As the storm exits to our east, residual moisture from the atmospheric river will lead to scattered showers this Valentine's Day. As the day progresses, I forecast a mix of sun and clouds with mainly dry conditions.
The storm left quite a mark on the region, bringing in large rainfall totals, from over 7 inches down to three-quarters near the coast. Click here to see updated rainfall totals.
Southwest winds will continue to pick up along the passes, canyons, and mountains. They will remain sustained at 20 to 30mph and gusty at up to 65mph. A Wind Advisory is still in effect for the mountains and deserts through 4 am Saturday.
The snow level remains around 5,500 feet and will drop to around 4,500 feet tonight, meaning any leftover precipitable water in the mountain regions will transition to snow for those elevations.
Meanwhile, a High Surf Advisory remains in place until 4a Sunday for the entire coastline for waves of 7 to 10 feet, strong rip currents, and minor coastal flooding in low-lying areas. Due to bacteria runoff from the rain, though, you should avoid going in the water for 72 hours after the rain ends.
Things dry out just in time for the holiday weekend, with a mix of sun and clouds and gradual warming. By Sunday, temperatures will top out in the mid-60s at the coast, low to mid-70s inland, near 60 in the mountains, and mid-70s in the deserts. Fair weather will persist into next week.
Unfortunately, this week's storm does not open the door to more rain, as it does not look likely that there will be any more storms this month. This week's rain, though, has knocked us out of the driest start to the water year on record. Rainfall in San Diego since October 1st is now at .75", still over 5" shy of the average. California's drought did not change this week, with San Diego remaining at level three or extreme drought.
Thursday's Highs:
Coast: 59-61°
Inland: 51-59°
Mountains: 45-52°
Deserts: 65-69°
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