Good morning Central Coast!
Wednesday shaped up to be a comfortable one across the region with marine air descending into the Paso Robles area and dramatically decreasing temps. Some communities were 20 degrees cooler than just 24 hours earlier.
Today we will be close to the same temperature wise today with highs a couple of degrees warmer. Morning clouds will dissipate quickly for interiors and coastal valleys but beaches will struggle to clear.
Enjoy the great weather today, we will see big changes as we move into the weekend.
Starting Friday the upper level low pressure that has driven the cooldown will move out and winds will pick up. The northern coastal waters will see gale-force winds by Friday evening, impacting western San Luis Obispo (SLO) and Santa Barbara (SB) Counties with strong Sundowner winds.
This has prompted an initial high wind advisory for the south coast and SB county interiors from Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon.
That advisory is just the start, Saturday night the winds will strengthen, gusts could reach up to 60 mph in the Santa Ynez Range and areas like Montecito, necessitating a high wind watch from Saturday night through Monday morning. These conditions will also bring about downslope warming, leading to unusually high nighttime temperatures that could remain in the 80s and even low 90s.
Along with the winds the beaches will see elevated surf. I expect high surf advisories to be issued across our beaches.
The marine layer will largely dissipate by Saturday, resulting in much warmer conditions. Temperatures in Sundowner-affected areas could soar to the 80s and lower 90s, even at some beaches. This significant heat increase, 15-20 degrees above normal, may trigger heat advisories for parts of the Central Coast and southern Santa Barbara County. Other valleys and coastal areas will also experience a warm-up, with highs in the 90s inland and 70s to lower 80s along the coast.
Sunday will bring strong northerly winds across the western counties, adjacent coastal waters, and northern mountains.
Northerly flow is expected to remain strong offshore through the middle of next week, maintaining the potential for Sundowner winds in southern Santa Barbara County. SLO and northern Santa Barbara Counties will experience gusty northwest winds near the coast but little to no marine layer stratus, with temperatures remaining close to normal.
Residents should stay informed on weather updates and advisories, especially those in wind-prone areas, to prepare for rapidly changing conditions and potential hazards.
Have a great day Central Coast!
