A few leftover showers could fall over the mountains of San Diego County Tuesday as a cool autumn storm continues to move eastward over the region, but most areas will be drier and somewhat warmer.
The showers, which began Sunday, dropped anywhere from a couple tenths of an inch to nearly 1.2 inches of precipitation across the county, according to the National Weather Service. On Monday, two locales, Alpine and El Cajon, recorded record rainfall for the date — 0.39 and 0.68 of an inch, respectively.
Some of the highest amounts recorded as of about 11 p.m. Monday included 1.19 inches at Birch Hill; 1.14 inches in Rainbow; 1.1 inches on Palomar Mountain; .97 of an inch on Otay Mountain; .84 of an inch at Miramar Lake; .80 of an inch in Oceanside; .78 of an inch near Julian; and .77 of an inch in Rancho Bernardo.
The downpours also led to traffic problems. Over a roughly 24-hour period ending at shortly before midnight, the California Highway Patrol logged 293 crashes on local freeways and roadways in unincorporated areas, as compared with the some 140 crashes the agency typically responds to over a day of dry weather.
A chance of afternoon and evening showers is forecast for the mountains amid high temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees.
"A few showers will be possible this afternoon and evening over the high deserts and mountains," according to the weather service. "Otherwise, clouds will gradually decrease through tonight, with temperatures remaining a bit below normal."
High temperatures Tuesday elsewhere in the county are forecast to be around 74 degrees near the beaches, around 75 in the western valleys, 69 to 74 degrees near the foothills and around 83 degrees in the deserts.
Warmer, drier weather is expected to develop mid-week and high temperatures could reach up to 20 degrees above average Friday through the weekend, forecasters said.
"Strong high pressure aloft will gradually build over the region later this week, bringing dry and much warmer weather, becoming downright hot in most areas by this weekend," according to the weather service.
