The gusty wind that has been buffeting parts of San Diego County is expected to weaken Wednesday morning, but the wintry weather and unusually high tides affecting the region will continue throughout the week.
A National Weather Service wind advisory for the mountains is set to expire at 10 a.m. West winds of 25 to 35 mph are expected throughout the advisory period along with gusts that may reach 65 mph in some areas, which could lead to hazardous driving conditions.
The strongest wind gusts recorded overnight were 59 mph on Volcan Mountain, according to the weather service.
Although the wind is expected to ease up, near to below average temperatures and a chance of periodic rain remain in the forecast for areas other than the deserts through Friday.
In a 12-hour period ending at 7 a.m. Wednesday, gauges in mountain areas collected .38 of an inch of rain on Otay Mountain; .32 of an inch at Birch Hill; .30 of an inch on Palomar Mountain; a quarter-inch in Descanso; .23 of an inch in Julian; and .22 of an inch at Lake Cuyamaca. In the valleys, .21 of an inch was reported at Mount Woodson and in Alpine; .19 of an inch in Harbison Canyon; and .17 of an inch in Ramon and Goose Valley. The weather service reported less than two-tenths of an inch in the county's coastal areas.
Through Friday, forecasters predicted an additional quarter-inch of rain near the coast and up to two-thirds of an inch in some mountain locales. A few inches of snow could also be possible in areas with altitudes higher than 5,000 feet, according to the weather service.
Chilly weather is also in the forecast for parts of the county. In the mountains, highs from 44 to 51 degrees are expected to drop into the 30- to 39- degree range Wednesday night. Highs slightly below average near the coast and several degrees below average in inland areas are expected through Friday.
Also through Friday, king tides — the highest astronomical tides of the year — will create the potential for minor flooding. A coastal flood advisory is set to expire at noon Friday.
No flooding was immediately reported Wednesday morning, but on Tuesday, the unusually high tide left stretches of streets underwater in the Midway District — even though the location is several miles inland from the ocean. The flooding in the area of Barnett Avenue and Midway Drive had spilled out of storm drains overwhelmed by the tidal surge.
Forecasters said locales especially susceptible to flooding this week included 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.
High tides were around 7.6 feet Wednesday morning, and are expected to reach 7.5 feet at 8:31 a.m. Thursday and 7.3 feet at 9:12 a.m. Friday.
Strong rip currents are also possible, according to the weather service.
