Friday brought partly cloudy conditions to coastal areas with highs hitting 60 in Pismo Beach and 52 in Morro Bay. In Santa Barbara and Goleta patches of fog prevailed but still allowed for highs in the 70s.
The inland areas were still warm with Paso Robles at 86 and Santa Ynez at 81.
Saturday’s forecast will be very similar to Friday’s with clouds being very stubborn at some beach communities where some highs will only reach the 50s but in the coastal valleys partly cloudy skies are likely with highs in the 60s and inland highs should still hit the upper 70s and low 80s.
Increasing clouds will be a continuing trend throughout the weekend as a significant storm doesn't look to arrive until later Sunday evening.
The big change will develop Sunday.
Winds will start picking up even before rain starts to fall. Afternoon winds out of the south will see some gusts of 20-30mph with gust potential increasing to 30-50mph later Sunday evening and overnight. Wind advisories or warnings are likely.
In terms of rain, rain should start later Sunday evening (before midnight but after Sunday's Sunset). Rainfall accumulations should be between .50-2.0" for coastal areas with south facing slopes in higher elevations receiving 1-4" of rain. Not only will we have to watch total rainfall but also rainfall rates.
The initial band of rain will feature moderate to heavy rain rates and Monday some unstable air could also introduce scattered thunderstorms which can cause locally heavy downpours.
No advisories are in place for flooding however the forecast is being watched carefully near burn scars. It is possible debris flow concerns could be an issue, stay tuned for any updates on that.
Drivers should be prepared for delays and slick roads, especially on Sunday night and Monday.
Snow levels could be above 7,000 feet on Monday but by Monday night they are expected to drop to 5,500 feet.
This storm will move out by Tuesday.
This low-pressure system will be redirected to Southern California impacting Los Angeles and San Diego counties on Monday night into Tuesday.
After the storm departs temperatures make a quick rebound with many seeing temps near or above average temperatures by mid-week.
