July 4: No parking available at San Diego beaches

According to San Diego police Lt. James Filley, all public parking lots from Ocean Beach to Torrey Pines are currently full.
By Staff, City News Service
Sunday, July 4, 2010

If you weren’t parked at a San Diego city beach by 10 a.m. to enjoy 4th of July activities, you are too late.

According to San Diego Police Lt. James Filley, all public parking lots from Ocean Beach to Torrey Pines are currently full.

“We expect a lot of people,” said Filley, in charge of police beach teams today.

The National Weather Service said gray clouds covering beaches in the morning should start breaking up around noon, but won’t totally clear up all day.

San Diego Life Guard Service Lt. Nick Lerma confirmed that beaches are already crowded, but perhaps not as densely as they used to be before the city banned seaside drinking two years ago.

“Here at Mission Beach, I see a lot of families, tent canopies, barbecue grills,” Lerma said. “I know the parking lots are full, but people will find a way to get to the beach.”

Lerma said rip currents are strong and life guards have made a few rescues today.

Despite the booze ban, Filley said officers have arrested 41 motorists for drunken driving and several dozen other people for being drunk in public, since 6 a.m. Saturday.

NWS forecaster Tina Stall said temperatures should be in the high 60s at the beach, maybe to 70 at Oceanside, while inland and mountain areas will reach the mid-70s. Ramona, Valley Center and other foothill communities may hit
80, while desert temperatures will hover around 100.

“We won’t have total clearing at the beach, and the clouds will return this evening,” Stall said. “But the clouds will be too high to interfere with fireworks. They’ll make a nice backdrop.”

Read more: http://www.swrnn.com/southwest-riverside/2010-07-04/local-county-news/no-parking-available-at-san-diego-beaches#ixzz0ur63gwBs