Heatwave arrives Thursday, possible monsoonal moisture into the weekend
A rather complicated forecast is on tap of the Central Coast. Sundowner winds Wednesday night were not strong enough to keep the marine layer form forming and Santa Barbara woke up to fog and gloomy skies. Most areas by the beaches have some visibility concerns. By the middle of the day skies will clear and temperatures spike. Some areas will see a jump from 5-10 degrees. Highs inland reach triple digits and upper 90s. Coastal valleys climb into the 80s and 90s and coasts warm into the 70s and 80s. Similar sundowner winds occur tonight but will likely not be strong enough again to keep clouds from forming.
Expect another cloudy morning Friday. Gray skies linger through the first half to the day before clouds virtually vanish and skies turn mostly sunny. Starting at 10am, an Excessive Heat Warning begins for inland areas and a Heat Advisory begins for the Santa Lucia Mountain Range, Paso Robles and Ventura County Valleys. The Heat Advisory will be allowed to expire by Sunday morning while the Excessive Heat Warning will extend into Wednesday of next week. Temperatures on Friday warm 3-5 degrees further than the previous day. Clouds and fog will moderate temperatures by the beaches, but even coastal communities will be above average as the clouds clear into the evening.
Onshore flow weakens into the weekend as high pressure continues to strengthen. The heatwave and long range models show dangerously hot conditions inland. It is important to stay safe and ton know the signs of heat related illnesses. Monsoonal moisture will be a concern into the weekend as well. Other than an increase in clouds and moisture, we have a bvery slight chance for showers to develop in Ventura County up through Santa Barbara County. If a thunderstorm were to develop, it could produce locally heavy rain. Even if rain does not form, the hazardous possibility of dry lighting could spark even more fires. Although we are tracking moisture, it is important to note that temperatures will not cool much due to the moisture and temperatures will still be dangerously hot inland.
