Major storm slams the Central Coast, producing extreme weather Thursday, dry Valentine’s Day
The major atmospheric river arrives in the Central Coast Thursday. We will start the morning with light to moderate rain which transitions into heavy downpours by lunch. Expect a messy commute as the bulk of the storm moves in San Luis Obispo around 9am, moving down to Santa Maria by 10:30 and into Santa Barbara closer to mid lunch. A quarter to a half an inch of steady rain is expected through a majority of the day, while brief and heavy bursts of rain could begin at any time, lasting 1-3 hours. Winds will be strong enough to knock down limbs and cause power outages, with a thunderstorm developing we could see downburst winds causing significant damage. Make sure to park away from trees and under cover. Conditions could deteriorate rapidly, this is a dangerous situation and when its most important to watch your surroundings. Staying home it is highly advised, please avoid travel. We will pick up anywhere from 1-3 inches of rainfall. Most rain dumping in northern communities, close to 3 inches in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbra follows close behind with 2.5 inches or more. Flooding is the biggest concern, expect low lying creeks and rivers to rise rapidly and flooding along major roadways. Burn scar areas are at risk of significant mudslides and life threatening conditions. Follow instructions from local officials and have multiple sources of emergency information. High Surf and dangerous marine conditions occur, never turn your back to the ocean, rip currents will be dangerous and wave heights close to 20FT.
We hold on to showery conditions Valentine's Day morning but begin the drying process begins by lunch. Skies turn back to mostly sunny and rainfall chances diminish down to zero by the evening. Temperatures hold into the 50s and 60s and most watches, warnings and advisories expire. High Surf Advisory remains through Saturday, surfers and boaters need to stay in the harbor as waves could reach 20FT in some areas.
After a major storm we hope for stagnant weather and that will be the case into next week! High pressure builds back in, keeping us dry for an extended period of time. Expect areas of fog and visibility concerns early on, better clearing by the evening and weather set on cruise control.
