SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The tail end of a forceful winter storm continued dousing the San Diego area with scattered showers Thursday as the saturated region began looking to dry out following five days of heavy rain and accumulating mountain snow.
As of late morning Thursday, the notably wet and blustery atmospheric system had delivered anywhere from a few tenths of an inch to more than eight inches of precipitation across the county, according to the National Weather Service.
Though the storm has resulted in no reports of heavy damage locally, widespread flooding destruction from a much worse spate of downpours two weeks ago prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday to seek an official disaster declaration from President Joe Biden to help the San Diego region recover.
"The late-January storm saw record-breaking rain in San Diego, where the worst impacts were felt in lower-income neighborhoods," Newsom noted. "Many folks saw damage to their life's work that can't be recovered without federal support."
If approved, the action will help hard-hit locals via eligibility for such support as housing assistance, vehicle replacement, food aid, counseling, medical services and legal services, according to the governor's office.
Among the local rainfall totals from this week's storm as of shortly before 10:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the NWS, were 8.13 inches in San Onofre; 6.66 at Camp Pendleton; 5.22 in Fallbrook; 5.21 in Mesa Grande; 4.61 at Henshaw Dam; 4.46 in Skyline Ranch; 4.55 at Lake Wohlford; 4.44 in Bonsall; 4.34 in Deer Springs; 4.27 at Rainbow Camp; 4.17 in Oceanside; and 4.1 in Santa Ysabel.
The latest tallies also included 3.94 inches on Mount Woodson; 3.87 in Valley Center; 3.81 in Alpine; 3.64 in Carlsbad; 3.63 in Couser Canyon; 3.5 in Escondido; 3.43 in National City; 3.38 in Ramona; 3.37 in Vista; 3.31 at Miramar Lake, on Otay Mountain and in San Diego Country Estates; 3.3 in Santee; 3.26 in Barona; 3.25 in Echo Dell; 3.21 in Poway; 3.16 in Granite Hills; 3.08 in La Mesa; 3.02 at Cactus County Park; and 3.0 in Campo.
Other five-day rainfall amounts were 2.99 inches in Harbison Canyon; 2.91 in Flinn Springs; 2.88 in Encinitas; 2.83 in Kearny Mesa; 2.82 in San Marcos; 2.79 in San Miguel; 2.74 in Oak Grove; 2.7 at Montgomery Field; 2.68 at San Diego International Airport; 2.65 in Rancho Bernardo; 2.6 at Brown Field and in Dulzura; 2.45 at Naval Air Station North Island and in Point Loma; 2.39 in Mission Valley; 2.29 in Rincon Springs and Warner Springs; 1.7 in Chula Vista; 0.61 in Ocotillo Wells; 0.42 in Borrego Springs; and 0.17 in Agua Caliente.
Local snowfall measurements included six to eight inches on Mount Laguna; 6 inches on Birch Hill and Palomar Mountain; 4 inches in Julian; 3 inches in Descanso and Pine Hills; and 2 inches in Wynola.
Due to the icy conditions and freezing temperatures in parts of the East County highlands, campuses were closed for the day Thursday at campuses in the Julian Union, Mountain Empire Unified, Spencer Valley and Warner Unified school districts.
An emergency shelter for anyone displaced by the storm was in operation at 2111 Pan American Plaza in Balboa Park. Services at the facility include meals, crisis counseling, help replacing medication and pet support from the San Diego Humane Society.
Additionally, a temporary homeless shelter was available at Balboa Park Activity Center.
This week's storm arrived in the aftermath of a spate of historically heavy downpours that left roadways, commercial districts and residential neighborhoods underwater across the region two weeks ago. The wettest day, Jan. 22, delivered the highest 24-hour rainfall amounts in San Diego since 1850, according to the NWS.
The inundation, which washed away many a parked car and heavily damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes, prompted the city and county of San Diego, along with the governor, to declare states of emergency.
Since then, authorities have been taking steps, including monitoring tens of thousands of storm drains, to prevent more storm-driven destruction, according to Mayor Todd Gloria, who urged those who live or work in flood-prone areas to remain proactively vigilant as well.
A period of dry weather and slowly warming temperatures is expected to kick in over the weekend and continue into the middle of next week, forecasters said. More wet weather could arrive around the weekend of Feb. 17-18 or early the following week, the NWS advised.
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