The National Weather Service issued a Tropical Storm Watch Friday afternoon for San Diego County's inland valleys, including the Santee area, as Tropical Storm Rachel moves toward Southern California. A Flood Watch is also in effect from Saturday evening through Sunday evening.

The weather service said Rachel was about 800 miles southwest of San Diego on Friday afternoon and moving northeast toward northern Baja. Forecasters said the storm could bring its strongest local impacts Sunday, with wind, heavy rain and coastal flooding the main concerns across San Diego County.

For inland valley communities, the weather service's alert lists a peak wind forecast of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. The Flood Watch says maximum hourly rainfall rates of 0.50 to 0.60 inches are possible for San Diego County coastal and valley areas, with heavier rates possible in the mountains and deserts.

The National Weather Service said excessive runoff could flood rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying or flood-prone locations. Residents should monitor later forecasts and be ready to act if flood warnings are issued.

For Santee, the alert is a step up from earlier weekend rain forecasts and comes after several days of heat. Residents near low-lying streets, drainage areas or the San Diego River corridor should keep an eye on official updates from the National Weather Service and county emergency officials.