———12:00 PM Update——-
Rain is still falling across the Central Coast but here is a look at some of the rain totals so far.
———-8:15 AM Update from Meteorologist Vivian Rennie ———-
As of 8am Monday Morning significant rain brought tricky driving conditions to the area. Take extra caution on the roadways as the rain continues through the region.
———From Previous Story———
Good Morning Central Coast! As we kick off a new week there is a lot to talk about as a large storm is bearing down on us.
This low pressure system has been barreling down the West Coast and has already brought significant clouds to the region. Despite the added cloud cover conditions are clear (at least fog wise) for the morning commute.
A strong cold front is kicking things off this morning as it moves across the Central Coast, this will drop temperatures, increase wind gusts and (most excitingly) bring us rain. It will start on the lighter side (at least compared to Tuesday) this morning pushing south east into the afternoon. This will likely complicate the morning commute and into the afternoon hours as the first round of rainfall pushes through.
There is an incident closing portions of South bound HWY 101 near Gaviota. Up to date information on that crash can be found here.
Up to date rainfall totals can be found at this link. We will bring up to date storm totals as the storm progresses further.
The storm is not only bringing rainfall but also other hazards into the region. Firstly there is a High Surf Advisory in place through 9AM Wednesday. Waves breaking between 8-12 feet and a dangerous rip current along our western beaches. Additionally due to runoff of potentially hazardous chemicals it is important to take caution in the water for 72 hours after heavy rain.
While todays rain is much needed the bulk of the storm will move in overnight Monday into Tuesday and continue through most of the daytime hours Tuesday. This is the time period where we will see the bulk of accumulation as well as the bulk of the hazards. The combination of heavy rains, thunderstorm potential, and gusty winds will make it an election day to remember.
Models are showing pockets of heavier downpours Tuesday morning the greatest chance of heavy rain falls in the morning hours. This is not only going to impact the morning commute once again but also those headed to the polls for the mid term election.
From the early morning hours into the evening on Tuesday winds will be a concern across the Central Coast. S/SW winds will be sustained 25-40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph. This risk is mainly in the interior valleys where a High Wind Watch has been issued.
Light showers could linger through Wednesday but by that time we are starting to dry out. Totals from this storm system could land around 1-2 inches for coast and valley areas while the mountains and foothills could see the potential of 3 inches. The bulk of this will fall on Tuesday. here is a look at the Tuesday forecasted rain totals. Reminder that this is in addition to rain the rain that has already fallen on the Central Coast.
We cannot rule out the potential of snow in some of the interior mountains as well this will not impact us here on the Central Coast but could pose a concern across the Grapevine, snow elevations will drop to around 3,500ft.
The area will start to see things dry out Wednesday into Thursday but the cold air will still prove to be an issue overnight. The lows could still warrant some frost or freeze hazards which we will also monitor as we get closer to that time.
Stay dry and have a great day Central Coast!
