County gets one-third of annual rain By ERIC GALVAN, Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 10:28 PM PST
JOSELITO VILLERO PHOTO
Shoppers search for parking spaces in a flooded parking area at Costco in El Centro on Wednesday. Clouds shrouded the Valley and dumped rain since early morning.
TODD KRAININ PHOTO
The peak of Mount Signal is obscured by dark nimbus clouds Wednesday.
Ken Gibbs needed about three hours to get from San Diego to the Imperial Valley on Wednesday afternoon.
A truck driver from San Diego, Gibbs found himself resting at the On-the-Go Travel Center in El Centro just before he was about to start a trip to Nebraska.
“Usually it takes about two hours, but it took 45 minutes, an hour longer,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs said just before he hit the mountains on Interstate 8 there were reports that snow chains would be required on vehicles passing through. Gibbs said he was able to make the drive without them.
“It was pretty slick for about 20 miles. I got a lot of slush and ice,” he said. “It was sloppy, but it wasn’t too bad.”
Gibbs, and other drivers on the road Wednesday, have been hit by an annual weather system that is covering much of Southern California.
Local meteorologist Jim Christopherson on Wednesday said the system has brought down nearly an inch of rain, about a third of the annual rainfall.
He said usually Imperial County gets the majority of its rain twice a year, once in the summertime around August and September then again in the winter months.
“This weather system that we’re getting right now is coming off the Pacific (Ocean), from around Catalina Island,” he said. “It’s a slow-moving, strong system.”
He said after the rain’s end, which was to be around 3 or 4 this morning, skies should clear up and the sun should be out again starting today.
While he said temperatures would be in the low- to mid-60s, he said there is not likely to be anymore rain.
The California Department of Transportation and the California Highway Patrol kept Interstate 8 open during the day despite reports of heavy snow and black ice on the road.
Christopherson said there was a possibility snow could be falling as low as 2,500 feet — around In-Ko-Pah Pass — but said it would stop with the rains. He also said the snow “usually melts pretty fast” and could be gone within days.
Officials at the Brawley Police Department and Calexico Fire Department reported no issues to due to steady rains.
El Centro police Sgt. Paul Longoria said his department took a proactive approach to cut down on traffic accidents.
He said patrol cars and motorcycles drove around the city at lower speeds to slow down traffic.
From 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. he said there were no accidents reported.
“We wanted to take a proactive approach for that reason,” Longoria said of the rain.
" Nice to see people talk about something positive for a change and enjoying what they see. GOD'S beauty makes alot of difference in this world when you least expect it. Merry CHRISTMAS everyone! "
metallicafan87 wrote on Dec 18, 2008 5:41 PM:
" Hadn't seen snow since last winter when I was living in Pa. "
toddk wrote on Dec 18, 2008 5:35 PM:
" And yes, desertflower, I also appreciated the free car wash. Viva la lluvia! - Todd Krainin, Chief Photographer "
toddk wrote on Dec 18, 2008 5:29 PM:
" Glad you all liked the photo. My car took a beating while winding down Brockman Road in the heavy rain; my tires sank into the dirt when I stopped to take the photograph. But Mt. Signal, always beautiful, was in especially rare form with rain clouds wrapped around it like a cotton blanket from above. It was absolutely worth the trip. "
abelito wrote on Dec 18, 2008 3:34 PM:
" Anybody check out the new "Sock and Awe" game on Yahoo Games? Already, Dubya has been "aced" with over 42,000,000 shoes. Can't get enough of this game.(LOL) "
desertfiower wrote on Dec 18, 2008 1:10 PM:
" Awesome photo of Mt Signal. I'll take more rain, it settles down the dust and makes my yard look greener, besides I got a free car wash out of it. "
cinoreah wrote on Dec 18, 2008 1:04 PM:
" The snow in the mountains yesterday was absolutely beautiful! It snowed on us going to San Diego in the morning and was still snowing when we came back through between 3 and 4pm. It snowed a little more than halfway down Mountain Springs grade. Westbound traffic on MSG was closed and cars were lined up from here to forever. Don't remember ever seeing that much snow in those mountains. "
histarfish wrote on Dec 18, 2008 10:51 AM:
" The snow on the mountains this morning is awesome! "
MsPablito wrote on Dec 18, 2008 10:29 AM:
" The Mount Signal photograph is gorgeous! "
wordie wrote on Dec 18, 2008 9:29 AM:
" i wosent in the christmas spirit until i seen all the snow falling in the mountins wensday merry christmas to all and to all a merrychristmas "
yady610 wrote on Dec 18, 2008 9:04 AM:
" Merry Christmas to all! Enjoy the season! "
simplelogic wrote on Dec 18, 2008 9:04 AM:
" How about the moron in the PIC driving his/her brand new car through a foot of water. The water level is above the door line. "
royalcan wrote on Dec 18, 2008 9:03 AM:
" Todd Krainin: Your photo of Mount Signal is beautiful!! "
tod5114 wrote on Dec 18, 2008 7:59 AM:
" I'm loving the winter weather, it really gets me in the Christmas spirit! "
mandarinduck wrote on Dec 18, 2008 6:18 AM:
" Yesterday was awesome! Loved the rain, it reminded me of my good ol' days in Frisco. "
mandarinduck wrote on Dec 18, 2008 6:17 AM:
" Well a least I don't need to water my lawn for a while "
Triplemeh wrote on Dec 18, 2008 1:21 AM:
" More rain please! "
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6996lou wrote on Dec 18, 2008 9:52 PM: