Cooler, Wetter Weather Expected to Displace Warming Trend By Mid-Week
San Diego County is experiencing mild and dry weather, but rain is likely on the way later in the week, forecasters said.
San Diego County is experiencing mild and dry weather, but rain is likely on the way later in the week, forecasters said.
I wrote several months ago about San Diego’s role in the sudden downfall of the Metropolitan Water District’s general manager, Adel Hagekhalil. A workplace discrimination complaint brought him down and, among many other points, that complaint, from the then CFO, referenced his deference to San Diego board members as fiscally reckless.
Brian Caldwell has been leading photo tours on Lake Hodges for years, with many spectators drawn in by wildlife. But after an inspection in 2022, the state mandated the water level be dropped, and Caldwell noticed a change in the wildlife population.
San Diego County wants to buy a second firefighting helicopter equipped for making water drops at night. It has nearly $4 million in hand but needs to find $14 million to pay for it. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted a unanimous 4-0 to pursue funding for the new helicopter, as well as buying four water tenders, which cost nearly $1 million each, and another $750,000 per tender a year to cover staffing costs. Finding money for the big-ticket items will be considered for the budget for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 on Tuesday to approve a proposal to improve the county’s preparedness for wildfires. “It only takes a spark, a downed power line or a stray ember carried by Santa Ana winds or a sudden shift in the weather can turn a quiet afternoon into catastrophe,” said County Supervisor Jim Desmond during a news conference before Tuesday’s meeting.
Rain that arrived late Saturday in San Diego County brought with it cautious optimism as officials removed most evacuation orders and warnings in the Border 2 fire area. Cal Fire officials said the Border 2 fire, which began Wednesday, was 6,225 acres in size and 40% contained as of Sunday evening. Officials credited the wet weather — a little less than half an inch of rain fell in the area — with helping firefighters make progress on containment.
It only takes one spark. A downed power line, a stray ember carried by the wind or a sudden shift in the weather can turn a quiet afternoon into a disaster. We’ve seen it before. The wildfires of 2003 and 2007 devastated San Diego County, destroying thousands of homes, displacing families and leaving a lasting mark on our region. These fires weren’t just tragedies — they were hard lessons. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned, we can never afford to be complacent.
With winds dying down on Friday throughout San Diego County and a ridge of high pressure moving out, we will see some major changes in the weekend forecast that include a significant drop in temperatures, cloudier skies, and, yes, a good chance for some light to moderate rain and snow in our local mountains. The chance for rain comes after Southern California has been pelted with Santa Ana winds for winds and wildfires have sparked up across the region.
A Coast Highway 101 sign business owner who serves on the Olivenhain Water District board will become Encinitas’ newest City Council member. The council on Wednesday voted 3-1, with Councilmember Joy Lyndes opposed, to pick Marco San Antonio out of eight applicants seeking to fill the new mayor’s former council seat. He can be formally sworn into his new job at the Feb. 12 council meeting after he resigns from the water board, City Clerk Kathy Hollywood said.
A seventy-year-old stalwart is getting a much-needed makeover. The San Diego County Water Authority is working to upgrade the historic First Aqueduct to deliver safe and reliable water supplies for the region.