Detailed forecast:
The tail end of a system over Northern California brushed over the Central Coast Sunday afternoon and will continue to zip across the area Sunday night.
However, there will be some light measurable rain across the Central Coast on Sunday afternoon and evening, but nothing is expected south of Point Conception.
Amounts, if any, will be under 0.10 inches for most areas, but the far northwest corner of San Luis Obispo County could receive around 0.25 inches.
Above the surface, a couple of weak troughs will zip across the area Sunday night through Tuesday then the ridge will build offshore on Wednesday.
Near the surface, northerly flow will develop Sunday night with north-to-northeast flow forecast to continue through Monday through Wednesday.
Data indicates decent probabilities of gusts 30-50mph. Expect advisory-level northerly winds across the I-5 Corridor, Santa Ynez Range, and the interior mountains of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
A Wind Advisory has been issued for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties until 10 a.m. Monday, December 30th.
With the developing northerly winds and passing front, the marine layer will be rather chaotic Sunday night.
For Monday through Wednesday, attention will be on the offshore winds. During the day on Monday, the winds will be calm in the afternoon and evening.
By Monday night, the north-to-northeast flow will increase across the area with the winds continuing through Wednesday.
With the offshore low and upper-level ridge of high pressure gradually building offshore, a warming trend is expected for most areas with temperatures in the 70s to around 80 by Wednesday.
As for clouds, the offshore flow will keep the Central Coast stratus-free, but varying amounts of high clouds will keep skies ranging between mostly clear and partly cloudy.
Beach forecast:
High surf will continue for the west-facing beaches of the Central Coast of about 10 to 15 feet but will then decrease somewhat for Monday.
Above-normal surf is also expected on west-facing beaches of the south Santa Barbara County coast through Sunday evening.
The rip current risk will be high though at least Monday.
A High Surf Advisory is still in effect for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties until 3 a.m. Tuesday, December 31st.
Fire weather forecast:
On Sunday, northwest-to-north wind-prone locations will likely experience elevated to brief critical fire-weather conditions such as the Santa Barbara County mountains.
Locally enhanced sundowner winds will focus on the Santa Ynez Range into Sunday night.
However, humidities will remain elevated in most areas while the strong-wind risk remains localized.
The weather pattern this week is expected to become favorable for elevated to critical fire-weather conditions across Santa Ana wind-prone areas of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, as well as portions of Santa Barbara County prone to north-wind enhancements.
This week, an upper-level ridge is forecast to gradually build along the Pacific coast to the west of a large upper trough encompassing much of the central and eastern states.
Correspondingly, surface high pressure strengthening over the Great Basin will facilitate increasing offshore flow amid slight to moderate upper support, which will combine with unseasonably warm temperatures assisted by the building upper ridge to produce the increased fire-weather risk.
Elevated to brief critical fire-weather conditions will also be a concern farther west across the San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County mountains, especially including the Santa Ynez range when northerly pressure gradients are strongest on Monday and Tuesday, though humidities will likely remain elevated.
