We kicked off the week with the activation of advisories, and currently, both wind and high surf advisories are in effect.
Despite these alerts, Thursday is anticipated to bring typical temperatures for this time of the year across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. Most communities can expect highs in the mid to upper 50s, with the south coast experiencing slightly warmer temperatures in the mid-60s.
As we mentioned the past couple of days, alerts are on beaches in the San Luis Obispo County area and Santa Barbara County Central Coast Beaches.
The National Weather Service placed a High Surf Advisory that’s currently in effect until 9am Friday. We can expect waves to up to 17 feet tomorrow Thursday and dangerous rip currents.
With that, a Coastal Flood Advisory is also in effect currently that will extend noon Thursday. It is advised to take necessary actions to protect flood-prone property and to remain out of the water and off the rocks. However, unlike the recent major waves that caused a lot of damage throughout our towns, we don’t expect significant damage to roads or structures form either these advisories.
Turning our attention to the winds, strong northerly winds are causing concern through Thursday afternoon.
The Wind Advisory now includes all of Santa Barbara County and parts of San Luis Obispo County and includes a High Wind for the mountains of Santa Barbara County through Thursday noon.
This hazard will bring winds 30-40 mph, with isolated gusts up to 80 mph in most of Santa Barbara County. With these strong winds, it is expected that travel will be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles. It is recommended to avoid being outside in forested areas around trees and branches that could blow off and cause harm.
In the upcoming forecast, temperatures in both counties are set to climb to 60 degrees by the week's end, paving the way for a slightly warmer weekend ranging from the low to mid-60s. The trend continues into the following week, promising even milder conditions.
However, there's a 50% chance of precipitation looming on the horizon tonight in our counties, with a 40% likelihood in the Santa Ynez Valley. Once this weather system clears, clear skies are anticipated until Saturday.
