SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Record low temperatures were reported in parts of San Diego County Thursday, according to the National Weather Service, as a cold storm passed through the region.
A blustery winter storm delivered widespread precipitation and powerful winds to the San Diego area Wednesday, ushering in an on-again, off- again spell of wet and gusty weather expected to last into the weekend.
Over a 24-hour period ending at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, the unsettled atmospheric system dropped anywhere from nearly three-quarters of an inch of rain — 0.74 on Palomar Mountain — to a few hundredths of an inch along the coast.
Record low maximum temperatures for the day were reported in parts of San Diego County on Wednesday. It was 53 in Vista, breaking the record of 54 set in 1969. It was 51 in Ramona, breaking the record of 53 set in 2022. It was 49 in Alpine, tying a record set in 1969. It was 53 in El Cajon, breaking a record of 54 set in 1952. It was 29 at Palomar Mountain, breaking the record of 30 set in 1959. It was 31 in Lake Cuyamaca, breaking the record of 33 set in 2019.
Recorded high winds over the period included 84 mph on Volcan Mountain, 67 mph on Otay Mountain, 60 mph in Borrego Springs and 52 mph in Coronado.
The federal agency issued a weather warning for San Diego International Airport, effective until 5 p.m., due to expected sustained winds of 25 knots or greater and gusts up to 30 knots.
Snow levels were expected to drop as low as the 2,000-foot level over the day, according to KUSI Meteorologist Diane Tuazon.
As of late morning, power outages — many of them confirmed as weather- related — had left 7,335 San Diego Gas & Electric customers across the county without electrical service, the utility company advised. All the affected addresses were expected to be back on line by 8 p.m., according to SDG&E.
The intense storm also prompted the San Diego County Office of Education to cancel classes for the day at Julian Union Elementary School, Julian Union High School, Spencer Valley Elementary School and campuses in the Mountain Empire Unified School District.
A winter storm watch will be in effect through Saturday in the local mountains, with forecasters calling for heavy snow and winds gusting as high as 90 mph. Traveling in the area over the period “could be very difficult to impossible,” the weather service warned.
The precipitation will likely decrease Sunday in advance of another cold low-pressure system from the northwest that may bring more precipitation and strong winds early next week, according to KUSI Meteorologist Diane Tuazon.
