A winter storm that plagued San Diego County with heavy rain, gusty winds and snow during the first week of February finally made its way out, and it left behind a gift: some sunshine.
Super Bowl Sunday brought temperatures a few degrees warmer than Saturday with mostly sunny skies, according to the National Weather Service. That slow warming will last into next week.
Be prepared for chilly nights: You will want to bundle up when you go to bed since chilly overnight temperatures are expected. Overnight lows across the region are expected to drop to the mid-30s, with coastal areas likely in the mid to low-40s.
A frost advisory remains in effect for San Diego County valley areas until 8 a.m. Monday, which includes the cities of Escondido, El Cajon, San Marcos, La Mesa, Santee and Poway, according to the NWS.
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Protect your plants, pipes and pets, the NWS said in a post on X.
Monday and Tuesday's valley areas are expected to heat back up, with highs in the mid-60s through the week. Along the coast, mostly clear and sunny conditions are expected this week, with daytime temperatures hitting the low to mid-60s.
Mostly sunny conditions are expected Monday in the desert areas, with highs in the upper 60s and low 70s throughout the week. Very light winds and a mix of sunny and clear conditions are expected in the mountains, with highs in the mid-50s to low 60s, the NWS said.
Downtown San Diego is expected to be mostly sunny on Monday and Tuesday, with highs in the mid-60s.
"We're going to start the day with a lot of sunshine, but again, very chilly in the morning, so dress in layers. Later on, temperatures will begin to warm up," NBC 7 meteorologist Francella Perez said.
Monday's San Diego surf forecast includes a high-risk rip current, with surf height from 3 to 5 feet, with a west swell from 280 degrees.
Monday overview
- Coasts: sunny - mid to upper-60s
- Valleys: sunny - upper-60s
- Mountains: sunny - mid to low-50s
- Deserts: sunny - upper-60s
More rain on the way?
As of now, the week ahead looks dry and warmer. Coastal regions in San Diego will likely stay in the mid-60s with sunny skies.
Wet weather could come next weekend, but it's still too early to tell. NBC 7's team of meteorologists will keep you updated as we get closer.
Best chance to catch the snow
The snow isn't sticking around in many of the region's lower-elevation communities.
The best chance to see snow, according to Bledsoe, was to head to the highest peaks in Cleveland National Park. Mount Laguna, with an elevation of 6,000 feet, received up to 8 inches of snow from the near-week-long storm — and it was still snowing on Friday.
The snow will keep melting as the days get warmer.
More snow stories:
Before you go, be sure to check for chain requirements. Caltrans San Diego advises those who wish to visit the snow, to visit their website for the most up-to-date information on chain requirements and snow plows.
Cardiff State Beach parking lot closed due to storm damage
The Reef parking lot at Cardiff State Beach was damaged during the recent storms and is closed for safety purposes.
According to California State Parks, the damage to the lot started during a storm on Jan. 21 and got even worse with the ongoing rain San Diego County has had.
"California State Parks is in the process of finalizing plans to repair the parking lot, and we are hopeful to begin construction soon," California State Parks said in a statement to NBC 7.
At the same time, San Diego's last round of king tides for the winter season was underway. King tides are exceptionally high tides caused by a stronger-than-normal gravitational pull from the moon.
Pat Abbott, a San Diego-based geology expert, said you can see how strong some of the waves have been by looking at the slope along the shoreline.
"Add them together — king tides, storm surge, no beach sand — that means erosion is going to come farther inland," Abbott said. "This right here. We've eaten away a parking lot."
