Wednesday evening forecast December 30th

Breezy to gusty northerly winds are expected Wednesday evening into Thursday, with a dry and warmer weather pattern expected to remain until Friday. A few weather systems will bring a chance of rain and mountain snow late in the weekend and into next week. High surf and strong rip currents across the Central Coast could last through at least Friday.

A wind advisory will be in effect across southern Santa Barbara County coastal and mountain areas until Thursday afternoon. North winds expected to range 20 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph. The strongest winds could be felt near Refugio and the hills above Montecito.

Daytime highs along the coastal and interior valleys will warm in mid to upper 60s by Thursday. With the region remaining dry through at least Saturday.

A trough will arrive Thursday night into Friday prompting winds to shift northeast and expected to create a Santa Ana wind event. This will possibly bring gusts up to 60 mph across the Ventura County mountains. This will also allow some coastal areas to warm while inland locations deal with a colder air mass.

By Saturday we expect a quiet start into the weekend with some mid to high level clouds. Temperatures will drop on Sunday with the potential for some light showers to western San Luis Obispo County.