Weak storm passes over critical watershed area in Santa Barbara County

The weak storm that passed through in the last day has been good enough to keep the hills soaked, but not enough to create new significant flows into Cachuma Lake.

The hope is, longer, and more persistent storms will come into the area and directly rain in the hills above the lake and Gibraltar dam. An “atmospheric river” pattern is underway for northern and central California.

A clogged drain backed up the Carrillo underpass early this morning until it could be cleared out by CalTrans.

On Loma Alta, there was a mud slide in about the same place another slide came down in January. Today, the city put up road blocks to keep cars out.

In the early morning hours there was a truck loaded with newspapers, that went off the road at Turnpike in Goleta forcing the closure of a lane for a heavy duty tow truck to come in.

Many people going to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival for the first movies of the day in the 8 o’clock hour were snuggled into their winter coats and had popped open umbrellas overhead. Where there were lines, some people said they stood outside about 20 minutes waiting for their theater to be open.

One volunteer, Jennifer Purdy held an umbrella up even when it wasn’t raining because she said people could find her easily if they had a question. The mixed weather did not impact her personality which was welcoming for the movie guests and those checking out the daily listings.