California’s San Diego county faces unprecedented tornado warning

This screenshot shows a San Diego street submerged under water as storm continues. — x/imurpartha

San Diego County found itself under a rare tornado warning on Tuesday as a historic and deadly storm unleashed chaos across Southern California. 

The National Weather Service issued the alert for inland parts, including El Cajon, La Mesa, and Santee, lasting until 12:45pm local time.

The storm, responsible for hundreds of mudslides, brought the region to its knees, prompting multiple flood warnings. The record-setting system was expected to deliver up to 3 inches of rain in San Diego and Los Angeles, intensifying concerns about flooding and mudslides due to saturated ground.

As the San Diego region remained under a flood watch, a Flash Flood Warning heightened anxiety with “life-threatening” conditions stretching from San Diego to Orange counties. 

The warning, issued just before 10am, focused on communities where rainfall rates reached 0.75 to one inch per hour, with an additional one to two inches possible. The warning expired at 1pm, impacting neighbourhoods in the county’s northernmost tip, including Oceanside and Fallbrook.

Shortly after the flash flood warning, a rare Tornado Warning struck South Bay and East County. A strong thunderstorm capable of producing spiraling winds prompted concerns in communities such as Chula Vista, National City, Spring Valley, El Cajon, Santee, and Lakeside. While the warning was canceled around 12:30pm due to the system weakening, it left an indelible mark on San Diego State University, which placed all students under a “Take Cover” alert.

Despite the tumultuous weather, San Diego County breathed a collective sigh of relief as the rare tornado warning expired. The National Weather Service’s San Diego office reported no damage consistent with a tornado, bringing reassurance to the community.

As the storm rages on, the rest of San Diego County remains under a Flood Watch through Wednesday. Isolated thunderstorms may persist in inland areas, raising the stakes for residents and authorities alike.

Authorities confirmed at least one death due to flooding. A migrant attempting to cross the US border by swimming through the swollen Tijuana River lost their life.

While today’s rare noontime tornado warning may have stirred panic, San Diego County emerges with gratitude as it appears the worst-case scenario did not materialise.

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