Springtime Storm Brings Rain, Mountain Snow To San Diego Area

SAN DIEGO — A mild springtime storm out of the northwest brought scattered showers, brisk winds and dustings of mountain snow to the San Diego area Friday.

As of shortly before daybreak, the unsettled atmospheric system had delivered anywhere from a hundredth of an inch to nearly three-tenths of an inch of rain across the region, according to the National Weather Service.

The bands of dark clouds also dropped snow in the East County highlands, from the junction of Interstate 8 and state Route 79 to areas west of Pine Valley, the California Highway Patrol reported. By 8 a.m., up to 4 inches of frozen white flakes had accumulated on Palomar Mountain.

Additionally, communities west of the mountains experienced periods of hail over the morning, according to the weather service.

By 5:30 a.m., local rainfall totals had reached 0.07 of an inch in coastal areas of the county, 0.19 in the inland valleys and 0.28 in the mountains, the NWS reported. Those tallies were recorded in Vista, La Mesa and Julian, respectively.

Overnight, heavy winds raked the local mountain and desert communities, according to the weather service, which documented a maximum predawn gust of 46 mph in Ranchita. The NWS issued a high-wind advisory for the arid eastern reaches of the country, including Borrego Springs, effective through 11 p.m. Friday.

Dry, cool weather is in the forecast for the weekend and Monday, with a warming trend expected Tuesday through Thursday as high pressure builds over the southwestern United States.

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