Gusty winds are expected in the San Diego County mountains and deserts Monday ahead of a storm system that will bring wet weather throughout Southern California from Wednesday morning through Friday.
The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory that will be in effect from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday in the mountains and deserts.
Wind speeds will be between 20 and 30 mph, with gusts reaching 55 mph possible, forecasters said.
The NWS warned that driving conditions could be impacted by blowing dust and the winds could be strong enough to damage trees and power lines. The winds could also create potentially hazardous driving conditions, especially for high-profile vehicles.
The winds are expected to die down by Monday night, but meteorologists are tracking a storm system that will impact travel for the Thanksgiving holiday.
It's going to get mighty windy in parts of the mountains and deserts this afternoon and evening. Here's a look at how windy. pic.twitter.com/O80TwgEHud
— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) November 25, 2019
The storm system is expected to arrive from the north Wednesday morning and bring moderate to heavy rainfall from Wednesday evening through Thursday evening, NWS meteorologist Miguel Miller said. Snowfall will also be possible above 3,500 feet by Thursday night.
Rainfall totals could reach 3 inches in the mountains, 2 to 2.5 inches in the inland valleys, 1.5 to 2 inches in coastal areas and less than two- thirds of an inch in the deserts, according to the NWS.
The agency has already issued a flash flood watch for coastal areas and the inland valleys from Wednesday evening through Thursday evening and a winter storm watch for the mountains above 3,000 feet from late Tuesday night through Friday evening.
Cal Fire and San Diego County are providing free sand and sandbags to residents in unincorporated areas of the county. Residents can pick them up at several fire stations around the county.
Mount Laguna and Palomar Mountain could get between 12-18 inches of snow at their highest peaks before the storm system makes its exit by Saturday night, Miller said.
Thunderstorms will also be possible Wednesday night through Friday morning throughout the county, forecasters said.
High temperatures Monday could reach 67 degrees near the coast and inland, 71 in the western valleys, 62 in the mountains and 79 in the deserts.
