477 
FGUS76 KSGX 231413 RRA
ESFSGX

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
615 AM PST TUE DEC 23 2008

CAZ042-043-048-050-055>058-060>062-240200-
ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-APPLE AND LUCERNE VALLEYS-
COACHELLA VALLEY-SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS-
545 AM PST TUE DEC 23 2008

...STRONGER PACIFIC STORM EXPECTED LATE WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...

A STRONGER PACIFIC STORM IS EXPECTED TO BRING STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND 
PERIODS OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION FROM LATE WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY. 
THE HEAVIEST AND MOST WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED FROM LATE 
WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY. SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO 
DECREASE THURSDAY WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS LINGERING INTO FRIDAY.

RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM AROUND ONE INCH AT THE COAST TO 2 
TO 2 TO 3 INCHES ON THE COASTAL SLOPES WITH LOCALLY GREATER AMOUNTS 
POSSIBLE. AMOUNTS IN THE DESERTS OF ONE HALF INCH OR LESS. 

THE SNOW LEVEL IS EXPECTED TO RISE FROM AROUND 5000 FEET EARLY 
WEDNESDAY TO 6000 FEET WEDNESDAY NIGHT...THEN LOWER BACK TO AROUND 
5000 FEET OR SLIGHTLY LOWER FOR THURSDAY. AS SNOW LEVELS RISE 
WEDNESDAY NIGHT...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL MAY FALL ON THE MELTING 
SNOWPACK FROM RECENT COLD STORMS. THIS COULD GREATLY INCREASE RUNOFF 
AND THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING IN THE MOUNTAINS...ESPECIALLY 
BELOW 6000 FEET. 

FLASH FLOOD WATCHES HAVE BEEN POSTED FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO 
THURSDAY FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND FOR BURN AREAS IN COASTAL AND VALLEY 
AREAS. A WINTER STORM WATCH IS POSTED FOR THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY 
MOUNTAINS ABOVE 6000 FEET FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY 
MORNING WITH ONE TO TWO FEET OF SNOWFALL POSSIBLE AT HIGHER 
ELEVATIONS.

GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED IN COASTAL AREAS AND IN THE SAN BERNARDINO 
COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY 
MORNING. STRONGER WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS 
THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS THE STORM MOVES EAST.

PEOPLE PLANNING TRAVEL OR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR 
THE LATEST WEATHER FORECASTS AND WARNINGS.

$$

MARTIN