Stronger Storm May Bring More Rain by the Weekend

With storms queuing up like they’re on a conveyor belt into San Diego County, March may live up to its reputation as the second wettest month of the season behind January, forecasters say.

A weak storm blowing through today will be followed by a stronger storm this weekend, and still another is due by next Tuesday, said Wilbur Shigehara, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

But the storms will barely make a dent in the county’s long-term drought problems, Shigehara said. After five years of too little rain, the creeks and reservoirs rise temporarily, then go back down because the ground is so parched.

The storm, which began moving in Tuesday with a 70% chance of rain, is a big disappointment, Shigehara said. The forecast through tonight is for a 30% chance of rain, with less than a quarter of an inch predicted. The weather will be cool and windy with gusts up to 20 m.p.h. Surf will roll in at 3 to 5 feet.

“It growled at us like it was going to be a big storm, but last night it just stopped intensifying,” he said Tuesday.

Cold air from the Gulf of Alaska stopped fueling the moisture-laden air from the Hawaiian Islands, and the storm slowed considerably, Shigehara said.

After a brief respite Thursday and Friday, clouds will start gathering again, with a moderately strong storm moving in Saturday.

After a mostly dry February, the pattern of storms that began last week may bring San Diego close to the norm for this time of year, Shigehara said. Lindbergh Field has posted 5.66 inches to date. The norm is 6.89 for the season, which runs from July 1 to June 30.