A series of storms brought wild weather to San Diego this week, including rain that could cause flooding and gusty winds that toppled trees into cars, homes and streets and led to power outages across the county.
The first of back-to-back storms reached the region Tuesday night and by Wednesday morning had already caused widespread damage. An atmospheric river was slated to reach the county by Thursday, meaning more damage was possible in the days ahead.
NBC 7 is tracking damage from the storm and will continue to update this story with the latest:
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Tree Falls Onto Moving Car in Mission Valley
A man driving through Mission Valley was stunned when an estimated 50-foot tree toppled onto his moving vehicle early Wednesday.
Local
It didn't stop me," Kyle Griffith explained. "I kept going, blasting through it but it totaled the car."
The Toyota Camry had significant damage to its front hood. First responders arrived at the scene and blocked off a portion of Friars Road until the tree could be removed.
Griffith said he was physically OK but maybe a bit shook up. He warned others to be careful amid gusty winds.
Tree Takes Out Power Lines, Crashes Into Bay Park Apartments
A massive tree fell into an apartment complex in Bay Park at about 5 a.m. Wednesday.
Video from the scene showed a wide-trunked tree on its side with limbs through the second story of the white and black apartment complex. The tree roots pulled up a fence nearby.
“I heard a big ol’ boom and I got up,” a resident of the apartment told NBC 7. One of the tree's branches impaled the wall of her apartment. “I thought it was a truck that hit our building or an earthquake because it was really loud.”
The resident said she had a guest sleeping on her couch just feet away from where the tree branch broke entry through her wall.
“She heard this boom and jumped out of bed,” the resident said. “My dog was sleeping right here and zoomed out. He was out, he was nervous too.”
The downed tree also took out some power lines and San Diego Gas & Electric crews were at the scene working to fix the wires.
No injuries were reported.
Couple Wakes to Tree Crashed Through Their Del Mar Home
A Del Mar couple awoke to a pine tree crashing through their home and landing just at the foot of their bed early Wednesday morning.
“The sound of it – it was like very, very loud. It was like an explosion," the homeowner named Jerry said. “We heard a bang and we thought somebody threw a rock through the window. I was worried about prowlers, so I called police."
Turns out, it was a massive pine tree. Jerry said the impact of the crash caused a light fixture to fall from their ceiling.
Neither Jerry nor his wife were injured in the incident.
Pottery Studio Blows Over in Borrego Springs
A pottery studio built into a shed in the backyard of a Borrego Springs home toppled amid gusty winds Wednesday morning.
Ray Leora said the shed was located just being his bedroom door and he awoke to his landlord trying to clean up the mess with a Bobcat. He works as a pool cleaner, and since his efforts would be futile on a windy day like today, he stayed home and helped his landlord clean up instead.
"I don't remember winds like these, I mean they were sustained all night," Leora said. "we still have gusts of winds but nothing like last night."
His community of Borrego Springs was one of dozens facing power outages Wednesday morning.
Trees Fall in Roadways Across San Diego
Several trees crashed into San Diego roadways during recent storms. Prompting temporary road closures as crews cleaned up the mess.
A tree fell only La Jolla Farms Road near Greentree Lane overnight. Another tree was blocking Costa Verde Center in University City.
Later in the day Wednesday, a tree landed on some cars in the South Bay neighborhood of Egger Highlands.
The winds also wiped out a palm tree, which landed on a red Cadillac near Quince and 6th Street in the Balboa Park area.
As of noon on Wednesday, over 50 downed trees and more than 15 limbs had been removed in San Diego. On top of that, crews responded to multiple hazardous trees.
Power Outages
Thousands of San Diego Gas & Electric customers were without power Wednesday morning, likely due to the storm.
At the peak of the outages, at least 12,000 customers were without power in various locations across the county.
Although the utility company stated the cause for the majority of the outages is under investigation, the issues come as powerful winds blow through the county.
Road Closures
Snow in the mountains was prompting chain control warnings Wednesday. The San Diego County Department of Public Works said chains were required on Palomar Mountain and on Montezuma Valley Rd from the 4 Mile Marker to the 9 Mile Marker.
Caltrans crews were also out with snow plows along SR-78 and Pine Hill Road in Julian.
Other road closures from the San Diego County Department of Public Works:
- Little Gopher Canyon Road is closed to through traffic from 1473 Little Gopher Canyon Rd. To 1410 Little Gopher Canyon Rd. Due to a large tree blocking the roadway.
- Spring Valley Grossmont is closed between Lovell Lane to Wister Drive
- Road closed Borrego Springs area Diegueno Dr. is closed from Verbena De. to Saddle Rd. due to a utility pole down with lines in the roadway.
- Hoberg Rd. is closed from Palm Canyon Dr. To Lazy Ladder Dr. rue to a utility pole down with lines in the roadway.
