FLOOD WATCH FOR FLASH FLOODING REMAINS IN EFFECT

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FLOOD WATCH FOR FLASH FLOODING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 ...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
900 PM PST MON JAN 3 2005

...FLOOD WATCH FOR FLASH FLOODING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM PST
TUESDAY BELOW 5000 FEET...

FOR 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.

PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THE
STRONGEST SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE RAINFALL RATES OF
HALF AN INCH TO AN INCH PER HOUR. THE HEAVY RAIN ON ALREADY
SATURATED GROUND WILL INCREASE THE FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING. AN AREA OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS OFF OF THE
COAST WILL MOVE ONSHORE AROUND MIDNIGHT AND THEN ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN
CALIFORNIA TUESDAY MORNING.

ADDITIONAL RAIN AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF ONE INCH ARE EXPECTED IN THE
COASTAL AND VALLEY AREAS...WITH AN ADDITIONAL TWO TO FOUR INCHES ON
THE COASTAL MOUNTAIN SLOPES BELOW THE SNOW LEVEL. UP TO AN INCH IS
POSSIBLE IN THE DESERTS. LARGER AMOUNTS ARE LIKELY ON SOUTHWEST
FACING MOUNTAIN SLOPES IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.

THE HEAVY RAIN COULD CAUSE FLASH FLOODING ALONG WITH ROCK AND MUD
SLIDES...ESPECIALLY IN STEEP TERRAIN OR IN AND BELOW RECENTLY BURNED
AREAS. RIVERS...CREEKS AND STREAMS COULD QUICKLY REACH NEAR THEIR
BANKS.

THE RAINS OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS HAVE FILLED THE AQUIFERS UNDERLYING
THE SAN DIEGO AND SAN LUIS REY RIVERS. THIS WILL RESULT IN A QUICKER
RESPONSE AND GREATER FLOWS IN THE CHANNELS IF HEAVY RAINFALL SHOULD
DEVELOP. AS A RESULT...RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS MAY BE NEEDED.

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLASH FLOODING AND RIVER FLOODING WILL BE
POSSIBLE BUT ARE NOT IMMINENT. PEOPLE IN OR PLANNING TRAVEL THROUGH
THE WATCH AREA SHOULD CHECK PREPAREDNESS AND STAY INFORMED ON THIS
APPROACHING STORM.

$$

ATKIN


EDIS-01-03-05 2106 PST