagan Frank

9 of 15

Snow is shown covering Temecula homes on Dec. 31, 2014.

Ryan Page

10 of 15

Snow covered Santa Ysabel on Dec. 31, 2014.

Jim Madaffer

11 of 15

A truck is shown covered in snow in Murrieta on Dec. 31, 2014.

Laurie and Dave Jeffrey

12 of 15

Snow is shown covering a Temecula neighborhood on Dec. 31, 2014.

Gina Diamante

13 of 15

A bulldog named Boone is shown in the snow in Julian on Dec. 31, 2014.

Jim Madaffer

14 of 15

Snow is shown covering Julian on Dec. 31, 2014.

Megan Tran

15 of 15

Snow is shown covering Hidden Meadows on Dec. 31, 2014.

Jaysen Waller

California Highway Patrol officers warned motorists that snow chains were required on mountain roads for all vehicles other than four-wheel drives after a storm dumped three to nine inches of snow between Pine Valley and Julian.

CHP spokesman Robert Catano said all vehicles on highways 79 and 78 headed toward Julian were required to have snow chains, with the exception of four-wheel drive vehicles which he said "must have snow tires on and be in possession of chains."

Overnight, snow was sticking to Sunrise Highway and along Interstate 8. Several inches of snow fell in Descanso and Crestwood Summit, according to the CHP.

Catano said the CHP was flooded with calls about "lots of active and pending incidents."

"Motorists should make sure they're driving more slowly on wet roads and need to make sure they have their headlights on and windshield wipers wiping," Catano said. "They should also put away their cell phones and focus on driving so they have no distractions."

NWS forecaster James Thomas a foot of snow fell on Palomar Mountain at about 6,100 feet, 3 inches in Pine Valley, 9 inches in Julian and about 6 inches in Ranchita and Warner Springs.

"It's very cold with temperatures expected to drop into the low 40s tonight and tomorrow night along the coast," Thomas said. "New Years Day will likely be in the 50s during the day with sunny skies."

Storm rainfall totals were .92 of an inch in Oceanside, 1.28 inches in Fallbrook and .08 of an inch at Lindbergh Field, NWS said.

Thomas said the long-range forecast for San Diego is drier, with a building ridge of high pressure and warming temperatures this weekend. By Sunday, highs should be in the low 70s by Sunday.