Rain and wind will continue through the weekend
Moderate rainfall on the Central Coast will move southward on Friday evening. The main band will reach Ventura County by midnight, and rain showers will follow behind it. Showers will linger well into Saturday, ahead of a second and smaller band of rain early Saturday evening. There is a continuing smaller chance of showers on Sunday. There is also a 15 to 25 percent chance of thunderstorms or hail through the course of the storm system.
There is a flood advisory in San Luis Obispo County until 12:15 am. There is a flood watch for all areas through Sunday evening. Rain rates will mostly be a quarter to half inch per hour. If thunderstorms occur, rain rates could reach as high as three quarters of an inch or 1 inch per hour. In total for the storm, there will be 1 to 3 inches of rainfall in coastal areas and 3 to 6 inches in the mountains and foothills. South-facing slopes will be on the higher end of the rainfall total spectrum.
There is a winter storm warning in the Santa Barbara and Ventura County mountains from 8:00 pm Friday to 11:00 pm Sunday. There will be 1 to 2 feet of snow above 6,000 feet, 6 to 12 inches above 5,000 feet, and 2 to 6 inches above 4,500 feet.
Southerly winds are strong. With wet soil and gusty winds, there is an elevated risk for downed trees or power outages. There is a high wind warning in the San Luis Obispo County mountains from until 3:00 am Saturday. Gusts will be up to 60 mph. There is a wind advisory until midnight on the Central Coast, Southwest Coast, and west Santa Ynez Range. There is also one in the SLO County interior valleys and the Cuyama Valley until 3:00 am Saturday. Additionally, an advisory will cover the Southeast Coast and east Santa Ynez Range from 6:00 pm Friday to 3:00 am Saturday. Gusts in areas under an advisory will be 45 to 55 mph.
There is a high surf advisory on the Central Coast until 6:00 pm Sunday with breaking waves from 8 to 12 feet, and local sets up to 15 feet. There is also a high surf advisory from 2:00 am Saturday to 11:00 am Sunday on the Ventura County coast. Breaking waves will be 4 to 7 feet with local set up to 9 feet. Rip currents will be dangerously strong.
Low temperatures on Saturday will be in the 40s to low 50s. Highs will stay well below average, in the mid 50s to low 60s. Sunday's highs will increase by a few degrees as the storm exits.
Next week will bring a decent break from the rain. Monday will be sunny and dry. Temperatures will leap up by 4 to 8 degrees, with many areas reaching the upper 60s. It will get even warmer by midweek, with some valleys reaching the mid 70s. Wednesday will be the warmest day of the next seven before cooling sets back in next Thursday.
