A cold storm system is bringing rain showers and gusty winds to the central coast Monday.
Scattered shower activity will stick around through the morning commute, which will be followed by off-and-on shower activity throughout the afternoon. Rainfall totals have been on the scarce side, and as of 4 a.m. most rainfall amounts were below 0.10''. As this system continues moving over the region, it will cause snow elevations to drop between 2,500-3,000 feet, which means the inland valleys, mountains, and foothills in Santa Barbara County could receive a light dusting of snow through the afternoon hours.
A wind advisory is in effect for the central coast through Monday night as northwesterly winds are expected to range from 20-30 miles per hour with gusts up to 50 mph. The advisory extends from the coastal regions in San Luis Obispo County into the mountains, foothills, and valleys across Santa Barbara County.
Along the coast, a high surf advisory will remain in place through 9 a.m. Tuesday for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties. Wave heights will range from eight to twelve feet but as gale-force winds and a large wind-driven swell develop, conditions could become even more dangerous along the coast.
This cold system is producing cool daytime highs. Along the coast and across valley locations, temperatures are going to struggle to get out of the low to mid-50s range. Looking ahead to the end of the week, daytime highs will start to trend up and in some cases will reach the upper 60s by Thursday.
