Use winter storm guidelines for summertime Hurricane Hilary on the Central Coast

Published August 18, 2023 11:51 am

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. – You may not have any experience with hurricane weather, but using your best winter preparation guidelines will help you through the impacts of Hurricane Hilary.

The system is off the coast of Mexico with winds estimated to reach 130 miles an hour this weekend.

When it hits land Sunday in San Diego it will start to lose strength but weather forecasters said it will be loaded with energy in every major category.

Residents in the path should expect dynamic impacts.

Sherri Sarro is an Assistant Director of the California Office of Emergency
Services (OES). In a video information announcement she said, "this storm can bring wind, rain and flooding but also there will be lightning and with lightning can come fires. So we are being prepared for all and any type of emergency disasters in this area."

At a sand bag pile in Montecito David Wieder, a Goleta resident who works in the area said, he was glad the sand was available. "100 percent if we didn't have sand bags we would be in big trouble. Definitely want to be ready for a big storm so want to be prepared."

Montecito resident Pegeen White was walking her dog on Butterfly Beach and said, "it's dying down from what I am reading. It is going to hit land and get calmer and it's going to be OK."

As for getting rain in a dry month, she said. it was good, "I think so we need it anytime we can get it right? "
At the Santa Barbara Harbor, the talk around the docks is that Sunday afternoon and Monday will likely be time off from fishing when the Hurricane track is set to come through the area.

Stephanie Mutz owns Sea Stephanie Fish. She has urchin deliveries in Los Angeles and Orange County this weekend and plans to get in, and come back as soon and as safely as possible. "Yea we are just going to hunker for a couple of days," she said.

Having a boat that is secure is very important this weekend that is why the harbor patrol has issued an advisory for boat owners to come down to make sure everything is tight.

Mutz said, "I've gotten emails from the harbor department (they went) to every boat owner and slip holders to hunker down and make sure that your lines are not chafing."

To pick up sandbags in Santa Barbara County, check here for locations: https://www.countyofsb.org/2219/Sandbags.

For San Luis Obispo County, visit: https://www.prepareslo.org/en/resourcesGeneral/Sand-Distribution-Locations-2.21.23.pdf.

Sarro says, "we are holding coordination calls with all of the counties in the area."

Extra resources are being prepositioned.

"We are being prepared for all kinds of disasters in this area," said Sarro.

The rainfall totals in the early predictions are about 2-4 inches between the coastal areas and the mountains.

That could cause urban street flooding and concerns in low lying areas. Drivers should not attempt to go through large pools of water.

Areas that could be problematic include lower State Street intersections in Santa Barbara, the Funk Zone and in some waterfront area recreational fields.

Advice normally given out for winter storms is being sent out now.

Residents are also asked to sign up for warnings, alerts and emergency notices through READYSBC.org.

John Palminteri