Leslie Lopez Weather Discussion – Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Thunderstorms continue to roar through our county this morning and will move further inland in the coming hours. We have seen pea sized hail, lots of lightning and rainfall in a large area of the North County. Waterspouts are also a possibility at the beaches today. This is all happening because of an upper level disturbance near San Clemente Island which is tapping into a little bit of monsoonal moisture from the Southeast, making for a lot of instability in the atmosphere!

This instability has prompted a Flood Advisory in the North County, a Flash Flood Watch countywide, a Beach Hazard Statement urging swimmers to stay out of the water due to lightning, and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

So, when will it go away? Well, the low pressure system has separated itself from the jet stream and is moving towards the west away from the coastline. This afternoon, the storms will continue to move towards the mountains and deserts and remain through the evening and into tomorrow morning.

There will still be a slight chance for thunderstorms at the coast and inland areas tomorrow morning, but there’s a better chance of that happening in the mountains and deserts.

By late tomorrow afternoon most of the storms will be out of here. By Friday and into the weekend we clear up and then begin a warming and drying trend Monday and Tuesday. Stay safe out there! “When the lightning roars, stay indoors!”

Here are some excellent pictures from viewers throughout the county this morning! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! You all are very wonderful weather watchers! It’s much appreciated! Sorry, I can’t post all the wonderful photos I received today.

Viewer Rikk Clark, Temecula:

Viewer Nick Beucler:

Viewer Joe Libertini, La Costa:

Viewer Kay Wood, Bonsall:

7-day Outlook issued by the National Weather Service as of Wednesday 10am:

REST OF TODAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS 73 TO 78 NEAR THE COAST TO 76 TO 81 INLAND. LIGHT WINDS. CHANCE OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION 50 PERCENT.

TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE EVENING…BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS 60 TO 67. LIGHT WINDS. CHANCE OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

THURSDAY…CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING…THEN PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS 74 TO 79 NEAR THE COAST TO 78 TO 83 INLAND. LIGHT WINDS. CHANCE OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

THURSDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE EVENING…BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 62 TO 67. LIGHT WINDS.

FRIDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING…BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 76 TO 81 NEAR THE COAST TO 81 TO 86 INLAND. LIGHT WINDS.

FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR IN THE EVENING…BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 63 TO 68.

SATURDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING…BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 74 TO 79 NEAR THE COAST TO 78 TO 83 INLAND.

SATURDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE EVENING…BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 61 TO 66.

SUNDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING…BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 73 TO 78 NEAR THE COAST TO 77 TO 82 INLAND.

SUNDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR IN THE EVENING…BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 62 TO 67.

MONDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING…BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 73 TO 78 NEAR THE COAST TO 79 TO 84 INLAND.

MONDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE EVENING…BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 63 TO 68.

TUESDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING…BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 76 TO 81 NEAR THE COAST TO 82 TO 87 INLAND.