The National Weather Service San Diego warns locals of increased rainfall continuing through tomorrow, with the San Bernardino Mountains expected to receive up to an additional 3 inches in some areas, according to NWS San Diego. As scattered light showers expected to intensify into thunderstorms Thursday morning, chances for more light to moderate showers loom over the weekend into mid-next week, fostering an active weather pattern that Californians should be wary of.
Residents in several counties including Orange, San Diego, Western Riverside, and Southwestern San Bernardino should brace for various weather developments, particularly flooding risks in already saturated areas, "Some of these areas have already been inundated with copious amounts of rain from last week, and given expected rainfall rates, this might lead to some areas having a risk of flooding," per the Area Forecast Discussion by NWS San Diego. While Friday is forecasted to be a dry patch, the brief respite should not lull locals into complacency as the approaching major shortwave trough and potential secondary waves spur on further precipitation into the next week; the weather models are currently disagreeing on the specifics, but consensus agrees that Californians should expect continued wet weather.
Aviation and marine activities have also been affected significantly: the NWS forecasts gusty southerly winds and mixed seas up to 7 feet within coastal waters, and there's also a chance of thunderstorms leading to visibility issues and potentially dangerous waterspouts, "Any thunderstorm that develops will bring strong gusty winds, lightning, and brief heavy rain that will lead to poor visibility. There is also a slight chance for waterspouts," warned the NWS forecast. Mariners and beachgoers are advised to remain vigilant for rapidly changing conditions, especially this morning and early afternoon.
The wet conditions are not without repercussions for beach areas either, with the NWS predicting high tides that may lead to coastal overflow and minor flooding through the weekend, asserting a Beach Hazards Statement for pertinent locales, "starting Thursday morning and continuing through the weekend, high tides of 6.5 to 7 feet could lead to minor coastal overflow/flooding for beaches and flood-prone beach lots and walkways." As skies are projected to clear beyond Thursday and showers to taper, returning conditions to VFR after 04z on Friday outside of localized rainfall, the break may be short-lived as early next week's weather remains uncertain but poised for continued perturbation.
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