A rare tornado warning was issued for inland parts of the county, including El Cajon, La Mesa and Santee.
San Diego County found itself under a rare tornado warning during a historic storm that already wreaked havoc in California.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued the warning for inland parts of the county, including El Cajon, La Mesa and Santee. The alert was part of a broader concern as a deadly storm triggered hundreds of mudslides in Southern California, prompting multiple flood warnings.
The record-breaking storm system had promised up to 3 inches of rain in San Diego and Los Angeles, intensifying fears of flooding and mudslides due to heavily saturated ground. The region remained under a flood watch, anticipating excessive runoff that could cause flooding in several low-lying, flood-prone locations, according to the NWS.
The situation was exacerbated by the issuance of a flash flood warning, indicating “life-threatening” conditions, as heavy rainfall approached between 0.75 and one inch per hour. The warning, which extended from San Diego to Orange counties, expired at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, affecting neighborhoods such as Oceanside and Fallbrook in far northern San Diego County.
During the advisory, the NWS warned of flash flooding near streams, creeks and other waterways, posing a threat to low-lying urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.
A rare tornado warning followed, affecting the South Bay and East County, with potential risks of “pea-sized hail” and winds exceeding 40 miles per hour. Although the warning was lifted around 12:30 p.m. and the system weakened below severe limits, it left San Diego State University on high alert, prompting a “Take Cover” alert for all students.
As the county braced for isolated thunderstorms and continued rain through Wednesday, authorities reported at least one casualty due to flooding: a migrant trying to cross the swollen Tijuana River.
Despite the intensity of the storm, the NWS office in San Diego found no reports of damage consistent with a tornado. The rare midday tornado warning, the highest-level alert, kept residents on edge, urging them to immediately take cover from a possible tornado formation. Fortunately, with no touchdowns reported and the front dissipating, the threat diminished.
