Gale Winds Churn Bay, Upset Boat : 2 Lifeguards Rescued; Minor Damage Reported in County

High winds Sunday flipped a two-man Harbor Patrol boat in choppy water, while the intermittent gusts rattled signs and utility wires and parted vessels from their moorings.

The steady winds, which reached gale force occasionally during the day Sunday, were expected to diminish today as the weather system changes, but a travelers’ advisory and small-craft warnings were in effect at least through this morning, the National Weather Service reported.

The unusually high winds, which began to blow from the northwest about 2:30 a.m. Sunday, reached 40 m.p.h. by 2 p.m. at Lindbergh Field, forecaster Richard Stitt said. The weather service issued a warning of gale winds of 39 to 54 m.p.h. at 1:20 p.m.

San Diego was on the edge of a low-pressure system that settled in Nevada, and the fringe of the storm brought precipitation to the county, Stitt said. Up to half an inch of rain and six inches of snow fell in various areas of the county, with 0.15 of an inch of rain recorded at Lindbergh Field.

Though the full strength of the rainstorm didn’t dip this far south, the location of the low-pressure center in southern Nevada combined with high-pressure cells in the eastern Pacific to kick up the high winds. Trucks jackknifed in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and the California Highway Patrol warned all camper and small vehicle drivers to use caution on San Diego County freeways.

White-capped water and strong winds made boating hazardous, and dozens of vessels were torn loose from their anchors, U.S. Coast Guard and Harbor Patrol officials reported.

“We have a lot of boats breaking away, floating around the harbor and overturning,” Harbor Patrol Lt. Carrie Tate said, adding that seas outside San Diego Bay were reported cresting to 8 feet.

The Mission Bay channel was closed to boat traffic, and signs were posted on jetties warning of heavy surf, Mission Bay Harbor Patrol officials said.

About 9 a.m. Sunday, a patrol rescue boat out of Mission Bay was toppled backward when its bow hit the crest of a wave, and the wind flipped it, Sgt. John Liddle said. “The wind created a bizarre situation. You have two forces to contend with, a swell coming in from one direction and the wind creating another swell.”

Two lifeguards were in a 22-foot Boston whaler and were rescued unharmed.

The Coast Guard went to the aid of a sportfishing vessel carrying 25 people Sunday afternoon when the boat began taking on water, Lt. John Sullivan reported. The 75-foot craft, Chance, out of San Diego’s H & M Landing sent a distress call about 5 p.m. A Coast Guard helicopter and Falcon jet reached the boat within an hour and delivered pumps. Sullivan said the vessel was under way Sunday night and headed for repairs.

Back in Mission Beach, a billboard wobbling on its rusted steel posts caused about 10 residents to leave their homes below the sign. Police blocked off the 3000 block of Mission Boulevard between Sunset Court and San Rafael Place about 12:30 p.m. Two cranes and workers armed with torches removed the sign about 6:45 p.m.

The San Diego Fire Department was busy responding to calls of downed live wires and a few felled trees, but no injuries or major property damage were reported, Capt. Bob Glass said.

San Diego Gas & Electric spokeswoman Becky Obayashi said there were many small outages throughout the county, but she had no count of customers affected.

Police and fire departments around the county reported a heavy stream of weather-related calls, but there appeared to be little major damage to property.

In Coronado, high winds toppled a steel pole supporting lights for the Coronado High School football field, causing moderate damage to two parked cars. The episode just after 11 a.m. prompted police to close the 500 block of F Avenue for several hours while maintenance crews removed the 60-foot pole and secured two similar poles in the area.

In North County, about a dozen residents of a single-story Escondido apartment building were evacuated just before noon after an antenna fell on a 4,000-volt power line, causing a small fire on the structure’s roof.

Escondido fire officials closed the 1000 block of East Grand Avenue for about 40 minutes while SDG&E; officials killed the power to the line and the fire was extinguished, Capt. Steve DiGiovanna said. There were no injuries, and damage to the building was limited to two roof decks.

The low-pressure system that helped generate the stormy weather was expected to move east from its center in Las Vegas today, forecaster Stitt said.

The weather will continue to be breezy today, but daytime temperatures that had been about 5 degrees below normal should slowly rise through Tuesday, he said. Skies should be partly cloudy.

Temperatures in all areas should be in in the low to mid-60s today and up to 70 Tuesday. Nights will continue cool, with lows in the 40s along the coast and in the mid-30s to mid-40s inland.

Gusty northwest winds should slowly decrease in the mountains and deserts today. Temperatures in the mountains are expected to be in the in mid-30s to mid-40s today and up to 53 on Tuesday. Lows should be in the 20s.

Desert highs in the 60s should reach the 70s by Tuesday and lows are expected in the 40s.