Good Wednesday evening, Central Coast!
This is the forecast for all of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
Tonight through Thursday, gusty northwest winds will affect southwestern Santa Barbara County and areas along Highway 101 this evening, with winds redeveloping Thursday afternoon as pressure gradients strengthen.
Marine layer development continues with areas of low clouds and fog on Thursday morning, similar to Wednesday. Friday morning brings a higher chance of dense fog along the coast as high pressure strengthens.
With strong high pressure building into the Central Coast, a weak offshore flow will minimize the typical afternoon sea breeze, allowing even coastal areas to warm up considerably. The warmest spots will remain in the interior valleys of both counties.
A ridge of high pressure is building over the region, bringing significant warming for Thursday and Friday. Expect high temperatures climbing into the mid-70s at the coast to mid-80s inland across both counties.
WEEKEND THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK - SIGNIFICANT HEAT EVENT: The ridge intensifies substantially, peaking Sunday (Mother's Day) and Monday. This will be an unusually strong system for May.
Areas of Focus:
- Santa Lucia Mountains, Los Padres National Forest, and the Santa Ynez Mountains will see elevated fire weather concerns
This represents a fairly rare May heat event for the Central Coast, with the most intense heat focused on Sunday and Monday before gradual cooling begins mid-week.
Have a great night, Central Coast!
-Jim
