Tornado Warning San Diego: What You Need to Know
A rare tornado warning was issued for portions of San Diego County on Tuesday as a historic storm continued to pummel the area with rain.
According to the National Weather Service, a “severe thunderstorm” capable of producing a tornado was spotted over Chula Vista at around noon. The storm was moving northeast at 35 miles per hour, with radar data suggesting rotation.
The NWS also mentioned that hail the size of peas could be possible as the storm moved to the northeast. Impacted communities include:
- Bonita
- Bostonia
- Casa De Oro-Mount Helix, Crest
- El Cajon
- Flinn Springs
- Granite Hills
- Harbison Canyon
- Jamacha Lomita
- La Mesa
- La Presa
- Lake Murray
- Lakeside
- Lemon Grove
- Rancho San Diego
- Santee
- Spring Valley
- Tierrasanta
- Winter Gardens
“Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely,” the National Weather Service said in its alert.
As of 12:20 p.m. on Tuesday, the tornado warning in San Diego had expired. However, there were flash flood warnings and flood advisories for many portions of San Diego County.
The historic storm on Monday and Tuesday is the result of an atmospheric river hovering over the area. By Tuesday morning, the storm had dropped 3.09 inches on Oceanside and 2.45 inches on Carlsbad.
San Diego weather in January can be stormy, but recent storms have had an impact that the area hasn’t seen in decades. One particularly damaging storm in January flooded many communities around San Diego.
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Mike Peterson is a writer, editor, and strategist based in San Diego. When he’s not writing and editing the La Jolla news, you can often find him practicing yoga, rock climbing, or exploring the outdoors with his wife and dog.
