Those in Southern California should brace for a wet and possibly hair-raising start to the week, as forecasts from the National Weather Service anticipate steady showers to drench the area through Tuesday, with the peak of the storm set to strike on Monday. As reported by the NWS Forecast Office in San Diego, Monday could bring not only torrential downpours but also a slight chance for thunderstorms, likely to disrupt traffic and potentially cause roadway flooding, with San Diego and Santa Margarita Rivers predicted to reach levels that typically lead to closures in areas like Fashion Valley.
The already soaked ground will not get much respite as "isolated to scattered showers will persist today, most widespread in the morning," according to a NWS release. Moving into Monday, the region will bear the brunt of "more widespread rain and isolated thunderstorms with brief heavy rain possible"; while the deluge is expected to ease into scattered showers come Monday night and Tuesday morning, the threat of lightning hangs over the coast with a 10-20% chance of occurrence. For those in high terrains, the winter may not go quietly; as a winter weather advisory remains in effect above 6500 feet until 1 PM PST this afternoon in the San Bernardino County Mountains.
The NWS has communicated that while showers will abate from north to south on Tuesday, ending by evening, the wet start won't lock the region in cold temperatures for long. By midweek, we can expect a gradual warm-up with drier conditions as the weather pattern shifts and a ridge begins to build, laying the ground for a return to more standard California sun and mid to upper 70-degree temperatures toward the weekend.
Safety precautions are advised for those traveling in the mountain regions, with the NWS explicitly warning to "slow down and use caution while traveling" in areas prone to slippery conditions due to snow, furthermore, those looking to catch a wave or stroll on the beaches should heed the High Surf and Coastal Flood Advisories in effect until this evening, with surf potentially reaching heights of 5-8 feet in San Diego County according to the advisories, these impacts adding yet another layer of complexity to a region edging into an atmospheric battleground.
