An approaching cold front is expected to bring wintry weather, rain and gusty wind to parts of San Diego County later Tuesday as high tides drench the coastline and possibly flood low-lying areas.
A National Weather Service wind advisory for the mountains is set to take effect at 6 p.m. Tuesday and extend until 10 a.m. Wednesday.
West winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected throughout the advisory period along with gusts that may reach 60 mph in some areas. Forecasters warned that the winds could wreak havoc on some roadways, including stretches of Interstate 8, and blowing dust may lead to visibility lowered to a mile or less.
"A low pressure system from the north will bring cooler weather with occasional periods of mostly light showers into the weekend," according to the weather service. "Stronger onshore flow will bring stronger and gusty winds for the mountains and deserts this afternoon into Wednesday."
Rainfall amounts are expected to range from a quarter-inch near the coast to as much as two-thirds of an inch in the mountains. A second round of showers is expected late Wednesday into Thursday morning.
Winter-like temperatures are also in the forecast for parts of the county Tuesday evening. In the mountains, highs from 61 to 67 degrees are expected to drop into the 34- to 40-degree range Tuesday night. Light snow could accumulate in some areas Wednesday.
Along the coast, king tides — the highest astronomical tides of the year — will create the potential for minor flooding through Friday. A coastal flood advisory is set to remain in effect from 4 a.m. Tuesday until noon Friday.
The peak hazards will occur Wednesday, when intensified westerly winds will compound the turbulent conditions, according to the weather service.
Locales especially susceptible to flooding include Imperial Beach, South Mission Beach, La Jolla Shores, Cardiff-by-the-Sea and beaches in Oceanside. Beach parking lots and adjacent streets and structures could be affected.
Following are the expected high tides over the remainder of the workweek: Tuesday, 7.4 feet at 7:12 a.m.; Wednesday, 7.6 feet at 7:51 a.m.; Thursday, 7.5 feet at 8:31 a.m.; and Friday, 7.3 feet at 9:12 a.m.
Strong rip currents are also expected, according to the weather service.
