Good Wednesday evening, Central Coast!
Current Conditions & Warnings
• Extreme Heat Warning - Santa Barbara County through 8 PM Thursday • Heat Advisory - San Luis Obispo County through 8 PM Thursday
• Fire Weather Warning - Southern Santa Barbara County & interior mountains • Wind Advisory - Southern Santa Barbara County & interior mountains
Wind Forecast
• Gusty northwest to north winds expected this afternoon through early Thursday • Sundowner winds tonight - 40 to 50 mph along Santa Barbara south coast • Areas affected: Santa Ynez Mountains, Los Padres National Forest • Timeline: Afternoon and overnight hours through Wednesday into early Thursday
Temperature Outlook
This evening through Thursday: • Very hot evening temperatures with minimal overnight cooling • Little relief from heat risk despite some cooling Thursday
Thursday: • Onshore trends begin • 3 to 6 degrees of cooling across both counties • Marine layer clouds patchy at beaches • Another sunny day overall
Friday - The Big Cooldown: • Significant cooling arrives • Maximum temperatures drop to near normal levels • Continued onshore flow increases
Extended Forecast: Weekend & Beyond
Weekend Pattern: Back to normal with a moderate to strong onshore flow continues through Monday • Maximum temperatures near or slightly below normal Saturday • Little temperature change Sunday and Monday
Early Next Week: • Marine layer brings night through morning low clouds to coasts • Slight warming possible Tuesday and Wednesday as offshore trends develop
Meteorological Details
• Large upper high-pressure system dominates the western United States • California remains under the western edge of this high-pressure • Surface pressure gradients driving short-term weather changes • Heights remain fairly constant through the forecast period • Offshore trends begin Tuesday of next week
Marine Layer Notes: • Night through morning low clouds expected at coastlines • Upper-level heights may compress marine layer, keeping stratus out of lower valleys • Santa Barbara south coast exception due to Sundowner wind influence
Stay weather-aware, Central Coast, and have a great night.
-Jim
