A plume of subtropical moisture will blow through San Diego County on New Year’s Eve, dropping 0.75 inch to 1 inch of rain on and near the coast and generating winds in the range of 30 mph to 35 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The fast-moving system could drop up to 1.5 inches of rain farther east, in places including Ramona, Escondido, Julian, Campo, Monte Laguna and Alpine, and produce wind gusts exceeding 50 mph east of the Interstate 8. Forecasters say fog is also possible developing on the interstate highway Saturday night.
Roads and highways will be slippery in most areas of the county in the afternoon. The storm will cause the lower Santa Ana River to swell slightly, but not enough to cause flooding in Fashion Valley.
“This will mostly happen between the afternoon and midnight,” said Adam Roser, a meteorologist with the Weather Service. “The rain could last into Sunday inland as the front moves.”
Some areas may experience heavy downpours as the moisture travels along the southwest face of the local mountains and condenses.
Even though the rain will hit the area from the south, the air will still be fresh. The daytime high in San Diego will be 63 on Saturday and 60 on Sunday. The seasonal average is 66.
This will be the second storm to hit the county this week and may be followed by new systems Monday and midweek. The jet stream dropped south “which is opening us up to a lot of moisture,” Roser said.
The reverse has occurred in the past two years, leaving the region with below-average rainfall. The current rainy season, which began on October 1, has started in the best possible way. San Diego International Airport recorded 2.71 inches of precipitation, which was slightly below average. Ramona received 4.13 inches, which is 0.15 inch above average.
The impending storm will drop 3 to 5 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada, allowing the state’s water bodies to pull away from the severe drought.
