The Central Coast is set to experience a significant cooling trend starting tomorrow, with a notable increase in marine layer clouds. This comes after Tuesday’s record temp near 100 in SLO.
Temperatures will dip well below normal from Thursday through Saturday, as gusty Sundowner winds are expected to develop along the Santa Barbara southwest coast during the evenings.
As a strong upper-level low-pressure system moves down along the Pacific Northwest coast, the onshore flow will intensify, leading to cooler temperatures.
By Wednesday, temperatures will drop to within a few degrees of normal, but Thursday will see a more drastic decrease, with highs falling 3 to 8 degrees below the seasonal average.
Clear skies are expected across much of the region through tomorrow, thanks to negligible onshore pressure gradients overnight. However, low clouds are likely to return to the coastal plains tomorrow night into Thursday morning, contributing to cooler conditions.
By Thursday night, the inland extent of these low clouds will increase even further.
Strong north-to-south pressure gradients tonight and Wednesday night will drive Sundowner winds along the Santa Barbara southwest coast. Gusts are expected to reach 30 to 50 mph, particularly around Gaviota and Refugio. As a result, a Wind Advisory is in effect from 6 PM today through 3 AM tomorrow for the Western Santa Ynez Range and the coastal areas below.
The upper-level low will keep the area cool through Saturday. After the low-pressure system exits to the east, high pressure is expected to rebuild over California starting Sunday and continuing into early next week. This will lead to a quick rebound in temperatures, returning to within a few degrees of normal by Monday.
There is a slight chance of monsoonal moisture reaching the region from Saturday through Monday, with the highest likelihood on Sunday. Although the chance of thunderstorms is currently under 10 percent, the potential for some activity cannot be entirely ruled out.
