Chance of rain coming to San Diego County this week

SAN DIEGO — The time to break out an umbrella may return this week as a low pressure system heading towards San Diego is expected to bring some rain to the county this week.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service say the system will start pushing towards San Diego on Tuesday, with the strongest part of it reaching the region Wednesday afternoon or evening. The chance for rain will linger through Friday as the system weakens.

Lower elevations west of the mountains are likely to see the greatest chances for rain Wednesday night, according to models analyzed by NWS on Sunday.

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Along the coast, communities from San Ysidro to Oceanside could see about a 55 to 65% chance of rain, according to NWS. Inland valley and mountain areas may possibly see about a 50% chance of precipitation.

In the lower elevation areas, projections from forecasters indicate that the amount of precipitation will likely be on the lighter side, mostly 0’25” to 0.50″ in some areas.

The rainfall will be accompanied by cooler temperatures across the county on Wednesday and Thursday, with daytime highs in the low to mid 60s for coastal and inland valley neighborhoods. Up in the mountains, highs will range from the upper 40s to low 50s, according to NWS.

With the precipitation and cold temperatures, NWS says some higher elevation areas — particularly those in the San Bernardino Mountains — may see some light snow accumulation, but the amount is still unclear as snow levels drop near 5,500 to 6,000 feet.

It is uncertain whether any of the lower-elevation mountain areas in San Diego County could see measurable snow with this low pressure system.

After this week, it may be some time though before the next notable rain event. Looking forward into next week, NWS says the county will see some subtle drying and warming.

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