SAN DIEGO — It’s wet outside San Diego. As you weather the storm, stay up-to-date on hazardous weather conditions.
A winter storm has dumped moderate to heavy rain from Oceanside to Encinitas and the National Weather Service San Diego says it’s expected to progress into Saturday.
On top of the coastal areas, rainfall has also poured into the county’s valleys and even in the desert lands.
As of 6 a.m. Saturday, rain totals in certain areas surpassed an inch with some of the most soaked areas including Carlsbad at 1.72 inches, Escondido at 1.60 inches , and San Marcos at 1.14 inches, according to NWS data. Meanwhile, Valley Center shows precipitation levels surpassing 2 inches.
With heavy rain comes warning as a Flood Watch has been issued for several parts of the county, including the following areas: Poway, El Cajon, Pine Valley, Escondido, Santee, Vista, San Marcos, Encinitas, Chula Vista, Julian, National City, Carlsbad, Oceanside, San Diego and La Mesa.
The Flood Watch went into effect at 1:55 a.m. Saturday and will remain in effect until 12 a.m., Sunday, NWS said.
The winter storm could bring periods of heavy rain Saturday with rates of 0.50 to 0.75 inches per hour possible, according to weather officials. Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
Meanwhile, a Flood Advisory is also in effect for San Diego County until 10:09 p.m. Saturday, said NWS.
What is the difference between a Flood Watch, a Flood Warning and a Flood Advisory issued by the National Weather Service?
A Flood Advisory is issued when a specific weather event that is forecast to occur may become a nuisance, according to NWS. A Flood Advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience.
A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event, specifically flooding, to occur. NWS issues this when conditions are favorable for flooding. However, it does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.
On the contrary, a Flood Warning is issued when the hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening, according to NWS.
