Weather headlines:
-Significantly cooler weather is expected through Monday due to a cold storm system moving over California.
-There is also a slight chance of thunderstorms which could bring brief heavy downpours with
small hail.
-Dry and mild weather is expected by the midweek, with a weaker storm possible next weekend.
Detailed forecast:
On Sunday afternoon, the radar and satellite imagery showed a cold upper-level low-pressure system centered just off southern San Luis Obispo County.
The upper-level low will head down south near Vandenberg by sunset and then as far as southern California on Monday.
A Flood Advisory has been issued for Santa Barbara County until 9 p.m. Sunday, January 26th.
This system will bring increasingly cold air aloft and an unstable airmass to the area, with increasing chances of heavier showers and isolated thunderstorms Sunday afternoon and evening.
Any thunderstorms that form could produce brief heavy downpours and gusty winds.
However, there is a chance of small hail and waterspouts that may occur over the coastal waters.
Rainfall totals from now through Monday afternoon will be about 0.25 to 0.50 inches for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. Over in the mountains, particularly on the south side of the Santa Ynez range, rainfall totals will be 0.5 to 1 inch.
However, the southcoast could have rainfall totals of 2 to 2.5 inches.
Snow levels will be low enough along the Tejon Pass, with a couple of inches of accumulation tonight into Monday.
Although the weather system will move out of the area by late Monday, there will be a lingering influence from the upper-level low on Tuesday as it moves over Arizona.
Dry weather with mostly clear skies is in the forecast Tuesday night and Wednesday with the upper level low remaining over Arizona bringing a dry northerly flow aloft over the Central Coast.
High temps through Monday will mostly be in the 50s, with upper 50s to lower 60s on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Monday night's lows will be on the chilly side with freezing temperatures across the interior in the 20s and 30s, mid to upper 30s for most valleys, and lower to mid-40s across the coasts.
Cold temps will linger Tuesday night with more frosts and freezes for the interior valleys.
