Truck wreck in wet conditions shuts down part of I-15; more storms on way

Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Dante Ulanday - News Moderator
Nov 15, 2025 - 21:02
Truck wreck in wet conditions shuts down part of I-15; more storms on way
A truck sits on an empty freeway, wet from a storm, with a two truck nearby.
A truck sits on an empty freeway, wet from a storm, with a two truck nearby.
A truck overturned on Interstate 15 in wet conditions Saturday, forcing a detour to I-8. Here, a tow truck stands by. (Photo courtesy of the California Highway Patrol)

A panga boat capsized in stormy waters early Saturday as the predicted deluge that drenched San Diego County moved into the region.

The tragedy struck near the Imperial Beach pier, where four people died after the suspected smuggling boat overturned. Rescuers, however, were able to pull five others from the water.

Thankfully, in most cases, the heaviest rainfall, which took place Saturday morning, led only to inconvenience, with motorists facing a huge traffic snarl on a major north-south artery and scattered flooded-out roads.

The California Highway Patrol issued a Sigalert for northbound Interstate 15, south of Interstate 8, after a semi tractor-trailer jack-knifed during the mid-morning storm.

All northbound traffic was diverted to I-8. Lanes didn’t re-open until around 1:30 p.m., according to Caltrans.

In addition, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department conducted water rescues at Sorrento Valley Road and Carmel Mountain Road and in the 3200 block of Genesee Avenue in Kearny Mesa.

The El Camino Real on-ramp to eastbound state Route 78 remained closed. Flooding also affected eastbound SR-78 at the Jefferson Street on-ramp, northbound I-15 at SR-78, I-15 northbound under Interstate 5 and Interstate 805 northbound at the state Route 56 bypass, according to the CHP.

SDFD also reported that its Lifeguard Swiftwater Rescue Teams were “fully staffed and stationed across the city to respond to flooding emergencies this weekend.”

According to the National Weather Service, locally, North County felt the storm’s effects the most, with an inch and a half of rain, while some desert areas approached totals of around one inch. Parts of San Bernardino County, meanwhile saw between two and four inches of rain.

A view of a residential neighborhood drying out from a storm, with dark clouds still looming.
There was a break in the rain Saturday afternoon, but dark clouds still loomed after the heavy rainfall earlier. (Photo by Jennifer Vigil/Times of San Diego)

The sun even made an appearance Saturday afternoon, but more rain is coming – though it will be milder – not just this weekend, but for the start of the week.

Through Sunday, forecasters predict showers, with the chance of a thunderstorm late Saturday. The chance of rain tapers off around 10 a.m. Sunday and San Diego should enjoy partly sunny conditions for the remainder of the day, with a high near 65.

But the rain is set to return Sunday night, with a 40% chance of showers increasing to 80% by Monday.

As for those thinking of skiing and snowboarding, the season is nigh. Mild air will keep snow levels high until late Saturday into Sunday, forecasters said, but then “a dusting” of up to an inch down will take place around 6,500 feet elevation.

Here’s some of the two-day rainfall totals from around the region, as of 12:35 p.m. Saturday:

OCEANSIDE 1.56
PALOMAR OBSERVATORY 1.54
CARLSBAD 1.40
SAN ONOFRE 1.35
EL CAMINO DEL NORTE 1.20
VALLEY CENTER 1.08
SAN MARCOS LANDFILL 0.98
SAN DIEGO INTL AIRPORT 0.97
ENCINITAS 0.94
FASHION VALLEY 0.94
VISTA 0.87
JULIAN 0.85
POINT LOMA 0.85
LAKE CUYAMACA 0.82
KEARNY MESA 0.80
NORTH ISLAND NAS 0.80
ESCONDIDO 0.70
MIRAMAR 0.67
SANTEE 0.61
NATIONAL CITY 0.58
CHULA VISTA 0.58
LA MESA 0.51

City News Service contributed to this report.

Updated 5:25 p.m. Nov. 15, 2025

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