A storm brought to San Diego by an atmospheric river has moved out of the region, allowing sunny skies to return to San Diego, but the county is still feeling the storm's effects in the form of high surf, flooding and road damage.
At the Beaches
High Surf
Swells have increased due to the storm and waves on Friday were expected to be up to 16 feet. A high surf warning was in effect along the coast until 6 p.m. Friday and lifeguards were urging people to stay out of the water.
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"High surf conditions are not for inexperienced surfers and/or swimmers. If you don't have a lot of experience in the ocean, a day when we have high surf is not the day to go swimming or surfing," San Diego Lifeguard spokesperson Monica Muñoz said.
Lifeguards said two experienced surfers got stuck in the waves near La Jolla Friday morning, where waves were expected to be upwards of 10 feet. "It's not a beginner's day," Lifeguard Chief James Gartland said.
The big waves were knocking against the Ocean Beach Pier, which has been closed to foot traffic since Thursday. A San Diego spokesperson said the pier would need to be assessed for damage before it can be safely reopened to the public. The pier went through major renovations and was reopened in July 2022 after suffering severe storm damage but a full replacement of the pier is proposed.
Big Weather in San Diego
Lifeguards were also concerned damaging waves and winds could create the perfect combination for damage to the already-fragile bluffs. A team, including members of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, will be monitoring the area using a radar system.
Coastal Flooding
The National Weather Service warned that big surf combined with high tides could cause coastal flooding, which was most apparent in Imperial Beach where the storm surge has reached the streets and nearby homes.
San Diego lifeguards were also prepared for flooding of the Mission Beach boardwalk and other areas around the Bay. The channel to Mission Bay was closed Friday morning as knocking waves crashed against the jetties.
The same was happening in Del Mar and spectators gathered to look at the spectacular tide covering what would be Del Mar Dog Beach. Video showed the surge going under the Coast Highway underpass and spectators could be heard saying the waves were crashing into the bridge supporting the thoroughfare.
A coastal flood advisory was in effect until 6 p.m. Friday.
Urban Runoff
Another reason to stay away from the beaches: urban runoff. After rain, discharge from storm drains can runoff into rivers and beaches, which can carry bacteria, chemicals, debris trash and other health hazards. People who come in contact with impacted water in the ocean could become ill, San Diego County health officials said.
It's a problem Imperial Beach has been dealing with for years due to sewage runoff from Tijuana, Mexico. Storms like Thursday's exacerbate the problem by pushing those toxic flows further into San Diego County and shutting down the beaches for days. Signs warning swimmers to avoid the ocean were posted along the shoreline.
"It doesn’t flow when it doesn’t rain," newly-elected Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre said. "But when it rains it flows massively. So now we have a massive influx of sewage pollution coming into our coast. And then compounding that is another source of pollution that is a sewage plant south of the border, so it’s like a triple whammy for us.”
On the Roads
With heavy rain comes more potholes and, in Hillcrest, even the start of a sinkhole. The offramp from state Route 163 to Quince Street was closed Thursday night after long cracks began forming in the roadway. Video showed some crumbling and the start of a small sinkhole. Crews blocked the roadway and were working on a plan for repairs.
On Friday morning, a water main break flooded the intersection of Carmel Valley Road and Del Mar Scenic Parkway in Del Mar Heights with thick mud. Two vehicles, an SUV and Toyota Prius got stuck in the sludge trying to drive through it. San Diego police responded to the scene to help the drivers out. It was not clear if the main break was rain-related. The cause remains under investigation.
The wet roadways also led to crashes. A semi-truck lost control on eastbound SR-94 at Jamacha Road in Spring Valley Thursday night causing it to lose its load of other flatbed trucks, which caused a full closure of the roadway.
In Vista, a car lost control on SR-78 and rolled off the freeway into a ditch. One person was injured.
