Laguna Mountain
SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - Call it a Christmas miracle at our local mountains!
From Palomar Mountain to Laguna Mountain, San Diego mountains were dusted with snow on Christmas day.
The snow level started off at 6,500 ft. Monday night and dropped to 5,000 ft. on Christmas Day.
The California Highway Patrol is warning those headed to the mountains for a romp in the freshly fallen snow that the roads are icy and chains, or four-wheel drive vehicles, are recommended.
"Chains are needed from Interstate 8 if you're exiting from the freeway onto Sunrise Highway," said Tammy McGuire, CHP dispatch supervisor. "We do have snow plows responding, but they are not here yet."
The CHP said several accidents have been reported, while cautioning travelers to expect delays as crowds work their way up the mountains to play in the snow.
Photo provided to News 8 by Laguna Mountain Lodge
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 8 am to 6 pm for San Diego County mountains as up to 2" of snow is expected, isolated areas could see up to 4" including Palomar Mountain, Cuyamaca mountain resort areas and Sunrise Highway.
At the lower levels, 0.30" to 0.60" of rain is expected for the coast and valleys with up to an 1.50" possible along coastal mountain slopes and the deserts seeing a tenth of an inch of rain.
Photo provided to News 8 by Laguna Mountain Lodge
The Christmas Day winter storm also brought varying levels of rainfall countywide and snow to the highest elevations in the mountains.
"We had a lot of rain around the county in the form of showers and brief, heavy rains," said Brandt Maxwell, National Weather Service forecaster. Maxwell said rainfall was spotty, with some areas receiving little or none.
"Julian had the most rain with .88 of an inch, while other places had only a few hundredths of an inch," Maxwell said.
Photo provided to News 8 by Laguna Mountain Lodge
Weather cams showed light snow falling in the mountains in Julian Tuesday at about 11 a.m.
"It's mostly going to be fair weather tomorrow," Maxwell predicted, adding that "a very weak system may be moving into San Diego around Thursday, which looks like it will bring little or no rain, maybe some isolated showers."
Photo provided to News 8 courtesy of George Lucia
The NWS forecaster said temperatures in the wake of the storm would likely be in the lower to mid-60s along the coast and inland valleys. He added nighttime temperatures could be chilly.
"We may have lows in the 30s and 40s in the valleys, and in the 20s in the mountains," said Maxwell, who noted surf was also elevated Tuesday in the five-to eight-foot range.
Photo provided to News 8 courtesy of George Lucia
The storm was expected to depart late this afternoon leaving fair weather Wednesday.
Photo provided to News 8 courtesy of George Lucia
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