If It’s Raining, This Must Be Crash Day, Says an Overburdened Highway Patrol

Dozens of weather-related traffic accidents, most of the “fender-bender variety,” occurred throughout San Diego County Tuesday, causing massive headaches for the California Highway Patrol, a spokesman said.

“This happens every time it rains,” Lt. Joe Garrison said. “We get a little shower, and all of this weather-related traffic piles up.

“People don’t understand that when the pavement gets wet, they need to slow their speed, expand their space cushion and pay particular attention to what they’re doing. A little bit of water and an oily surface make for an extremely slippery area.

“It got so bad this morning that, at 6 a.m., we suspended all non-injury traffic accidents, meaning there were so many of them, we didn’t bother to attend to them. There were dozens, all brought on by the rain.”

The Oceanside office of the CHP reported eight weather-related accidents, one resulting in minor neck and back injuries that sent a man to Tri-City Hospital.

“He was going too fast for the conditions and ran into the center divider on northbound Interstate 5,” spokesman Tom Kerns said. “His car overturned near the under-crossing just north of Camp Pendleton.”

The steady drizzle was brought by a storm that “trickled” down the coast from the Pacific Northwest, said Richard Stitt, a National Weather Service forecaster. The storm is expected to leave this morning, Stitt said, although a 20% chance of rain remains.

It started raining at Lindbergh Field about 2 a.m. Tuesday, and by 4:30 in the afternoon, 0.37 of an inch had fallen, Stitt said, adding that Del Mar registered 0.75 of an inch, followed by Escondido with 0.66 and Rancho Penasquitos with 0.39.

Tuesday’s high and low temperature readings for the county were: Lindbergh Field, 66 and 57 degrees; El Cajon, 67 and 57; Mt. Laguna, 52 and 34, and Borrego Springs, 67 and 57.

Stitt said showers are not rare for the county at this time of year, and the county is below its average rainfall for the season.

He said a threat of isolated thundershowers is expected in the mountains and deserts throughout today, with warmer and less-windy conditions forecast Thursday.