A mild winter storm is moving out Friday but brought much-needed widespread rainfall along with high winds to the San Diego area.
As of late morning, the unsettled atmospheric system had dropped anywhere from a tenth of an inch or less to nearly three inches of moisture across the county while generating air currents exceeding 50 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The storm, which began moving over the drought-parched region on Tuesday, prompted the NWS to issue a wind advisory effective through 4 a.m. Saturday for local highland and desert communities and a flood watch through late Thursday night along the ocean coastline.
The heaviest showers out of the bands of dark clouds were expected Thursday evening into early Friday morning, forecasters advised.
To prepare for the spate of inclement conditions, the city of San Diego has been monitoring some 46,000 storm drains and will preemptively close flood-prone Mission Valley roads if deemed necessary, officials said.
"While we're taking proactive measures, we encourage residents to take steps in their own homes and neighborhoods to be prepared as well," city Stormwater Department Director Todd Snyder said. "Together we can help reduce flood risk in our community throughout this rainy season."
Residents can report weather-related problems, such as flooding or downed trees, by using the Get It Done app or by calling 619-527-7500. Anyone experiencing a life-threatening emergency should call 911, officials noted.
San Diego Gas & Electric, for its part, has been preparing for the stormy weather by increasing the number of its crews available in case of downed power lines, according to SDG&E public affairs.
"The company's meteorology team is also monitoring weather conditions minute by minute to help provide situational awareness to front-line crews working to maintain the infrastructure that serves the region," a statement from the utility asserted.
As of 10:30 a.m. Thursday, local two-day precipitation totals included 2.99 inches on Mount Palomar; 2.78 on Birch Hill; 1.93 in Mesa Grande; 1.72 in San Onofre; 1.51 in Pine Hills; 1.4 at Lake Cuyamaca; 1.22 in Descanso and at Henshaw Dam; 1.2 at Rainbow Camp and in Santa Ysabel; 1.18 at Lake Wohlford; 1.17 in Julian; 1.13 in Fallbrook; 1.11 in Skyline Ranch; 1.09 in Lower Oat Flats and on Volcan Mountain; and 1.07 in Fallbrook.
Also among the 48-hour moisture tallies were 0.99 of an inch in Escondido; 0.97 on Otay Mountain; 0.95 on Mount Woodson and in San Marcos; 0.86 in Bonsall; 0.84 in Oceanside; 0.81 in Valley Center; 0.79 at Miramar Lake; 0.76 on Mount Laguna; 0.75 in Carlsbad; 0.73 in Campo, Pine Valley and San Diego Country Estates; 0.72 in Couser Canyon; 0.71 in Goose Valley; 0.69 in Alpine and Harbison Canyon; 0.64 in Carlsbad; 0.63 in Rancho Bernardo; 0.6 in Valley Center; 0.59 at Cactus County Park and Dulzura Summit; 0.57 in Ramona; 0.56 in Barona; 0.54 in Kearny Mesa; 0.53 in Rincon Springs; 0.52 in Poway; 0.51 in La Mesa; and 0.5 in Santee.
Other rainfall accumulations for the period were 0.48 of an inch in Warner Springs; 0.47 in Vista; 0.42 in Flinn Springs; 0.39 in Serra Mesa; 0.38 in Granite Hills; 0.35 in Mission Valley; 0.34 in Encinitas; 0.27 in Point Loma; 0.26 in National City; 0.24 in Chula Vista; 0.21 at San Diego International Airport; 0.2 in Ranchita and San Miguel; and 0.1 at North Island Naval Air Station.
No precipitation was recorded in the local deserts, the weather service reported.
The storm also has delivered winds reaching speeds of 25 to 30 mph along the coast and across the inland valleys, and as high as 54 mph in the area of Mount Laguna, according to meteorologists.
On Friday, the rainfall is expected to weaken and become increasingly intermittent before dwindling away entirely late in the evening, the NWS advised. Fair conditions will return Saturday and prevail into much of next week, with average or slightly higher maximum temperatures for this time of year, forecasters said.
