Another storm is headed to San Diego County this week, with the National Weather Service saying it is the latest atmospheric river to hit California.
Fox 5 San Diego says starting Tuesday, windy conditions are expected to impact the region, along with heavy rain and snow in the mountains.
The heaviest part of the storm is expected to move across San Diego County Tuesday through Wednesday, and thunderstorms are a possibility from Wednesday to Thursday.
Preliminarily storm precipitation estimates for Tuesday through Thursday are as follows: 1.5 to 3 inches west of the mountains; 2 to 5 inches in the mountains; one-fourth to 1 inch in the deserts.
Snow levels will start at about 5,000 feet and increase to about 5,500-6,500 feet Monday, according to NWS, before dropping to about 4,000 feet when the atmospheric river makes landfall Tuesday night.
When all is said and done Palomar Mountain could see anywhere from six to eight inches of snow. Meanwhile, Mount Laguna is expected to see anywhere from three to four inches.
Also in the forecast, strong winds are expected from the south then southwest. According to NWS, a High Wind Watch is in effect for most of Tuesday as “the event has the potential to be one of the stronger we have seen in recent memory.”
A Gale Watch will also go into effect starting late Monday night as strong winds are expected to develop over the coastal waters Tuesday morning, spreading inland. Weather officials warn that there is significant potential for damaging wind gusts along the coast, inland and especially over the mountains and deserts.
These winds, combined with heavy rain, will likely make travel difficult through Thursday, especially for high-profile vehicles. Drivers are encouraged to exercise caution.
Conditions with this storm and oversaturated ground could prompt trees to fall, power outages and flooding.