A cold upper-level low will continue its southerly path through California Thursday, bringing chances of isolated thunderstorms to the area.
As of 4:15 a.m., the radar was picking up most activity off the coastline. However, looking ahead to 11 a.m., increased rain activity is likely over Santa Barbara County through late afternoon. It's possible the Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, and Lompoc could receive heavy rain through at least 4 p.m. before the system mixes out early in the evening.
Another piece that remains in the forecast will be snowfall. A winter storm warning will remain in place for the Santa Barbara County Mountains through Thursday night as more snow is expected to accumulate. For those commuting through the mountainous areas, Highway 154 will likely continue to be impacted.
Where are my early birds? Snowfall could still impact your commute today as a winter storm warning remains in place for the #SantaBarbaraCounty mountains and foothills. We're not done with this storm just yet! #BeonKSBY #CAWX #CentralCoastWX pic.twitter.com/PBihz6Fzrt
— Brooke Martell (@BrookeMartell) March 11, 2021
For most of the central coast, winds will be shifting out of the northwest Thursday, peaking at 20 miles per hour. The exception to this will be the south coast in Santa Barbara County where winds will be shifting out of the south and southwest. This is a precursor to the gusty wind conditions in the weekend forecast.
