By Miriam Raftery

March 5, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – A major storm system will bring strong winds and rain across our region, with heavy snow forecast starting tonight in East County mountains.  Mount Laguna could receive up to a foot of snow, with up to eight inches on Palomar Mountain and three inches in Julian by Friday morning. Heavy snow will make it difficult to travel above 4,000 feet in elevation.

In urban areas, flooding is possible.  El Cajon, La Mesa, and other areas are expected to receive up to an inch and a half of rain, the National Weather Service predicts.

Along the coast, a small craft advisory is in effect through Friday morning due to expected high surf and high seas.

Photo by Craig S. Maxwell today:  Snow in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park

January 27, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory idue to snow falling across San Diego’s mountain areas, with more snow possible tomorrow.

Areas impacted in the winter weather advisory range from high desert communities such as Campo and Jacumba north through Pine Valley, Descanso, Cuyamaca, Julian, Warner Springs and Mount Palomar.

January 8, 2025 (San Diego's East County) -- The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for San Diego County mountains and valleys today and tomorrow due to high winds and extreme fire danger. The strong winds that have fueled two large wildfires decimating Los Angeles County are forecast to move into San Diego County next.

This is the driest winter period measured from October 1 through January 8 since 1850, according to the National Weather Service, increasing fire danger.

Due to high winds and potential power outages, schools in six local districts will be closed today. The San Diego County Office of Education announced the closures for:

• Julian Union Elementary School District
• Julian Union High School District
• Mountain Empire Unified School District
• Ramona Unified School District
• Spencer Valley School District
• Warner Unified School District

“The safety of students and school staff is of the utmost importance to San Diego County school districts,” officials said in a news release.

In Los Angeles County, devastating fires have collectively destroyed over 1,000 homes and two people have died, the Los Angeles Times reports.

East County News Service

November 27, 2024 (San Diego) – The National Weather Service in San Diego tweeted today,  “We are thankful for sunny skies across Southern California this Thanksgiving!”

 High temperatures will generally be in the 50s for the mountains, 60s for the coastline, and 70s for inland valleys and deserts.

By Miriam Raftery

September 9, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – Yesterday’s sweltering temperatures broke numerous all-time temperatures across our region, as the heat wave continues today with triple-digit  temperatures. New high temperature records for September 8 were set in several local communities, including some that have been keeping track of weather records for over a century:

LOCATION             NEW RECORD         OLD RECORD        PERIOD OF RECORD

ESCONDIDO             109                        104 in 1944              1893

RAMONA                   110                        103 in 2018              1974

ALPINE                      105                        104 in 1984              1951

EL CAJON                 108                        104 in 1984              1899

The highest minimum temperatures on record were also raised. San Diego tied  a record set back in 1875, with the low temperature a balmy 75 degrees. The follow communities also raised the record for highest minimum temperatures:

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

June 4,2024 (San Diego's East County) --The National Weather Service warns that hot conditions up to 113 degrees will be present for San Diego County's hgh deserts from 10 a.m. today until Friday at 9 p.m., with temperatures up to 103 degrees in lower desert regions.

Find a cool place to go and tips to beat the heat at www.coolzones.org and follow this advice from County Emergency Services:

By Miriam Raftery

March 30, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – Today’s storm brought a flash flood warning from the National Weather Service in effect through 11:30 a.m.

A SIG ALERT is in effect on Sunrise Highway, where one-way traffic control is in effect amid falling snow, the CHP website indicates. On South Grade Road at Mount Palomar, four inches of snow are covering the road and a snow plow has been requested.

Flooding has prompted closure of several roads. In East County, Quarry Road is closed between State Route 125 to Lakeview Drive in Spring Valley, according to the County Dept. of Public Works.

Shortly after 11 a.m., Gayle Falkenthal provided a photo of the arrivals and departures display board at the San Diego International Airport showing nearly all Southwest Airlines flights cancelled or postponed.

March 14,2024 (San Diego)--A storm sweeping into our region is forecast to bring Santa Ana winds through Friday, with rain countywide and gusts up to 70 miles per hour in high desert areas. 

Mountains and deserts could have thunderstorms through Saturday, with snow down to 5,000 feet in elevation.

By Miriam Raftery

February 18, 2024 (San Diego)—After a dry weekend, a Pacific storm is forecast to move through Southern California starting with light rain Monday, with the heaviest rainfall Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Counties to the north of San Diego are slated to get the worst impacts of this storm. However, a flood watch is possible for northern areas of  San Diego County Monday through Wednesday. San Diego’s mountains, valleys and coastal areas could get up to 1.5 inches of rain, while deserts will have between a trace and a half inch of rain.

By Miriam Raftery

February 5, 2024 (San Diego)—A powerful storm fueled by a “Pineapple Express”  atmospheric river is pummeling much of California and is slated to reach San Diego County later today. The Governor has declared an emergency in eight counties including San Diego to support storm response and recovery efforts.  A flood watch for San Diego County issued by the National Weather Service will be in effect starting at 4 p.m. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria has issued evacuation warnings for Encanto, Southcrest Mountain View--east San Diego communities along the flood plain.

A new city-run local assistance center for flood victims at the Mountain View Community Center is closed today due to the severe weather and will reopen when weather permits. For updates in the city of San Diego, visit http://sandiego.gov/storm .  For storm recovery in the County, visit https://www.alertsandiego.org/en-us/recovery.html.  

Neither the County nor any East County cities have yet issued evacuation warnings, though residents in low-lying areas especially those that previously flooded should stay vigilant as the heaviest rains and winds hit our region late today, tonight and tomorrow.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

January 21, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for all areas of San Diego County tomorrow, Monday January 22, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Widespread moderate to heavy rain is forecast, with scattered thunderstorms.

The heavy rain may occur during morning and evening commutes, with a risk of flash flooding.

East County News Service

December 20, 2023 (San Diego) – The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch starting tomorrow afternoon through Friday due to a major storm moving into San Diego County, with rain beginning tonight.

The storm is forecast to drop two to three inches of rain across mountains, valleys and coastal areas, with around an inch in the desert.  Runoff from the storm may bring flooding to urban and low-lying areas. Thunderstorms are also possible.

It likely won’t be a white Christmas locally, with the snow level at 6,000 feet or higher through Sunday.

East County News  Service

November 12, 2023 (San Diego’s East County)—Santa Ana Winds and dry conditions early this week will keep fire risk elevated. But rain is forecast later this week, along with strong winds.

Rainfall could begin as early as Wednesday, with heaviest rains Thursday and Saturday across San Diego County. There is potential for moderate to heavy rainfall in coastal and valley areas, that could cause urban roadway flooding and runoff. Minor flooding is also possible in desert areas.

August 29, 2023  (San Diego) -- The National Weather Service has extended the Excessive Heat Warning for the San Diego County deserts, mountains and valleys through Wednesday, August 30, at 8 p.m.. Temperatures will reach 110 to 117 degrees in the deserts, 95 to 107 in the valleys, and 90 to 100 in the mountains.

The San Diego County Department of Emergency Services advises:

• Stay inside or shaded areas. Drink lots of water.
• If you feel sick from the heat, call 9-1-1.
• Never leave young children or pets alone in vehicles.
  

Mountain areas could get up to 10 inches of rain

UPDATE -- 4:33 a.m. Saturday-- Hurricane Hilary has sped up, with the bulk of the storm occuring on Sunday, reports @NWSSanDiego

Wind and Monday now look less severe

By Miriam Raftery

August 18, 2023 (San Diego) – For the first time ever, the National Weather Service has issued a tropical storm warning for San Diego County and neighboring counties,upgraded from a watch issued earlier today. 

Hurricane Hilary has been upgraded to a category 4 hurricane with 145 mile an hour winds off the Mexican coast, and is expected to impact our region as a tropical storm bringing dangerously heavy rains, high winds, flash flooding, and conditions conducive to tornados. Flash flood watches have also been issued for Borrego Springs, El Cajon, Escondido, Julian, Lakeside, Pine Valley Poway, and coastal communities. The storm could shift, so be sure to check for updates.

Rainfall is forecast to begin Saturday, with the heaviest rains Sunday afternoon when the tropical storm reaches San Diego County. The eye of the hurricane could come within 100 miles of San Diego. The National Weather Service warns that the storm will be powerful enough to potentially weaken or wash out bridges, flood structures,  close roads, cause power outages, uproot trees, and cause damage to porches, awnings, and unsecured mobile homes.

Below are highlights of warnings from the NWS for our region (the link also has details for neighboring counties):