Weather officials had been warning Californians about the wrath of El Niño for months — even as some residents had begun to think the typically soaking climate pattern had gone AWOL.
In a matter of minutes Monday morning, communities across southeastern San Diego were transformed into disaster zones: Families fled their homes in chest-deep floodwaters; vehicles were swept downstream as roads became rivers; residents cried for help from their rooftops.
Monday’s monster storm made Jan. 22 the fourth wettest day in San Diego since at least 1850. All told, an incredible 2.73 inches of rain washed over San Diego. From Southcrest to Ocean Beach to Carlsbad, flash floods swept the region, leaving millions in damages in their wake.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
