Happy Friday from Meteorologist Jim Castillo
Here's your Central Coast weather forecast for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties
High temperatures will remain several degrees above normal through Saturday, with the familiar pattern of morning low clouds and fog returning each day. The marine layer depth has settled around 1,000 feet along our coastline.
Saturday brings a slight cooling trend with daily highs dropping a few degrees from Friday's readings, though temperatures will still run above seasonal averages. More substantial cooling arrives Sunday and Monday as the weather pattern shifts.
Onshore pressure gradients will gradually strengthen over the next couple of days, increasing onshore winds across both counties. The Santa Barbara to Santa Maria gradient shows particular strengthening, which could produce gusty Sundowner winds over southwestern Santa Barbara County. While Saturday night remains possible, Sunday night appears more likely for these potentially strong offshore winds affecting the Santa Lucia Mountains and Santa Ynez Mountains areas.
Tropical Cyclone Polo continues tracking toward Baja California, with current forecasts favoring landfall somewhere in Baja Sur. However, beach impacts remain possible along the Santa Barbara County coast Monday and Tuesday. Residents and visitors should prepare for potential high surf and beach erosion during this timeframe. A beach hazard statement is in effect for the Santa Barbara County coast through Wednesday for the high risk of rip current.
Looking ahead, confidence in any rainfall from Polo has decreased significantly with the storm's projected southern track. Instead, expect offshore flow to return Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing another warming trend as an upper-level high pressure system builds over the Pacific Ocean.
The Los Padres National Forest areas in both counties will experience similar temperature swings, with the cooling trend Sunday and Monday providing temporary relief before the midweek warm-up begins.
This pattern keeps our region dry with typical late-season temperature fluctuations as we head through the weekend and into next week.
Have a great weekend, Central Coast!
-Jim
